*4.1. Social Impact of Novel and Fast-Developing Methodologies*

Although sustainability is a critical element of advanced system design, the consideration of social factors remains limited compared to economic and environmental factors. Design with optimised economic and environmental performance would be too idealised to be fully accomplished without regard for social impacts that could overturn the situation. The importance of social dimensions and socio-technical aspects for the broader achievement of climate and energy targets at the local level were also discussed by Balest et al. [154]. Garcia-Casals et al. [155] stated that energy–economy transitions do not occur in isolation; they are embedded in the wider economy, which, in turn, is embedded in social and environmental systems. The overall system is complex and involves many sources of feedback between the subsystems leading to the final outcome. In addition to advanced technological solutions, future research should concentrate on social aspects, as a fuller understanding could enhance the effectiveness of system design.
