Search

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods have gained increased attention in sustainable engineering, where complex decision-making problems require consideration of multiple criteria and stakeholder perspectives. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of the different MCDM methods, their applications in sustainable engineering, and their strengths and weaknesses. The paper discusses the concept of sustainable engineering, its principles, and the different areas where MCDM methods have been applied, including energy, manufacturing, transportation, and environmental engineering. Case studies of real-world applications are presented and analyzed, highlighting the main findings and implications for engineering practice. Finally, the challenges and limitations of MCDM methods in sustainable engineering are discussed, and future research directions are proposed. This review contributes to the understanding of the role of MCDM methods in sustainable engineering and provides guidance for researchers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of the sustainability impacts of eco-engineering strategies can be challenging and remains neglected within the literature and in practice. The challenge lies in achieving a balance between the delivery of project objectives and their alignment with the emerging principles of sustainable design which seek to provide an appropriate and satisfactory environmental and financial performance whilst delivering social benefits. Whilst it is possible to assess various aspects of the long term performance of soil bioengineering measures and the relevant projects in their delivery through cost evaluations, risk assessments and environmental impact assessments, there is currently no agreed means of assessing the sustainability performance of such measures in an integrated framework which captures the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability. To remediate this, we propose an integrated sustainability assessment framework which can be applied on any eco-engineering project. It is underpinned by a review of current sustainability indicators commonly applied in the range of sustainability assessment methods (SAMs) and best practice guidance within construction and geotechnical engineering. The framework comprises a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) reflective of the both engineering and sustainability requirements for eco-engineering in the context of stability, active use of vegetation and long-term sustainability for eco-engineering projects. Recognition is provided of the unique nature of each eco-engineering measure and provision is established within the framework for a contextual KPI subset to be developed through stakeholder engagement. The potential of the framework was explored through an expert workshop highlighting its value to promote benchmarking across the sector between eco-engineering projects and would allow standards to emerge for establishing best practice. Through a real-life case study, we demonstrate the benefits of the adoption of such a framework at an early stage of a project but also the benefits for stakeholders which stem from double-loop learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This educational research seeks to develop novel laboratory modules by using the case studies in the sciences teaching method in order to introduce sustainability and environmental engineering laboratory concepts to 21st century learners. The increased interest in "going green" has led to a surge in the number of engineering students studying sustainable engineering concepts in their courses. The goal is to improve laboratory instruction and the transfer of laboratory concepts to tangible real world applications for students by utilizing student learning preferences. Research methods were implemented in a junior level environmental engineering laboratory course. The case modules focused on providing (1) the contextual case-study or problem based learning modules that link engineering topics to real world sustainable engineering issues and (2) hands-on experiences for students that are designed to address new areas in sustainable engineering. The case studies engaged students in a "short case story" with real or fictional characters experiencing a real world event. Following the "short case story," students conducted independent research related to the case and the laboratory exercise. This paper investigates the improvements to laboratory instruction as a result of the gains in student learning, self-efficacy and engagement observed when the case studies in the sciences teaching method is used. Student assessment data shows that students felt the case study methods used in the course were more engaging, more interesting, and made connections between laboratory exercises and real world applications clearer when compared to their traditional laboratory classes they had taken during their education. Results also show that the case studies teaching method should be paired with more traditional instructional methods because students prefer learning facts, solving problems by well-established methods, seeing pictures and demonstrations, and learn best when a linear stepwise approach is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, organizations deal with numerous economic, environmental, and social problems. To have sustainable operations, they have begun to incorporate environmental and social concerns into conventional economic objectives. A combined cycle power plant (CCPP) is a good instance of an open system with multistage processes and interconnected activities. Efficiency evaluation of CCPPs is a complex task since there exist a variety of inputs (outputs) which enter into any stages of network. Additionally, there might be intermediate products which are consumed by the same power plants. We call such factors “loop” intermediate measures. To measure efficiency of CCPPs, network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) is used. This paper proposes new NDEA models to evaluate efficiency of CCPPs. The proposed models calculate the efficiency of power plants and their sub-sectors under both CRS (constant returns to scale) and VRS (variable returns to scale) assumptions. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis for returns to scale. We apply the new NDEA models to measure relative efficiency of CCPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended producer responsibility in the European Union has been shown to be incapable of promoting environmentally friendly packaging, mainly because of the economic instrument used: the producer fee. To make the producer fee capable of both reflecting and influencing how packaging is produced, we propose a mathematical model for calculating a differential fee (the sustainable producer fee or SPF). The development of the model involves the following steps: the selection of sustainability criteria, the aggregation of criteria using multi-criteria decision making, the formulation of the SPF calculation, and the generation of a web-based interface for packers and product importers to calculate the differential fee applying to their own packaging. The aspects of sustainability considered are environmental aspects resulting mostly from life cycle assessment (e.g., global warming and human toxicity), and social aspects related to environmental information present in/on the packaging (e.g., the recycling bin symbol and carbon footprint information). The mathematical model developed uses the sustainability results provided by the multi-criteria decision making. The fee is higher than the current fixed fee (200.8 €/t) if the level of sustainability is low, that is, if environmental and social impacts are negative, and is lower if the level of sustainability is high. The lowest value of the fee in the sensitivity analysis, 191.89 €/t, was calculated for polyethylene packaging containing 10% of incorporated recycled material, with this recycling information being present in the packaging along with carbon footprint information and the recycling symbol. The highest value, 218.69 €/t, was calculated for polyvinyl chloride packaging without any recycled material and without any environmental information. The model is implemented in a web-based interface, where packers and product importers are able to simulate different types of packaging to reduce the fee. The success of the approach is discussed, as is the potential for changing the packaging behavior of packers and importers and for increasing the level of sustainability of packaging in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) enrolls approximately 1900 bachelor students and 600 master's and PhD students focusing on the science and engineering of environmental sustainability. To satisfy student and employer interests in sustainable international development, ESF has developed a humanitarian engineering program. The program includes theoretical and field based course work, trips abroad, student organizations, and the establishment of the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholar's Program (NAE GCSP). This manuscript describes the history, components, challenges, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and outcomes of ESF's small-scale yet successful humanitarian engineering program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For sustainable engineering to contribute to sustainability, curricular reforms are needed to train sustainability-conscious engineers. Examining student perceptions of sustainability education can provide insights for benchmarking the current quality of a curriculum and for identifying strategies for reforming a curriculum. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine student interest in, knowledge of, and experiences related to sustainability in civil and environmental engineering (CEE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). A survey was developed and administered to students () enrolled in CEE capstone courses. The results indicated that although students are interested in sustainable development, there is potential for further enhancing sustainability learning. In addition, students reported that CEE courses strongly impacted their learning, which underscores the importance of curricular quality. Finally, although students were generally satisfied with CEE sustainability education, they cited the need for more guidance on integrating sustainability into the design process. Although this case study provides feedback to improve CEE sustainability education at Georgia Tech, it also serves as an example for other programs interested in evaluating their curricula from a student perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pekalongan is one of the batik cities in Central Java, many batik SMEs thrive in Pekalongan. Batik SMEs indicated a cause of environmental pollution that occurred in the city of Pekalongan. Pollution caused by the use of chemicals in the dyeing process. This study aims to measure the eco-costs and eco-efficiency rate of batik products, as well as looking for suggestions on improving eco-efficiency. Eco-efficiency rate is measured by using LCA (Life Cycle Assess-ment) doped with SimaPro software. This method is used to evaluate the environmental impacts arising from the use of the constituent materials. The results of the data processing show that the value of eco-costs for chemical dye batik is Rp 188,028.32, with eco-efficiency rate is 68.74%. Batik industries are not sustainable and affordable. Economizing of the resourcing and applying cleaner production can be accomplished to enhance the eco-efficiency rate. Cleaner production can be achieved using natural dyes and implement End of Life strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently there is no tool to assess the sustainability performance of reuse systems in Australia. This research fulfills that gap by developing a set of sustainability indicators (SIs). A unique methodology was developed based on understanding of the reuse systems, reviewing and examining the issues related to reuse, and Australian policy and guidelines in terms of sustainability. It was established that a sustainable reuse system should be based beyond the triple bottom line approach, and involve consumers in decision making, address institutional issues, and focus on the outcomes rather than the output, with a system approach. Twenty seven SIs were identified under five categories: environmental, technical, social, economical, and institutional. The case studies demonstrated the application of the SIs in sustainability assessment of two reuse systems: (1) tree plantation and (2) lake discharge for augmenting environmental flow. The evaluation was done based on multi criteria decision assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous sustainability engineering education studies have suggested the importance of problem-based learning, project-based learning, team-based learning, and interdisciplinary learning. Place-based learning, interacting with outdoors, and building sustainable communities are also important aspects of sustainability education, yet relatively little has been published on how to use these pedagogical approaches in engineering education. The goal of this paper was to illustrate the implementation of all these pedagogical approaches in a graduate-level sustainability engineering education class. Fink's taxonomy of significant learning and the University of Toledo's Outdoor Classroom Garden provided the framework for this implementation. Throughout the semester, sustainability engineering students worked toward an engineering solution for how to water the University of Toledo's outdoor classroom garden. They also estimated the life-cycle cost and environmental impacts of their proposed solutions. The garden project and the design of the course provided many different learning opportunities that might be absent in a traditional civil engineering class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An existing multidisciplinary course on sustainable engineering in developing societies was expanded to include sustainability issues and challenges faced in the developed world. The new course consisted of independent modules on general background, sustainability concepts and tools, sustainable water and waste systems, sustainable energy systems, sustainable agricultural and food systems, and sustainable building systems. The course included a semester-long project experience conducted in interdisciplinary teams. Projects were sourced from local businesses and institutions or from organizations involved in international development. Course evaluation included an end-of-semester self-assessment by students and an analysis of project reports. Thirteen out of 18 students surveyed (72%) agreed that their ability to consider techno-economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability was improved as a result of the course. An improved student understanding of aspects of sustainability and its measures was also evident in student project reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental restoration is a matter of national concern. Decades of abuse by industry, agriculture, and the military have caused devastating contamination of the earth, air, and water. The Department of Energy alone will spend hundreds of billions of dollars on containment and restoration. It is imperative that restoration costs are minimized. Every dollar spent on restoration is a dollar that will not go toward research, a dollar that will not go to upgrade our nation’s infrastructure. The work presented here uses cost as a decision variable in restoration projects. Contaminated sites frequently vary from one point to another in type and level of contamination. In addition, a single piece of property may contain several distinct contaminated areas, each of which has characteristics unlike any of the other areas. Thus one should look at optimizing the selection of remediation technologies to address the variation. A methodology has been developed that will optimize the selection of remediation technologies based on cost. This methodology uses geostatistics and dynamic programming to break a site into discrete cells and then select the optimal sequence of remediation technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several agro-waste materials have been utilized for sustainable engineering and environmental application over the past decades, showing different degrees of effectiveness. However, information concerning the wider use of palm oil clinker (POC) and its performance is still lacking. Therefore, as a solid waste byproduct produced in one of the oil palm processing stages, generating a huge quantity of waste mostly dumped into the landfill, the waste-to-resource potential of POC should be thoroughly discussed in a review. Thus, this paper provides a systematic review of the current research articles on the several advances made from 2005 to 2021 regarding palm oil clinker physical properties and performances, with a particular emphasis on their commitments to cost savings during environmental and engineering applications. The review begins by identifying the potential of POC application in conventional and geopolymer structural elements such as beams, slabs, and columns made of concrete, mortar, or paste for coarse aggregates, sand, and cement replacement. Aspects such as performance of POC in wastewater treatment processes, fine aggregate and cement replacement in asphaltic and bituminous mixtures during highway construction, a bio-filler in coatings for steel manufacturing processes, and a catalyst during energy generation are also discussed. This review further describes the effectiveness of POC in soil stabilization and the effect of POC pretreatment for performance enhancement. The present review can inspire researchers to find research gaps that will aid the sustainable use of agroindustry wastes. The fundamental knowledge contained in this review can also serve as a wake-up call for researchers that will motivate them to explore the high potential of utilizing POC for greater environmental benefits associated with less cost when compared with conventional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The call for more effective integration of science and decision making is ubiquitous in environmental management. While scientists often complain that their input is ignored by decision makers, the latter have also expressed dissatisfaction that critical information for their decision making is often not readily available or accessible to them, or not presented in a usable form. It has been suggested that scientists need to produce more “usable” information with enhanced credibility, legitimacy, and saliency to ensure the adoption of research results. In basin-scale management of coupled human-water systems, water resources managers, like other decision makers, are frequently confronted with the need to make major decisions in the face of high system complexity and uncertainty. The integration of useful and relevant scientific information is necessary and critical to enable informed decision-making. This paper describes the main aspects of what has been learned in the process of supporting sustainable water resources planning and management in the semi-arid southwestern United States by means of integrated modeling. Our experience indicates that particular attention must be paid to the proper definition of focus questions, explicit conceptual modeling, a suitable modeling strategy, and a formal scenario analysis approach in order to facilitate the development of “usable” scientific information. We believe that these lessons and insights can be useful to other scientific efforts in the broader area of linking environmental science with decision making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article introduces the concept of ecosystem services for a broad scientific readership in South Africa and contends that its attendant research offers a theme for the engagement of a diverse range of scientific disciplines and stakeholders in the development of sustainability science. It then provides an overview of published ecosystem service studies that have dealt with the country, revealing that there were large gaps in the information on these services. Research shows that human activities are contributing to a decline in the quantity and quality of these services. If the potential of research on ecosystem services are to be realized, more direct interaction and development of an interdisciplinary understanding between the different domains of science are required .

Abstract: In this paper we report on recent developments, based on The MathWorks’ Simulink and Real-Time Workshop (RTW) packages, aimed at obtaining a high level environment where a new control law can be easily modelled, simulated with the real-time constraints and then translated in the appropriate executable format. Using this tool, the control designer only needs to specify the control law in the Simulink graphical environment. The arising model is then automatically translated in C code, integrated with control system code and simulated in real-time using the data from the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU) data base archive. All the necessary steps to adapt the RTW scripts and the control system code to the new simulation/validation environment will be illustrated in this paper. Moreover, we will report on some experimental tests where the actual experiment is compared with the simulations provided by the proposed environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Environmental responsibilities have evolved beyond controlling the emissions and wastes of industrial production to now incorporating logistics, products and processes. Corporations have become environmentally conscious to satisfy corporate responsibilities and to ensure sustainable development, increasing the demand for environmental engineering professionals. Engineering education should not be restricted to satisfying the demands of employers, industry and the marketplace or be isolated within disciplines. This study examined the instructional strategies implemented by a professor in his environmental sustainability engineering course to make his students critical thinkers, who can create sustainable products, programs and solutions. This mixed methods single case study adopted a positive deviance approach to identify this best practices case where the professor applied attitudinal learning principles in a non-intrusive way, that is without trying to change attitudes directly and forcefully. This allowed students to critically examine presented content, connect emotionally to issues they valued, take ownership of their learning, and make decisions and take responsibility for their actions, according to this study. Since sustainability projects are multi-disciplinary in the real world, ill-structured problem solving incorporated in semester-long team projects showed that students learned to work in diverse teams and understood team dynamics. These skills are expected to be transferred into students' future engineering professional careers where they could demonstrate broader management, multidisciplinary, and communication skills, in addition to social, economic and environmental responsibilities. • Course objective: Creating critical thinkers, problems solvers and team players. • Non-intrusive instruction (without trying to change attitudes directly and forcefully). • Attitudinal instruction focused on cognitive, affective, behavioral, and social learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a conceptual framework for the optimization of environmental sustainability in engineering projects, both for products and industrial facilities or processes. The main objective of this work is to propose a conceptual framework to help researchers to approach optimization under the criteria of sustainability of engineering projects, making use of current Machine Learning techniques. For the development of this conceptual framework, a bibliographic search has been carried out on the Web of Science. From the selected documents and through a hermeneutic procedure the texts have been analyzed and the conceptual framework has been carried out. A graphic representation pyramid shape is shown to clearly define the variables of the proposed conceptual framework and their relationships. The conceptual framework consists of 5 dimensions; its acronym is ADAPTS. In the base are: (1) the Application to which it is intended, (2) the available DAta, (3) the APproach under which it is operated, and (4) the machine learning Tool used. At the top of the pyramid, (5) the necessary Sensing. A study case is proposed to show its applicability. This work is part of a broader line of research, in terms of optimization under sustainability criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents details of a coordinated multidisciplinary environmental monitoring network, named INDOFLUX, proposed by the Department of Science and Technology of India. The objectives of the proposed INDOFLUX was developed by a team of scientists from India and the U.S. in a workshop held in July 2006. This environmental monitoring network is aimed to improve the scientific understanding of atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial environments in India, the nature and pace of environmental change in India, and its impact on provision of ecosystem services.

A method to evaluate students' application of sustainability principles into engineering design and problem solving was developed. Students were presented with two challenge questions that each posed a scenario. Students responded to one question and their answers were scored using a rubric that combined both analytic and holistic scoring criteria to account for sustainability principles. The rubric was iteratively developed and met standard measures of reliability and validity. Based on responses from primarily civil and environmental engineering students at three institutions, it was found that male students, seniors, and participants in many diverse learning activities (extracurricular service, internships, undergraduate research, and engineering design courses) achieved higher rubric scores. Scores on the challenge questions did not correlate to students' interests in sustainable engineering, which were measured using a Likert-based survey. A challenge-question approach to formative assessment may enable instructors to adapt curricula to foster student learning of implicit sustainability issues in engineering. The rubric may be used with a diversity of content-focused challenge questions as a tool for assessing students' holistic, sustainability-focused approaches to engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revised Bodies of Knowledge, constituent input, and student demand are motivating the incorporation of sustainability concepts in traditional engineering curricula. While a variety of methods are in development, ranging from introductory engineering courses to capstone experiences to graduate-level treatment, the addition of new topics in an already constrained curriculum is creating a dilemma for many engineering programs. This work presents an example of how sustainability concepts were incorporated in a traditional civil engineering program administered within a constrained four-year curriculum. Using a variety of the treatments recommended in the literature, United States Air Force Academy civil and environmental engineering students learn and apply sustainability concepts at multiple points and in various frameworks during their four-year programs. Student feedback coupled with learning assessments suggest this framework may provide a more generally applicable model for incorporating sustainability concepts within engineering curricula, with particular focus on the civil and environmental engineering disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]