This module is intended to give you a broad understanding of issues related to environmental sustainability in the context of engineering. The environmental problems facing our world are becoming more apparent day by day, and the term “sustainability” is used more frequently in the media. This module will explore the concept of sustainability and discuss some of the issues surrounding the subject.

Each chapter will begin with an overview of the the content, and will then introduce key factors and the current world systems in place for the subject matter such as energy, materials, food, water and shelter. The social and economic factors of sustainability in an engineering context will also be covered. The problems associated with these systems will then be highlighted, specifically their environmental or social impacts and what part of the systems that could be considered unsustainable. Alternatives will then be introduced and outlined including what options there are and what are the challenges involved in implementing them.

Scope of Module

The issues around sustainability are enormous, and it is not the role or scope of this module to cover everything in great depth, as there is enough information on any single subject for a masters or Ph.D. The aim of this module instead is to introduce the key concepts of hazards facing the global community in the coming years, how we got to our current state and ideas for what can be done to modify the current trajectory.

Teaching Method

The module is self taught through online resources. You will be expected to work through the content at your own pace. There will be several resources included in the body of the module such as links to websites, podcasts or videos online, which you can browse as necessary. As mentioned, the module is intended to introduce certain concepts around sustainability and instigate interest for you to conduct personal research in topics of interest.

Assessment

The assessment will be an essay or presentation for which you must research a topic of your choice related to the module content. The essay will become part of the learning resources for this module – essays and presentations will be published on line for use by people doing the module in the future. There will be more information about the assessment towards the end of the module – but bear it in mind as you are going through the chapters – make a note if anything specifically interests you or you feel you would want to research more about a particular topic.

Module Chapter Outline

 

Chapter Title	Duration (hours)	Content Outline
Introduction	2	What is sustainability? - definitions Limits to exponential growth on a finite planet An Engineers role in sustainability
Energy	3	World energy usage Problems with fossil fuels Alternatives - reduction, efficiency, renewable energy
Materials	3	Impacts of material production, sources of waste Problems with current waste management Suggestions for reducing the impact of material use
Water	2	Water resource and use worldwide Associated problems with current water systems Sustainable water management
Food	2	World food production Energy + environmental impacts Alternatives - organic/local
Shelter	2	Current building styles and associated problems Retrofit vs new build Sustainable Architecture
Social	2	Inequality and poverty Links between globalisation, climate change, poverty and engineering Suggested solutions
Economics	2	Current economic models social and environmental effects 'Ecological' economics
Assignment	As required	Essay or presentation on subject of choice