WHAT

ENGINEERS
NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT
SUSTAINABILIT
Y
BY: XINARA BASCOMBE, MONIQUE
ALDANA, CHRISTIAN REID, DANIEL
BABB, AJANI MASCOLL
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
• Sustainability refers to achieving one’s own need with consideration to the coming generations.

• Sustainability doesn’t solely revolve around movements that seek to improve, protect, and restore the quality of the

natural environment, but it also includes social and economic resources.

• Although sustainability as a concept is a relatively new idea, the movement as a whole has origins in social justice,

conservationism, internationalism, and other earlier movements with long histories.

• Many of these concepts had come together by the end of the twentieth century in the push for "sustainable

development.”

• Overall, sustainability is a multifaceted strategy that takes into account the ecological, social, and economic facets,

realizing that all must be taken into account in order to achieve lasting prosperity.
Three Pillars of Sustainability
• Environment- All the earth's environmental systems are kept in balance
and ecological integrity is upheld while natural resources are consumed
by humans at a rate that allows them to replenish themselves.
• Economic-All across the world, human communities are able to remain
autonomous and have access to the material and human resources they
need to meet their requirements. Economic systems are functioning
normally, and everyone has access to activities like stable sources of
income.
• Social-Everyone has access to the universal human rights and necessities
necessary to maintain the safety and well-being of their families and
communities. Just leaders ensure that all people are safeguarded from
discrimination and that personal, labor, and cultural rights are honored in
healthy societies.
 SUSTAINABILITY IN CONSTRUCTION

• Construction engineering has increasingly used the idea of sustainability. Construction planning and management,

building design, construction work, building maintenance, and building or infrastructure object restoration are all

included in the field of construction engineering.

• Modern project planning and management is based on sustainability in civil engineering principles, which enables
specialists to guarantee that each project is carried out using the safest, most ecologically friendly, and long-lasting
techniques available.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
Over the years, the demand for resources has significantly increased. We are consuming more resources faster than
the earth can replenish its resources. This is called overconsumption. The talk about sustainable development has now
become a global topic to help mitigate the effects of this issue. 

Sustainable development is any type of development that allows us to meet our own needs without compromising
future generations to be able to meet their own needs. It has three (3) main pillars:

• Social Development 
• Economic Development 
• Environmental Development
As civil engineers we build and construct houses, bridges, roads and many other structures. These structures require
many materials and these materials require processes. These processes include raw material extraction, transportation,
manufacturing and usage and disposal which all contribute to the life cycle of the product. We assess the life cycle of a
product in sustainable development to ensure that these processes limit over consumption and promote resource and
energy efficiency. 

 Sustainable development allows engineers to use the natural environment and its ecosystems to help in everyday human
problems. This can be seen in the new concept of biomimicry. Biomimicry is the concept of using processes in the
environment and applying it to solve human issues. 

Some examples of this include termite mound structure to construct a self-cooling building and burrs to make velcro. 

Dr. Helen Meese, a chartered Mechanical Engineer for over 20 years who is a part of the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers states that, “Sustainable design is no longer simply focused on reduce, recycle and re-use or repurpose.
Today, sustainable design is about adding value, designing products that bring societal benefits and solving
environmental challenges that are also viable for businesses to implement. Engineers must have the mindset to develop
innovative solutions."
Velcro was invented by engineer
George de Mestral in 1941. He
was inspired when he was
walking his dog one day and
realized him and his dog were
full of burrs. He therefore
wanted to study what made the
burrs stick to his dog and his
clothing. 

After studying the burrs he

realized that at the ends of
them, they have little small
hooks which attach themselves
onto the small loops of fabric or
fur. 

See picture above.

 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF ENGINEERS IN SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT ?

        Engineers continue to be contributors to sustainable development in terms of delivering products, seeking resources
and coming up with new ideas for production. In the 20th century engineers did not take into account the impact of their
designs socially and environmentally. Engineers then had to revisit their mindset and attitude. 
        Now engineers not only need to focus on delivering products to society but how they deliver these products to
society and what impacts does this have on society, the economy and the environment. The principles of engineering has
now become a great aspect to the thinking of engineers today as well as adopting a holistic approach to engineering. This is
why it is vital engineers to collaborate and co-innovate to ensure sustainability is incorporated into the design aspect across
businesses and orgranizations to ensure that we minimize the effects of unsustainable processes. 

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

UNITED NATIONS
FORMULATED 17
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
TO HELP IN THE 2030
AGENDA FOR
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR ENGINEERS TO
FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR
ENGINEERS TO FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABILITY?

In Engineering Sustainable development balances three as aspects which are economic, environmental,
and social. Maintaining the sustainability of these aspects are very important.

• Economic : what things cost - and how to make a business out of providing infrastructure, goods or
services 

• Environmental : what impact those things have on nature and the earth’s support systems - which are
finite

• Social : how those things serve the needs and quality of life of people and their communities.
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR
ENGINEERS TO FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABILITY?
It is important to focus on sustainability because it is said that "Engineers can't be neutral we are
either making things better or worse.

Over past years engineering products and projects has benefitted many people worldwide but the
method in which we have been doing our development is often "unsustainable" in social and
environmental terms. This leads to real fears about the security and quality of life to follow in the
near and distant future.
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR
ENGINEERS TO FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABILITY?​
Looking at the differences between unsustainability and sustainability we see why it is
important as engineers to focus on sustainability

          UNSUSTAINABILITY           SUSTAINABILTY
Inequality Tolerable inequality
Much Poverty left Basic needs and life quality provided
Threat of decreasing quality of life Living within the earth's limits
ENERGY AND MATERIAL EFFICENCY
MATERIAL EFFICENCY   

Material Efficiency
Material efficiency can be defined as a description or a
metric which expresses the degree in which raw
materials are used, incorporated or wasted as compared
to previous construction projects or physical processes.

This then leads to exploring other options that could

be used to increase efficiency which in most cases
reduces waste and increases sustainability.

For example, using previously used materials and

recycling and repurposing them instead of new raw
materials to accomplish the same task.
ENERGY EFFICENCY 

Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is defined as using technology that requires less
energy to provide the same functions or complete the same tasks.
 Reducing requirements for production of
MATERIAL new material would lead to reduced rates of
extraction of natural resources, reduced
EFFICIENCY AND energy demand and reductions in emissions
and other environmental harms.
SUSTAINABILITY
This can also potentially have political
advantages for a country through offering a
reduced dependence on imports and
increased self-reliance. Therefore, positively
impacting the social and economic pillars of
sustainability as well.
INEFFICIENCY IMPACT ON
ENVIRONMENT

It has been documented that the global

production sector is responsible for one fifth of
all carbon emissions and the use of 54% of the
world’s energy sources, with the steel sector
accounting for 7-9% of all fossil fuel based
carbon dioxide emissions making it the most
energy consuming industry.
These carbon emissions are carbon dioxide
(CO2) and this makes up the majority of
greenhouse gas emissions which in turn plays a
negative role in climate change.
INEFFICIENCY IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT – SOLUTIONS

An obvious first response to this challenge would be to examine options to reduce

emissions, while satisfying the market demand for materials, through efficient energy
processes.

Recycling metals, paper and some plastics can save energy and reduce carbon emissions,
compared with producing new material from ore, biomass or oil. 
 The production of steel requires the heating of coal to produce carbon (C)
which is commonly known in the industry as coke. This coke is then mixed
with iron to produce pig iron which is then converted to steel.
IMPACT OF STEEL The air pollutants produced from heating coal are very toxic and can
MANUFACTURING cause medical complications such as cancer. This process also further
increases greenhouse emissions affecting the environment.
On average, 1.83 tons of CO2 is emitted for every ton of steel produced
making steel production a major contributor to global warming, adding over
3.3 million tons annually to global emissions.
IMPACT OF STEEL MANUFACTURING
SOLUTIONS

Adoption of Electric Arc Furnaces over traditional

blast furnaces.
The use of green hydrogen.
The recycling of steel.
The replacing of coke

Electric Arc Furnace

 The increasing of efficiency in the manufacturing of materials can
either be negatively or positively impacted on by engineers who are at
the forefront of most development processes.

ENGINEERING Example:
INVOLVEMENT  Construction is responsible for a large amount of the waste
materials we see in the world.
 Emissions from inefficient practices, machinery, vehicles and
related hardware can be harmful to the environment.
 Engineering and development waste often produces pollutants
that can get into water supplies and the atmosphere.
ENGINEERING Solutions:
INVOLVEMENT  Use resources effectively
 Eliminate Excess Waste
SOLUTIONS
 Take Advantage of Renewable Resources
 Consider Material Alternatives
EXAMPLES OF RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND EFFICIENCY 

Green building 

A green building is a building that has been

constructed to minimise its impact on the
environment by the:

• Efficient use of energy, water, and other

resources
• Use of renewable energy, such as solar
energy
• Pollution and waste reduction measures, and
the enabling of re-use and recycling
• Use of materials that are non-toxic, ethical,
and sustainable
• Consideration of the environment in design,
construction, and operation
• A design that enables adaptation to a
changing environment
 EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND
EFFICIENCY
What makes a building green?

Zoning in on energy performance specifically, impacting how a

building uses its energy and how much energy a building uses
by altering simple features such as: 

• its location,
• orientation and shape,
•  the building "envelope"

Perfect example of a green building in the Caribbean would be

the National Library of Trinidad and Tobago . It has been
oriented to provide maximum shading and make optimum use of
natural light. The central atrium keeps the building cool and
only the drinking water comes from piped supply of the city.  
It has been estimated that this building uses only 60% of the
energy that a similar building would use.
 National Library of Trinidad and Tobago 
EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND EFFICIENCY

Embodied energy of a building is essentially the

sum of non-renewable energy used throughout its
entire life cycle.

The carbon footprint of a building is the sum of all

greenhouse gases emitted by the full life cycle of
the building.

We can lower the embodied energy and carbon

footprint of a building by;

• Use of renewable energy

• Reduce materials with high embodied energy
• Choose materials with a high proportion of
recycled content
• Reuse and recycle existing materials 
• Design for a long building life
EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND EFFICIENCY

Renovation

Reuse buildings instead of constructing new ones.

Renovations and reuse projects usually save between
50-75 percent of the embodied carbon emissions
compared to constructing a new building. When
renovating; the foundation and structure are essential
building components to be preserved since most of the
embodied carbon resides there.
EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND
EFFICIENCY

What is renewable energy? 

Renewable energy is energy which cannot be depleted when used, such
as wind, sun, hydroelectric, and hydrogen. They are often known as
clean, green, or sustainable forms of energy due to their minimal
environmental impact compared to fossil fuels. 

Construction sites are the major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG)

emissions, and they are responsible for around 39% of all energy and
process-related carbon dioxide release worldwide. 
This is because they require high energy to operate heavy machinery

How do construction sites use renewable energy sources? 

Construction sites can get the necessary power from alternative energy
sources to power equipment and illuminate the site. In addition,
renewable powered-heavy machinery can be used in construction sites to
prevent the massive greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-powered
heavy machines. 
 REFERENCES
“The 17 Goals | Sustainable Development.” United Nations. United Nations. Accessed November 7, 2022.
https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
Allwood, Julian M, Michael F Ashby, Timothy G Gutowski, and Ernst Worrell. “Material Efficiency: Providing Material Services with Less Material Production.” Philosophical
transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences. The Royal Society Publishing, January 28, 2013.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3575569/.
“Biomimicry – the Burr and the Invention of Velcro.” Micro Photonics, October 13, 2021.
https://www.microphotonics.com/biomimicry-burr-invention-velcro/.
The importance of engineering in building a sustainable future. Accessed November 7, 2022.
https://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/the-importance-of-engineering-in-building-a-sustainable-future.
Mitchell, Paul D., Robert J. Stall, and Saurabh Bhatnagar. “Five Actions to Improve the Sustainability of Steel.” EY US - Home. EY, July 20, 2021.
https://www.ey.com/en_id/mining-metals/five-actions-to-improve-the-sustainability-of-steel.
“Reducing the Carbon Footprint of the Manufacturing Industry through Data Sharing.” World Economic Forum. Accessed November 7, 2022.
https://www.weforum.org/impact/carbon-footprint-manufacturing-industry/.
“Steel Production & Environmental Impact.” Greenspec. Accessed November 7, 2022.
https://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/steel-products-and-environmental-
impact/#:~:text=Steel%20production%20has%20a%20number,from%20coking%20and%20iron%2Dmaking.
“Sustainability in Civil Engineering.” Ohio University, November 16, 2021.
https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/blog/sustainability-in-civil-
engineering/#:~:text=Sustainability%20in%20civil%20engineering%20practices,and%20long%2Dlasting%20methods%20available.
Unesco. “Education for Sustainable Development.” UNESCO.org, January 1, 1970.
https://www.unesco.org/en/education/sustainable-development.
“What Is Sustainability? - Mcgill University.” Accessed November 7, 2022.
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/files/sustainability/what-is-sustainability.pdf.
“What Sustainability Principles Are Most Key for Engineers?: Green Journal.” Green Journal | News about green energy. Emily Folk, November 29, 2019.
https://www.greenjournal.co.uk/2019/11/what-sustainability-principles-are-most-key-for
-engineers/#:~:text=They%20can%20help%20select%20and,and%20success%20of%20a%20project. .
The world counts. Accessed November 7, 2022.
https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/mining/environmental-impact-of-steel-production.
YouTube. YouTube, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=620omdSZzBs&t=78s.