Sustainability Indicators for the Army Installation Management Command

Abstract : This study addresses the nature of indicators of sustainability. Such indicators differ from both sustainability goals and plans, and even from the implementation of actions that are believed likely to enhance sustainability. The indicators developed during this study are intended as direct measures of sustainability. The attributes of ideal indicators of sustainability are discussed. A set of indicators is defined that satisfy the criteria represented by the attributes. This ideal set of indicators is then confronted with Army data that might be used to derive values for the indicators. A set of six indicators and data sources is proposed for use both by installations that are part of the U.S. Army's Installation Management Command (IMCOM) and by the Command itself.