Architecting Technology Transitions: A Sustainability-Oriented Sociotechnical Approach Kim Davis,* Thomas Mazzuchi, and Shahram Sarkani Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052 ARCHITECTING TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONS: A SUSTAINABILITY-ORIENTED ST APPROACH Received 5 February 2012; Revised 5 May 2012; Accepted 6 May 2012, after one or more revisions Published online 23 October 2012 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/sys.21226 ABSTRACT Achieving sustainability involves complex processes of technology, people, institutions, and the environ- ment. The sustainability challenge requires a combination of social, political, and technological efforts. This paper discusses processes for technological change in order to meet the sustainability challenge. These complex processes are found to be a suitable application for systems engineering and for systems architecture in particular. Based on a thorough review of the literature, an architecture framework is developed to support management of portfolios of sustainable technology projects. This architecture framework is validated through a case study process, providing enhancements and lessons learned. The full architecture framework construct and associated proposed implementation approaches are pre- sented, demonstrating the need for and applicability of such systems engineering approaches to achieve sustainability. Lessons learned from case studies and development of representative architectures are also described. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 16: 193–212, 2013 Key words: systems architecture; architecture frameworks; sustainability; technology transitions; so- ciotechnical systems 1. INTRODUCTION Over 20 years ago, the idea of sustainable development was brought to the forefront as an approach to solving growing global environmental problems in the World Commission on Environment and Development report [1987]. Solving the problem of sustainable development has many components, including social and economic components such as changing patterns of consumption and political focus. There is also a strong technological component, with improved, environ- mentally sustainable technologies often regarded as a primary approach to achieving the principles of sustainable develop- ment [Paredis, 2011]. Scholars have studied the nature of technological innova- tion and adoption for decades. In recent years, a branch of literature has focused specifically on the dynamics of large- scale shifts in technology with an emphasis on understanding potential approaches to guiding technological development in a direction which is more environmentally sustainable. Within this body of literature on sociotechnical system inno- vations and sustainability transitions exists theories of tech- nological change, so-called technology transitions, as well as governance approaches for guiding processes of technology transition. Achieving sustainability is recognized [Bakshi and Fiksel, 2003] as an interdisciplinary challenge which requires an integrated systems view of the social, environmental, eco- nomic, and technology aspects of sustainability and processes *Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed (e-mail: kdavis1@gwmail.gwu.edu; mazzu@gwu.edu; sarkani@gwu.edu). Systems Engineering Vol. 16, No. 2, 2013 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 193 Regular Paper