This book brings together the most current state of knowledge on four major elements for sustaining life on planet earth: air, water, food, and energy. It serves not only as an up-to-date source of information for environmental experts, and researchers in the field, but also as an educational tool for relevant undergraduate and graduate courses.

Dr. Ahmad Vasel-Be-Hagh is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and the founder of the Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory at Tennessee Technological University. He develops analytical models, numerical simulations, and laboratory/field experiments to add physical insight to the understanding of fluid mechanics for more accurate prediction and control of flows. Applications of his research include renewable energy generation and storage as well as fluid-structure interactions. To date, Dr. Vasel-Be-Hagh has co-authored over twenty journal papers and book chapters. He has edited multiple books and special journal issues for major publishers including Springer and Taylor & Francis.

Dr. David S-K. Ting worked on Combustion and Turbulence (Premixed Turbulent Flame Propagation) during his graduate years. He then experimented with Convection Heat Transfer and Fluid-Structure Interactions prior to joining the University of Windsor. Professor Ting is the founder of the Turbulence & Energy Laboratory. Dr. Ting supervises students on a wide range of research projects, primarily in the Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy areas. To date, he has co/supervised over seventy graduate students and co-authored more than one hundred and twenty journal papers. Other than authoring Basics of Engineering Turbulence (Academic Press) and Engineering Combustion Essentials (Cambridge Scholars Publishing), Ting has co-edited three books with the Institute of Engineering and Technology and one with Springer.

Acknowledging the Essentials. Water, Where Do We Stand? Underwater vegetation, Aquatic Cultivation. The Vertical Farm: Are We There Yet? Geometry Optimization of a Piezoelectric Microcantilever Energy Harvester. Storage-Integrated Energy Harvesters. Emerging Water-Energy-Food Nexus Lessons, Experiences, and Opportunities in Southern Africa. Green Technology to Mitigate Global Water, Energy and Environment. Self-Sustaining Urbanization and Self-Sufficient Cities in the Era of Climate Change. The Fifth Element: Biological and Genetics. Index.