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Glossary

Note: All concepts in this glossary are arranged according to their appearance in each chapter and have been written by the editor to explain the terms in the context of this book. Most definitions are cited or quoted directly from open-access sources such as Wikipedia or the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, with references provided below each section. These definitions are not intended to be unique and are intended to serve as pedagogical support for studying this book. Therefore, readers are encouraged to further explore and research these concepts to deepen their understanding.

Chapter I

Essential services: Basic needs to sustain human life, represented in social or infrastructure assets that supply health, food, water, sanitation, etc.

Extreme poverty: a life-threatening condition where individuals are deprived or have limited access to essential services.

Co-design: A type of design that involves and considers stakeholders in the process, while their perspectives, ideas and opinions are taking part of the design. Design with instead of for communities.

Affordable technologies:  Low-cost devices that meet the expense of people, or they can manage to pay for, or they can access to make themselves with their available resources.

Wicked problems: Issues that cannot be solved only with technical solutions and that recognise the complexity of reality; therefore, they require a holistic and comprehensive approach to solve them.

Artificial Intelligence: “the capability of computer systems or algorithms to imitate intelligent human behaviour” [1]

Distributed Ledger Technologies: “(DLT) is a system whereby replicated, shared, and synchronised digital data is geographically spread (distributed) across many sites, countries, or institutions” [2]

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: “(UAV) commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers on board, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous” [3]

Social justice: “a state or doctrine of egalitarianism” [4]

Socio-technical: (in systems theory) Interplay between human factors and infrastructure assets.

Sustainability engineering: “is the process of designing or operating systems such that they use energy and resources sustainably, in other words, at a rate that does not compromise the natural environment, or the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” [5]

Social–ecological: (in systems theory) Interplay between human factors and nature (ecosystems, biological systems, natural landscapes)

Built environment: Human-made infrastructure and physical assets that create living settings or spaces for human activities.

Complex Adaptive Systems: “(CAS) is a system that is complex in that it is a dynamic network of interactions, but the behaviour of the ensemble may not be predictable according to the behaviour of the components” [6]

 

References

[1] “Artificial intelligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artificial%20intelligence. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.

[2] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 14). Distributed ledger. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:14, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Distributed_ledger&oldid=1332958169

[3] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 2). Unmanned aerial vehicle. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:30, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unmanned_aerial_vehicle&oldid=1330722066

[4] “Social justice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20justice. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026

[5] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 13). Sustainable engineering. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:19, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sustainable_engineering&oldid=1332774068

[6] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, October 3). Complex adaptive system. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:36, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Complex_adaptive_system&oldid=1314893004

 

Chapter II

Top-down models: A decision-making approach where the final resolution is made from a hierarchical entity (top) and accepted by the bottom of that hierarchical entity (down).

Stakeholder: "one who is involved in or affected by a course of action " [1]

Systems Thinking: An approach to problem-solving that considers the nature of reality as an interplay of components rather than independent elements. Therefore, the mindset is to consider how to analyse the interdependence and interconnections of those components.

Pugh Chart: “The decision-matrix method, also Pugh method or Pugh concept selection, invented by Stuart Pugh, is a qualitative technique used to rank the multi-dimensional options of an option set.” [2]

Resilience planning: Preparedness of communities towards natural hazard risks and potential disasters.

Participatory Modelling (PM): Also known as modelling with stakeholders, is a methodological framework for involving stakeholders in decision-making processes through representations of reality (models).

Appropriate Technology (AT): “is a movement (and its manifestations) encompassing technological choice and application that is small-scale, affordable by its users, labour-intensive, energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and locally autonomous” [3].

Reference:

[1] “Stakeholder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stakeholder. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[2] Wikipedia contributors. (2022, July 22). Decision-matrix method. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:19, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Decision-matrix_method&oldid=1099746581

[3] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, December 26). Appropriate technology. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:35, January 18, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Appropriate_technology&oldid=1329595725

 

Chapter III

Dignity: “is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically” [1]

Water quality: Parameters that indicate the level of potability and availability of water for human use or consumption, reaching the threshold of specific standards. See World Health Organisation for specific standards.

Emergency response: the first step of the cycle of crisis management, where actions are taken due to the consequences of natural hazards or human-driven disasters.

Filtration: “the process of passing through or as if through a filter” [2]

Chlorination: “is the process of adding chlorine or chlorine compounds such as sodium hypochlorite to water” [3]

Solar disinfection (SODIS): "Is a type of portable water purification that uses solar energy to make biologically contaminated (e.g. bacteria, viruses, protozoa and worms) water safe to drink” [4]

Coagulation: “the process of becoming viscous or thickened into a coherent mass” [5]

Flocculation: “is a process by which colloidal particles come out of suspension to sediment in the form of floc or flake, either spontaneously or due to the addition of a clarifying agent” [6]

Colloidal:  “is a mixture in which one substance, consisting of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles, is suspended throughout another substance. Some definitions specify that the particles must be dispersed in a liquid, while others extend the definition to include substances like aerosols and gels” [7]

pH: "a measure of acidity and alkalinity of a solution that is a number on a scale on which a value of 7 represents neutrality and lower numbers indicate increasing acidity and higher numbers increasing alkalinity and on which each unit of change represents a tenfold change in acidity or alkalinity and that is the negative logarithm of the effective hydrogen-ion concentration or hydrogen-ion activity in gram equivalents per liter of the solution" [8]

Infectious disease: “a disease (as influenza, malaria, meningitis, rabies, or tetanus) caused by the entrance into the body of pathogenic agents or microorganisms (as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, or fungi) which grow and multiply there” [9]

Waterborne disease: "are diseases caused by pathogenic micro-organisms that are transmitted by water. These diseases can be spread while bathing, washing, drinking water, or by eating food exposed to contaminated water" [10]

Vector-borne: “disease that is transmitted by an organism (such as an insect) that transmits a pathogen from one organism or source to another" [11]

Roundworm: "Nematode: ‘any of a phylum (Nematoda or Nemata) of elongated cylindrical worms parasitic in animals or plants or free-living in soil or water" [12]

Hookworm: "Any of several parasitic nematode worms (family Ancylostomatidae) that have strong buccal hooks or plates for attaching to the host's intestinal lining and that include serious bloodsucking pests" [13]

Carcinogenic:  "Producing or tending to produce cancer" [14]

Schistosomiasis:  "A neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes. It affects humans and many other animals. It affects the urinary tract or the intestines. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine" [15]

Arborloo: "is a simple type of composting toilet in which feces are collected in a shallow pit and a fruit tree is later planted in the fertile soil of the full pit. Arborloos have: a pit like a pit latrine but less deep; a concrete, ferrocement or other strong floor; a superstructure (toilet house or outhouse) to provide privacy; and possibly a ring beam to protect the pit from collapsing" [16]

Biogas: "A mixture of methane and carbon dioxide produced by the bacterial decomposition of organic wastes and used as a fuel” [17]

Simplified sewerage systems: “is a sewer system that collects all household wastewater (blackwater and greywater) in small-diameter pipes laid at fairly flat gradients” [18]

Sanitation: "the promotion of hygiene and prevention of disease by maintenance of sanitary conditions (as by removal of sewage and trash)" [19]

References

[1] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, October 30). Dignity. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:28, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dignity&oldid=1319594102

[2] “Filtration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filtration. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[3] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 16). Water chlorination. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:38, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Water_chlorination&oldid=1333159837

[4] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 21). Solar water disinfection. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:41, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solar_water_disinfection&oldid=1323349246

[5] “Coagulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coagulation. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[6] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, October 30). Flocculation. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:45, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flocculation&oldid=1319602988

[7] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, December 16). Colloid. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:47, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colloid&oldid=1327911087

[8] “PH.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pH. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.

[9]  “Infectious disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infectious%20disease. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[10] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 19). Waterborne disease. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:01, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waterborne_disease&oldid=1333696735

[11] “Vector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vector. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[12] “Roundworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roundworm. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[13] “Hookworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hookworm. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[14] “Carcinogenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcinogenic. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[15] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 13). Schistosomiasis. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:14, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Schistosomiasis&oldid=1332700602

[16] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, October 23). Arborloo. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:17, January 19, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arborloo&oldid=1318440310

[17] “Biogas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biogas. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[18] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 13). Simplified sewerage. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:45, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Simplified_sewerage&oldid=1332674270

[19] “Sanitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanitation. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.

 

Chapter IV

Emergency Water Systems: Any water supply provided during a crisis.

Drinking-water: Potable water, "water that is clean enough for people to drink" [1]

Temporary camp: A human settlement set up for a limited time as a refugee camp during a crisis.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): "protective devices, garments, or coverings (such as respirators, helmets, face shields, boots, or gloves) that are worn especially by workers to minimise exposure to hazards that may cause injury or illness" [2]

Groundwater: "Water within the earth, especially that supplies wells and springs’ [3]

Centrifugal force: "The apparent force that is felt by an object moving in a curved path that acts outwardly away from the centre of rotation" [4]

Cross-contamination: "Inadvertent transfer of bacteria or other contaminants from one surface, substance, etc., to another, especially because of unsanitary handling procedures" [5]

Sphere standards: “describe minimum standards for the provision of emergency humanitarian aid.” [6]

Humanitarian crises: Any emergency that threatens the lives of human beings, impacting the provision of essential services or basic needs to live.

Culturally appropriate: Technology that fits not only the needs to solve the problem but also responds to the set of principles, values, and traditions of those who will use the technology, respecting stakeholders’ perspectives.

References

[1] “Drinking water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drinking%20water. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[2] “Personal protective equipment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personal%20protective%20equipment. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[3] “Groundwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groundwater. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[4] “Centrifugal force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centrifugal%20force. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[5] “Cross contamination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross%20contamination. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[6] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, May 25). The Sphere Handbook. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:03, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sphere_Handbook&oldid=1292077917

 

Chapter V

Informal settlements: Dwellings that lack legal documentation for their location and exist without essential services provided to their inhabitants.

Marginalised communities: Communities that have been excluded or ignored by society in the provision of essential services or dignity to live.

Fire suppression system: “systems are used to extinguish, control, or in some cases, entirely prevent fires from spreading or occurring” [1]

Disaster management cycle: A sequence of execution actions towards a catastrophe or risk to hazards, which can include mitigation, preparation, response, repair or recovery.

Vulnerability: Susceptibility to be affected or directly/indirectly impacted by a hazard (natural, technological, human-driven, etc).

Hazardous areas: locations with a high prevalence of dangerous conditions due to natural, technological, or human-driven threats.

Risk exposure: The possibility of danger or threat posed by a hazard (natural, technological, human-driven, etc.).

Preparedness: The phase in the disaster management cycle focused on planning and readiness for executive action.

References:

[1] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 4). Fire suppression system. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:18, January 20, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fire_suppression_system&oldid=1331023066

 

Chapter VI

Cross-cultural competence: Ability to understand the set of values, principles and traditions of people, focusing on mutual respect and appreciation of the differences.

Cultural humility: A type of modesty that respects different sets of values, principles and traditions of humans.

Pseudo-European: Any person who pretends, imitates, or resembles heritage or features that represent the phenotype or characteristics of the people living on the continent of Europe.

Infrastructure: “is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function” [1]

Body language: "the gestures, movements, and mannerisms by which a person or animal communicates with others" [2]

Solar PV systems: “is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics” [3]

Non-verbal clues: Any form of communication that does not use spoken words or vocal expressions.

Reference:

[1] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 13). Infrastructure. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:14, January 20, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Infrastructure&oldid=1332683297

[2] “Body language.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body%20language. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

[3] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 9). Photovoltaic system. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:14, January 17, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Photovoltaic_system&oldid=1332006302

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Humanitarian Engineering: Fundamentals, Exercises, and Applications Copyright © 2026 by Dr Bryann Avendaño-Uribe is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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