Contents
What is it?
Sustainability refers to application of engineering and biology to provide basic services for human needs (water, soil, energy) and to manage waste flows in a manner that protects the environment and does not compromise the needs of future generations.
How we use it?
One can design new and improved processes to provide people with clean water and renewable energy. One can design new and improved systems to eliminate or manage waste streams from many sources (food processing waste, agricultural waste, human waste). Other applications include; detection and reduction of contaminants in the environment such as pesticides, heavy metals, and pathogens and biochemical processing of plant and animal materials to produce fuels and energy.
Career possibilities
Engineers working in these areas pursue careers as consulting engineers working in waste management, energy production and conservation and environmental stewardship. They may also function as environmental, energy, and sustainability specialists in corporations, and as public health engineers in health, education and safety agencies. Many engineers obtain graduate degrees in engineering, management, law, and planning.
Core courses to help you prepare
• BEE 2220 – Sustainable Engineering Thermodynamics
• BEE/ENGRD 2510 – Engineering for a Sustainable Society
• BEE 3500/5500 – Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Engineering