ORIGINAL PAPER System Dynamics Urban Sustainability Model for Puerto Aura in Puebla, Mexico Jorge A. Duran-Encalada Æ Alberto Paucar-Caceres Published online: 16 December 2008 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008 Abstract This paper reports on an on-going project on urban sustainability, the Puerto Aura in the region of the Valsequillo Lake in Puebla, Mexico. As part of the project, a simulation model was built to explore the dynamic interaction of the dimensions inherent in sustainable urban development. After reviewing literature on sustainable urban devel- opment (SUD) frameworks and tools, we identify key variables that intervene in SUD. We propose a System Dynamics model to simulate the dimensions that intervene in a sus- tainable development and to anticipate the consequences of the decision making process. The structure and inter-relationships of four sectors in the proposed model are described, the sustainability indicators in each sector explained. Preliminary conclusions are drawn stating that a complete run of the model simulating a 20 years horizon in monthly periods is expected when the full data from the Puerto Aura master plan becomes available. Keywords Environmental assessment methods Á System dynamics Á Sustainable development Á Urban planning Á Simulation Á Multi-methodology Introduction This paper addresses the complex issues of sustainable development, in particular, urban sustainable development and proposes a systems dynamics (SDy) model based on a series of frameworks and methods currently used in the fields of sustainable development An early version of this paper was presented at the twenty-fifth International Systems Dynamic Society conference, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, July 2007. J. A. Duran-Encalada Business and Economics School, Universidad de las Ame ´ricas Puebla, Sta. Catarina Ma ´rtir, Cholula 72820, Puebla, Me ´xico e-mail: jorgea.duran@udlap.mx A. Paucar-Caceres (&) Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, Aytoun Building, Aytoun Street, Manchester M1 3GH, UK e-mail: a.paucar@mmu.ac.uk 123 Syst Pract Action Res (2009) 22:77–99 DOI 10.1007/s11213-008-9114-8