Introduction to Sustainability for Engineers

Description

Introduction to Sustainability for Engineers aims to incorporate sustainability into curricula for undergraduate engineering students. The book starts with an introduction to the concept of sustainability, outlining core principles for sustainable development to guide engineering practice and decision making, including key tools aimed at enabling, measuring and communicating sustainability. It also describes concepts as life cycle assessment, environmental economics, related institutional architecture and policy framework, business context of sustainability, and sustainable buildings and infrastructure. Appendices at the end of the book presents a summary of key concepts, strategies and tools introduced in the main text. Five Key Benefits: A comprehensive textbook for engineering students to develop competency in sustainability. Presents a framework for engineers to put sustainability into practice. Presents the link between sustainability and the design process. It shows the application of a sustainable engineering design process for putting sustainability into practice. There are well woven case studies and links to websites for learning in various engineering disciplines. Includes challenging exercises at the end of each chapter that will inspire students and stimulate discussion in the class. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Contributors 1. Sustainable Development and Role of Engineers 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Why and What Is Sustainable Development? 1.3 The SDGs, Paris Agreement, and Role of Engineering 1.4 Sustainable Development and the Engineering Profession 1.5 Key Attributes of the Graduate Engineer 1.6 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 2. Sustainable Engineering: Concepts, Principles, and Frameworks 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Key Concepts for Sustainable Engineering 2.2.1 Factor 4 and Factor 10: the Goals of Sustainability 2.2.2 Systems Thinking 2.2.3 Life Cycle Thinking 2.2.4 The Circular Economy 2.2.5 Industrial Ecology 2.2.6 Green Economy and Low-Carbon Economy 2.2.7 The Natural Step 2.2.8 Resources Efficiency and Decoupling 2.2.9 Eco-efficiency 2.2.10 Triple Bottom Line 2.3 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Engineering 2.4 Frameworks for Sustainable Engineering 2.5 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 3. Tools for Sustainability Assessment 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Procedural Tools 3.2.1 Environmental Management System 3.2.2 Environmental Auditing 3.2.3 Cleaner Production Assessment 3.2.4 Environmental Impact Assessment 3.2.5 Strategic Environmental Assessment 3.2.6 Life Cycle Management 3.2.7 Design for Sustainability 3.2.8 Sustainable Procurement 3.2.9 Stakeholder Engagement 3.2.10 CSR and Sustainability Reporting 3.2.11 Eco-Labeling and Environment Product Declaration 3.2.12 Buildings and Infrastructure Rating Systems 3.2.13 Backcasting 3.3 Analytical Tools 3.3.1 Based on Physical Metrics 3.3.1.1 Life Cycle Assessment 3.3.1.2 Carbon, Water, and Product Environmental Footprints 3.3.1.3 Material Flow Accounting 3.3.1.4 Environmental Risk Assessment 3.3.1.5 Green Infrastructure Valuation 3.3.2 Based on Nonphysical Metrics 3.3.2.1 Stakeholder Analysis 3.3.2.2 Cost Benefit Analysis 3.3.2.3 Environmental Life Cycle Costing (E-LCC) 3.3.2.4 Social Life Cycle Assessment 3.3.2.5 Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment 3.3.2.6 Multi-criteria Analysis 3.3.2.7 System Dynamics 3.4 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises 4. Fundamentals of Life Cycle Assessment 4.1 Introduction – Why and What Is LCA? 4.2 The LCA Methodology 4.2.1 The LCA Goal and Scope Definition 4.2.2 Life Cycle Inventory 4.2.3 Life Cycle Impact Assessment 4.2.4 Interpretation and Presentation of Results 4.2.5 The Iterative Nature of LCA 4.2.6 Methodological Choices 4.2.7 LCI Databases and LCA Softwares 4.2.8 Strengths and Limitations of LCA 4.3 Environmental Life Cycle Costing, Social Life Cycle Assessment, and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment 4.3.1 Introduction 4.3.2 Environmental Life Cycle Costing 4.3.3 Social Life Cycle Assessment 4.3.4 Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment 4.4 LCA Applications in Engineering 4.4.1 Environmental Product Declarations and Product Category Rules 4.4.2 Carbon and Water Footprinting 4.4.2.1 Carbon Footprinting 4.4.2.2 Water Footprinting 4.4.3 Energy Systems 4.4.4 Buildings and the Built Environment 4.4.5 Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment 4.4.6 Solid Waste Management 4.4.7 Chemicals and Chemical Production 4.4.8 Automotive Industry 4.4.9 Food and Agriculture 4.4.10 Electronics and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) 4.5 Summary. Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended reading and websites 5. Introduction to Environmental Economics 5.1 Introduction – What Is Environmental Economics? 5.2 Valuing the Environment 5.3 Market-based Incentives (or Economic Instruments) for Sustainability 5.4 Command-and-Control versus Economic Instruments 5.5 A Simple Model of Pollution Control 5.6 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 6. Integrating Sustainability in Engineering Design 6.1 Problem Solving in Engineering 6.2 The Conventional Engineering Design Process 6.3 From Conventional to Sustainable Engineering Design Process 6.4 Design for Life Guidelines and Strategies 6.5 Measuring Sustainability 6.6 Sustainable Design through Sustainable Procurement Criteria 6.7 Case Studies on Sustainable Engineering Design Process 6.7.1 Sustainable Process Design – Case Study (Source: Azapagic et al., 2006) 6.7.2 Sustainable Building Design – A Case Study (Reprinted with Permission from Santos and Costa, 2016) 6.7.3 Sustainable Product Design in Mechanical Engineering – A Case Study 6.7.4 Sustainable Product Design in Electronic Engineering (Reprinted with Permission from Andrae et al., 2016) 6.7.5 Sustainable Product Design in Electrical Engineering – A Case Study (Reprinted with Permission from Gurauskienė and Visvaldas, 2006) 6.8 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 7. Sustainable Buildings and Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Systems 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Sustainable Buildings Rating Systems 7.3 Sustainable Infrastructure Rating Systems 7.4 Role of the Engineer in Rating Systems 7.5 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 8. Policies and Instruments for Implementing Sustainable Development from a Life Cycle Perspective 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Policies and Instruments for Sustainable Development 8.3 A Policy Framework for Translating Sustainable Development into Action 8.4 Policies and Instruments across the Life Cycle and in Key Consumption Clusters 8.5 Multilateral Environmental Agreements 8.6 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 9. Business and Sustainability 9.1 The Business Case for Sustainability 9.2 The Business Sustainability Journey 9.3 Sustainability by Departmental Functions 9.4 Putting Sustainability into Business Practice 9.5 Summary Sustainable Development in Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites 10. The Contribution of Engineers to Sustainability 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Innovation for Sustainability 10.3 Role of Engineers across Stages of Project Delivery 10.4 The Sustainability Competent Engineer 10.5 Summary Sustainable Engineering in Focus References Exercises Recommended Reading and Websites Appendix A: State of the World Environment: Key Messages of GEO-6 Appendix B: International Energy Agency: World Energy Outlook 2018. Executive Summary Appendix C: Energy and Climate Change Appendix D: Key Environmental Impact Categories Appendix E: Key Standards That Support Sustainable Development Index