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report:eth [2026/05/14 10:16] – [6.4 Environmental Ethics] team4report:eth [2026/06/03 16:47] (current) – [6.6 Summary] team4
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 ===== 6. Ethical and Deontological Concerns ===== ===== 6. Ethical and Deontological Concerns =====
- +This chapter presents the ethical principles and responsibilities considered during the development of Maris Habitats. It discusses engineering ethics, honest marketing, environmental protection, and liability related to the habitat structure and monitoring system
 ==== 6.1 Introduction ====  ==== 6.1 Introduction ==== 
  
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 If monitoring data is offered as part of a service or subscription model, customers should be informed about what data is collected, how often it is collected, how it is stored, and what limitations the data may have. This is important because environmental data may influence restoration decisions, sustainability reports, or public communication. The data should not be used to make stronger claims than the system can support. If monitoring data is offered as part of a service or subscription model, customers should be informed about what data is collected, how often it is collected, how it is stored, and what limitations the data may have. This is important because environmental data may influence restoration decisions, sustainability reports, or public communication. The data should not be used to make stronger claims than the system can support.
  
-The duty of information transparency also means that customers should understand the difference between the basic reef structure, the optional smart sensor box, and additional monitoring services. Since the system is modular, not every reef block needs to include sensors. This should be clearly explained so that customers can make informed decisions based on their budget, monitoring needs, and project goals.+The duty of information transparency also means that customers should understand the difference between the basic reef structure, the optional smartlogger, and additional monitoring services. Since the system is modular, not every reef block needs to include sensors. This should be clearly explained so that customers can make informed decisions based on their budget, monitoring needs, and project goals.
 ==== 6.4 Environmental Ethics ====  ==== 6.4 Environmental Ethics ==== 
  
 The project aims to support marine ecosystems while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Artificial habitats can help provide shelter and settlement surfaces for marine organisms, but they can also create risks if they are poorly designed, placed in unsuitable locations, or made from inappropriate materials. For this reason, site selection, material safety, structural stability, and long-term monitoring must be considered before deployment [(FAO)], [(NOAA2007)]. The project aims to support marine ecosystems while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Artificial habitats can help provide shelter and settlement surfaces for marine organisms, but they can also create risks if they are poorly designed, placed in unsuitable locations, or made from inappropriate materials. For this reason, site selection, material safety, structural stability, and long-term monitoring must be considered before deployment [(FAO)], [(NOAA2007)].
  
-Material selection is a key environmental concern. The habitat should be made from durable, non-toxic, and environmentally compatible materials that do not release harmful substances into the marine environment. Since the structure will remain underwater for a long period, the material must also resist degradation caused by seawater exposure and physical forces.+Material selection is a key environmental concern. The habitat should be made from durable, non-toxic, and environmentally compatible materials that do not release harmful substances into the marine environment [(FAO)], [(NOAA2007)]. Since the structure will remain underwater for a long period, the material must also resist degradation caused by seawater exposure, chemical attack, and physical forces [(QU2021)].
  
 The surface texture and shape of the habitat should also be considered. Studies on ecologically enhanced marine concrete structures show that changes in surface complexity and material composition can influence species richness, live cover, and the balance between local and invasive species [(SELLA2015)]. Therefore, the design should avoid overly smooth and simple surfaces. Instead, it should provide cavities, roughness, and sheltered areas that can support local marine organisms. The surface texture and shape of the habitat should also be considered. Studies on ecologically enhanced marine concrete structures show that changes in surface complexity and material composition can influence species richness, live cover, and the balance between local and invasive species [(SELLA2015)]. Therefore, the design should avoid overly smooth and simple surfaces. Instead, it should provide cavities, roughness, and sheltered areas that can support local marine organisms.
  
-The project also considers the risk of biofouling on sensors. While marine growth on the habitat structure is desirable, growth directly on sensor surfaces may reduce data accuracy. For this reason, the sensor system should include protective design features, such as a separable housing, sensor guards, or maintenance access. Anti-fouling solutions should be chosen carefully to avoid harming marine life.+The project also considers the risk of biofouling on sensors. While marine growth on the habitat structure is desirable, growth directly on sensor surfaces may reduce data accuracy and affect long-term monitoring reliability [(DELAUNEY2010)]. For this reason, the sensor system should include protective design features, such as a separable housing, sensor guards, or maintenance access. Anti-fouling solutions should be chosen carefully to avoid harming marine life.
  
 In addition, Maris Habitats can contribute to environmental awareness and education by collecting data related to the surrounding marine conditions. This data can help researchers, public institutions, and local communities better understand how artificial reefs interact with their environment over time. However, the data should be interpreted carefully and should not be used to claim ecological success without long-term observation. In addition, Maris Habitats can contribute to environmental awareness and education by collecting data related to the surrounding marine conditions. This data can help researchers, public institutions, and local communities better understand how artificial reefs interact with their environment over time. However, the data should be interpreted carefully and should not be used to claim ecological success without long-term observation.
 +==== 6.5 Liability ====
  
 +Liability relates to the responsibility for possible consequences if the system does not perform as intended. In deontological ethics, responsibility is connected to the duty to act carefully, prevent foreseeable harm, and remain accountable for the consequences of a design [(NSPE)]. Since Maris Habitats includes both a physical habitat and a monitoring system, liability covers structural, environmental, and data-related risks.
  
-==== 6.5 Liability ====+The main external stakeholders affected by these risks include public institutions, coastal municipalities, research institutions, environmental NGOs, port authorities, aquaculture operators, marine infrastructure companies, and the marine environment itself. Therefore, liability is not only related to product failure, but also to the possible impact on customers, data users, maintenance operators, local ecosystems, and future restoration or monitoring decisions.
  
-Liability relates to the responsibility for possible consequences if the system does not perform as intended. Since MARIS HABITATS includes both a physical habitat and a monitoring system, liability covers structural, environmental, and data-related risks.+In Maris Habitats, liability risks related to movement, instability, and possible damage to the seabed are addressed through the physical design of the reef modules and the smartlogger. The reef modules are made from basalt fiber-reinforced concrete. Basalt fibre-based materials are considered suitable for marine applications because of their mechanical performance and resistance to chemical and environmental degradation [(BasaltFiberMarine2025)]. The material and estimated module weight are intended to improve the stability of the structure on the seabed. Each module is estimated to contain approximately 30 kg of concrete, giving the habitat a high self-weight that helps reduce the risk of displacement caused by currents or wave action. When several modules are connected together, the total mass and contact area increase, making the overall habitat more resistant to movement under expected deployment conditions [(NOAA2007)].
  
-One possible risk is structural failure or movement. If the habitat or sensor box is not stable enough, it could be displaced by currents or storms and damage the surrounding seabed or nearby habitats. Artificial reef guidelines emphasize that reef materials should be stable and should remain at the intended deployment site [(NOAA2007)]. For this reason, the final product must include proper weight from the concrete, and a mechanical lock for the sensor block.+The smartlogger is designed as a removable monitoring unit that can be attached to the Maris Habitats structure without being permanently embedded in the reef. This allows maintenance, battery replacement, and data retrieval without removing the main habitat from the seabed. To reduce the risk of the smart box becoming loose or drifting away, it is mounted on a supporting structure and secured to the module block with a chain or mechanical locking system. This keeps the smart box connected to the habitat during operation while still allowing access for maintenance.
  
-Another risk is failure of the smart sensor box. If the box leaks, breaks, or records inaccurate data, the result may not only be a technical failure but also a problem for environmental interpretation. Incorrect temperature, pressure, pH, or water quality data could lead to wrong conclusions about reef performance or local marine conditions. Therefore, regular inspection, calibration when possible, and data validation should be included before the data is used for reports or decision-making.+From a duty of care perspective, the project must also consider possible smart box failure. If the box leaks, breaks, or records inaccurate data, the result may not only be a technical failure but also a problem for environmental interpretation. Incorrect temperature, pressure, pH, or water quality data could lead to wrong conclusions about reef performance or local marine conditions. Since marine sensors can be affected by biofouling during long-term deployment, regular inspection, cleaning, calibration when possible, and data validation should be included before the data is used for reports or decision-making [(DELAUNEY2010)].
  
-The modular design helps reduce liability risks. Since the smart sensor box is separable from the habitat structure, electronic components can be removed, inspected, cleaned, repaired, or replaced without removing the whole reef from the seabed. This reduces disturbance to marine life and lowers the risk of leaving failed electronic components in the sea.+The smartlogger design helps reduce liability risks. Since the smartlogger is separable from the habitat structure, electronic components can be removed, inspected, cleaned, repaired, or replaced without removing the whole reef from the seabed. This reduces disturbance to marine life and lowers the risk of leaving failed electronic components in the sea.
  
-Responsibility also includes long-term degradation. Although the structure is designed to remain in the marine environment for a long period, the team must consider what happens if materials wear down, break, or lose performance over time. The system should therefore be designed and documented so that maintenance needs, operational limits, and responsibilities are clear.+Responsibility also includes the duty to consider long-term degradation. Although the structure is designed to remain in the marine environment for a long period, the final design must consider what happens if materials wear down, break, or lose performance over time. Concrete structures in marine environments can deteriorate due to seawater exposure, chloride and sulphate attack, salt crystallization, corrosion processes, and physical forces such as wave action [(QU2021)]. The system should therefore be designed and documented so that maintenance needs, operational limits, and responsibilities are clear.
  
-Clear documentation and transparent data management are also important parts of liability. The team should define how the system is installed, how often it needs to be inspected, who is responsible for maintenance, and how collected data should be stored and interpreted. For ocean data projects, data management planning is recommended to ensure that collected data is properly stored, preserved, and documented [(UNESCO2025)].+Clear documentation and transparent data management are also important parts of liability. From a deontological perspective, this is related to the duty of transparency and accountability. The project should define how the system is installed, how often it needs to be inspected, who is responsible for maintenance, and how collected data should be stored and interpreted. For ocean data projects, data management planning is recommended to ensure that collected data is properly stored, preserved, and documented [(UNESCO2025)].
  
 +These stability and maintenance measures should be described in the product development chapter and further validated through technical drawings, prototype tests, or simple stability calculations before real deployment.
 ==== 6.6 Summary ==== ==== 6.6 Summary ====
  
-This chapter has examined the ethical and deontological considerations associated with the development of MARIS HABITATS. The main concerns include environmental protection, structural safety, data integrity, transparent communication, and responsibility for long-term maintenance.+This chapter has examined the ethical and deontological considerations associated with the development of Maris Habitats. The main concerns include environmental protection, structural safety, data integrity, transparent communication, and responsibility for long-term maintenance.
  
-Based on this ethical and deontological analysis, the team chose a modular habitat design with a separable smart sensor box. This design allows the habitat structure to remain underwater while the electronic components can be removed for inspection, maintenance, or replacement. This reduces disturbance to the marine environment and lowers the risk of leaving failed electronic parts in the sea.+Based on this ethical and deontological analysis, the team chose a modular habitat design with a separable smartlogger. This design allows the habitat structure to remain underwater while the electronic components can be removed for inspection, maintenance, or replacement. This reduces disturbance to the marine environment and lowers the risk of leaving failed electronic parts in the sea.
  
 The team also decided to distinguish clearly between the prototype and the final product. The prototype is intended to validate basic sensing and data logging functions in a controlled environment. The final product would require marine-grade sensors, pressure-resistant housing, anti-fouling measures, and long-term field testing. This distinction is important to avoid misleading claims about the current technical readiness of the system. The team also decided to distinguish clearly between the prototype and the final product. The prototype is intended to validate basic sensing and data logging functions in a controlled environment. The final product would require marine-grade sensors, pressure-resistant housing, anti-fouling measures, and long-term field testing. This distinction is important to avoid misleading claims about the current technical readiness of the system.