The impact of sustainable engineering, shaping a responsible future for our planet

July 15, 2024

Sustainable engineers are heroes of our time. However, they're facing misunderstanding and many other challenges by the ever-sparing economies. 

But let's be optimistic by definition and focus on what sustainable engineering SHOULD bring to humanity instead of what it's, right now, ABLE TO bring in. 

Every engineer shares an innovative mindset with different type of engineer. When talking sustainability, we're taking all the engineers into account as this is more of a horizontal category spreading across structural, civil, construction, and all the engineers that exist in this world. 

This type of engineering is focused on the design and implementation of solutions that rapidly promote environmental stewardship, economic prosperity, and social well-being. That's by the definition. 

The global community is facing many rising environmental challenges nowadays, and the role of sustainable engineering is increasing. 

Principles of sustainable engineering
Sustainable engineering is grounded in (roughly said) these 4 key principles:

Lifecycle thinking - Thinking about the environmental impact of a product or process from creation to disposal.

Resource efficiency - Utilizing resources such as energy, water, and materials in the most efficient manner possible.

Pollution prevention - Reducing (or, ideally, eliminating) the production of pollutants.

Systems thinking - Leveraging the connections between different components of the environment and human systems.

Now, let's start with defining the tasks and possible impacts of the (possible) outcomes. 

Renewable energy - a big thing

Sustainable engineering has already gone a long way in revolutionizing the energy sector. There are huge challenges here but by promoting renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, we've come to a point where there's already much less smoke and radiation than before.  

These solutions can reduce the population's reliance on fossil fuels and they decrease greenhouse gas emissions significantly, which will (hopefully) contribute even more to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

Sustainable construction
The construction industry is a Big Foot! It's known for its huge environmental footprint and is also being transformed by sustainable engineering practices. These practices include:

Green building design practices introduce transfer to energy-efficient materials, renewable energy systems, and sustainable landscaping.

The other group of practices is low-impact construction methods. The newest techniques that reduce waste, reduce energy consumption and reduce pollution during the actual construction. And we'll talk about wastewater below. 

Then, 'retrofitting' of the existing buildings, which means some sort of renovation. It is, basically, upgrading older structures with modern, energy-efficient technologies. The aim is to extend their lifespan and reduce their environmental impact. Retrofitting should be planned for all levels - residential, commercial, and industrial. 

Water management 
We know water is a vital resource, and sustainable engineering plays a critical role in managing and conserving it. 

Efficient water use is one of the primary strategies for water management. With the newest technologies and practices, sustainable engineering can help us significantly reduce water consumption in our homes, industries, and agriculture. 

For example, simple techniques such as drip irrigation, which delivers water directly to the plant roots, help minimize waste in agricultural settings. Cheap and simple. 

In industrial applications, there are so-called 'closed-loop water systems, ' which recycle water within the process. These systems reduce the overall consumption of water and make it reusable—a rather large step in water sustainability management!

Water recycling and reuse are another win down the road. Treating wastewater so it can be reused in non-potable applications—irrigation or industrial processes—reduces the demand on freshwater resources. This not only conserves water but also reduces the burden on sewage treatment facilities, which reduces the need for endless repairs. 

It's already visible as technologies like greywater systems are becoming increasingly popular in residential settings. Greywater systems treat water from showers and sinks for reuse in toilets and landscaping. Implementing greywater systems on a large scale can be huge. 

Stormwater management is another crucial aspect of water conservation. Designing infrastructure to manage runoff can reduce flooding and protect water quality at the same time. 

Sustainable stormwater management techniques put in use permeable pavements, green roofs, and rain gardens, which allow water to infiltrate the ground naturally. 

All these methods help mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall and reduce the risk of water pollution from runoff.

Waste reduction and recycling
Waste, an issue ignored for centuries, is finally coming to an end—or near the end. 

By reducing, reusing, and recycling waste materials, sustainable engineers will secure their jobs for the next few centuries. 

One of the most innovative approaches to waste management is the circular economy.  Its focus is product design with processes that enable materials to be reused or recycled. This will minimize waste generation and maximize resource efficiency. 

Then, there are waste-to-energy technologies. That's another innovative solution for sustainability, as it converts waste materials into energy through anaerobic digestion and incineration. Sounds smart?

Anaerobic digestion breaks down almost all organic waste and produces biogas, which can then be used as an energy source. 

Incineration, when performed in modern facilities with advanced pollution controls, can generate energy - electricity and heat - from the remaining waste that cannot be recycled in a better way. 

Material recovery facilities are giants in this revolution. These facilities are responsible for advanced sorting and processing in order to recover valuable materials from waste streams. It means separating different types of plastics, metals, and paper, so we can turn them into brand-new products. 

Sustainable transportation

Not the 'elephant in the room' anymore. 

Electric and hybrid vehicles are already at the forefront of these efforts. They use electricity or a combination of electricity and conventional fuels to reduce emissions directly. There still is some damage but the difference is that electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, which makes them a cleaner alternative to traditional vehicles which run on internal combustion engines. 

Hybrid vehicles, which combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor, offer improved fuel efficiency and significantly lower emissions. Huge speed, lower emissions.

Another thing is enhancing public transportation.  With better efficiency and coverage of public transportation networks, cities offer low-emission and lower cost alternatives to private car use. 

This brings in several benefits:
- reduces traffic congestion
- lowers pollution levels
- makes urban areas more livable

Ideally, the less individual drivers in the street, the more popular the place will be for living. 

Green manufacturing
Ah, good old production processes. We've stepped down from using coal and ultra-damaging fuels. The dream of sustainable engineering is to get all the manufacturers to utilize energy-efficient processes. 

Using energy sources like solar or wind power will reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. This will also significantly lower energy consumption on a relatively large scale.

Sustainable supply chains are another critical aspect - Its basis is sourcing materials and products from suppliers committed to environmentally responsible practices. Manufacturers can reduce their overall environmental footprint by being more willing to work with colleagues alike. Even for a higher price. 

This way, with mutual effort, companies can contribute to a more sustainable future. 

Tech innovations
Smart grids
They're a real giant leap in the way we manage and distribute electricity. 

Traditional power grids are deemed inefficient and prone to outages. Just look at Texas... But smart grids, on the other hand, use advanced technology to ensure efficiency and reliability. 

These systems use sensors, smart meters, automated controls, and smart switches to monitor electricity usage and distribution in real time, 24/7. 

This can reduce energy waste and integrate renewable energy sources in record time. If this becomes the golden standard, we'll also get fewer blackouts, lower energy costs, and a more resilient power infrastructure. Everybody will like that. 

Renewable Energy Storage
One of the biggest challenges is only... Their intermittency. Solar panels don't produce energy at night, unfortunately. Perhaps some moon-reflection panels will come in in the future but for now, we can rely only on full sun exposure. 

Also, wind turbines are only effective when the wind blows. Perhaps the production of wind will be  the next leap but we're at the pioneering start of sustainability after a long time of just burning the environment for the sake of getting that energy that we're addicted to. 

Back to the point - renewable energy storage solutions have a task - To store the excess energy generated during peak production times so we can use it when production is low. 

Things like advanced batteries (like lithium-ion, flow batteries), pumped hydro storage, thermal storage, etc... are developed and refined every day. 

Efficient energy storage should secure a stable and reliable supply of renewable energy very soon, which will make it a more viable alternative to fossil fuels. Something everyone will love. 

Biotechnology
This field encompasses a wide range of applications. Environmental remediation, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy production are only some of the main ones. 

But let's not list out everything, let's get to an example -  bioremediation uses microorganisms to clean up contaminated environments. They're breaking down pollutants into harmless substances. 

In agriculture, genetically modified crops can enhance yield and resistance to pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Is this really that good for us? The controversies remain...

While sustainable engineering has made significant strides, challenges also remain...

High upfront costs for sustainable technologies and practices can be a deterrent. It's a problem from smart home design to eco packaging in manufacturing. No one wants to go for a more expensive solution without having the evidence it will work for them in the long run. 

However, investing in innovative solutions can have its rewards, as biotech investing can be lucrative for those who support groundbreaking research and development. This all brings our point to technological limitations. However, we hope that with continued effort, we should overcome current limitations in technology and make those things even cheaper for use than the traditional ones. All that's needed is initial investment and then some time.

There's many 'ifs' as we need to also count on encouraging widespread adoption of sustainable practices in others. The revolution of such kind requires changing behaviors and mindsets. It requires us all, down to each individual, to understand that if we pay more cash upfront we're investing in worldwide adoption of good things. 

The likely future?
Her, we're talking about the future of sustainable engineering and the future of humanity at the same time. 

But to stick to the point - tech like artificial intelligence and machine learning should help optimize sustainability efforts. They can do what humans cannot. They can analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, make predictions, and give the exact plan effortlessly in seconds. 

That's a great help for us in creating more efficient and effective solutions!

Then also, our understanding of the importance of infrastructure needs to change. We should be able to withstand extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and other climate-related challenges. This is the aim of the 'resilient design'. This can only be done by infrastructural changes which cost a ton of money at the start. 

However, it not only protects against immediate damage but ensures long-term sustainability for cheaper, by reducing the need for frequent repairs and replacements. Meaning, it saves all that money in the long run. 

And some politics might need advancements here. In order to promote international cooperation we need to be working together. Countries have to share knowledge, resources, and technologies to tackle problems such as sustainability. 

Sounds like a dream, right?