Faculty of Engineering

Faculty of Engineering Papers

The University of Auckland Year 

Sustainability principles and practice for

engineers
Carol Boyle∗ Gerry Te Kapa Coates†

∗ University of Auckland, [email protected]

†

This paper is posted at ResearchSpace@Auckland.

http://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/engpapers/25
 ©ILLUSTRATION WORKS

Sustainability
Principles
and Practice
for Engineers
CAROL BOYLE AND GERRY TE KAPA COATES

32 | 0278-0079/05/$20.00©2005IEEE IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005

T
he Institute of Profes- sustainability and its application to [18], and the Association of Profes-
sional Engineers of engineering and their discipline. sional Engineers and Geoscientists
New Zealand (IPENZ) The purpose of the Task Force of British Columbia [2].
Presidential Task Force was to “raise the consciousness of In addition, there has been much
on Sustainability and engineers in terms of applying sus- discussion in the current literature
Engineering was convened in 2003 tainability principles in their daily of sustainability and its relationship
by then-President Gerry Coates to work and thinking.” One of the first to engineering principles and prac-
“raise the consciousness of engi- tasks to accomplish this was to tice. Overall, there is agreement that
neers in terms of applying sustain- review the current literature and traditional engineering solutions
ability principles in their daily work determine the accepted sustainabili- and ways of thinking will not pro-
and thinking.” The Task Force rec- ty principles relevant to professional duce sustainable solutions [5], [10];
ognized that there was little direc- engineers’ roles. It also became rather such solutions will come
tion for practical application of sus- clear that an underlying context of from innovation, focuses building
tainability to engineering practice, sustainability was required to pro- on social, cultural and environmen-
and developed a context and vision vide a vision of sustainability for tal strengths [6], [22], and using lat-
for that application. By accepting engineers. In addition, discussion eral or critical thinking [25]. The
that existing cities should be thriv- documents were needed on how complexity of interactions that must
ing over the next 1000 years and engineers should put the principles be considered in addressing sustain-
that there will be a need for into practice, as professional engi- ability requires a systems thinking
resources and systems for that neers but also as engineers working approach [20]. However, the think-
future, the long-term context of sus- in specialized disciplines. ing required goes beyond under-
tainability was brought into focus. A This article discusses the results standing and incorporating the rela-
set of sustainability principles for of this Task Force, including the tionships of the interacting systems
engineers was then developed, underlying context that was devel- as is addressed in systems thinking;
based on the long term viability of oped, the sustainability principles it requires an understanding of
the planet, intra- and inter-genera- and the discussion on practice for change over time, which Emblems-
tional equity, and a holistic view for engineers. The Task Force results våg and Bras [8] define as a process
projects and engineering practice are available on the IPENZ website thinking approach.
–integrating environmental, social, [19] and elsewhere [4]. However, the major problem
and economic issues. Practical tasks encountered in the application of
and requirements for engineers, Vision of Sustainability sustainability to professional prac-
including a checklist were then In 1997, the World Federation of tice is that the vision of sustainabil-
drawn up to provide further direc- Engineering Organisations (WFEO) ity and its practical application are
tion to practicing engineers. issued the following resolution: unclear. While there are a number of
tools that purport to measure sus-
Task Force WFEO encourages all engi- tainability (life cycle assessment,
As part of his year as President of neers to: triple bottom line, sustainability
IPENZ, Gerry Coates convened a 1) Become knowledgeable of impact assessment, Natural Step,
Presidential Task Force on Sustain- sustainable development prin- sustainability indicators), none of
ability and Engineering. The Task ciples and be continuously these actually provide a clear mea-
Force members comprised (in trained about the current sus- sure of sustainability and how future
alphabetical order) Dr. Carol Boyle, tainable development tech- generations are to be taken into
Chair of the NZ Society for Sustain- nologies applicable to their account [7], [9], [11], [20], [21],
ability Engineering and Science and work [29]. [24], [27]. Most merely assess pro-
Deputy Director of the International gress towards sustainability, without
Center for Sustainability Engineer- Policies, principles, indicators defining what sustainability is and
ing and Research at the University and guidelines for putting sustain- therefore the progress proceeds
of Auckland; Kathy Garden, Strate- ability into engineering practice blindly. Some means of putting sus-
gic Development Director, Manu- have been developed by the Interna- tainability into context was needed
kau City Council; Andrew McBeth, tional Federation of Consulting to be able to provide engineers with
Consulting Engineer (transporta- Engineers [12], [13], American a focus.
tion); Ian Shearer, Consulting Engi- Society for Civil Engineers [1], the The basic concept of sustainabil-
neering (energy); and Nadine Institute of Chemical Engineers ity as stated in “Our Common
Wakim, Consulting Engineering [14], [15], the Institution of Civil Future” [28] requires a focus on
(environment). All Task Force Engineers in the U.K. [16], [17], the intra- and inter-generational equity
members had a strong interest in Institution of Engineers of Australia (ensuring that the needs of the

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005 | 33

current generation are met without We cannot, of course, know what tors, we set the framework for our
compromising the needs of future technologies we will have available future direction and how we can
generations). This is a common 1000 years into the future. However, enable future generations to meet
theme for most definitions of sus- we can make some assumptions and their needs. Long term planning for
tainability. A U.K. government defi- use these to guide sustainable think- cities, regions, and countries
nition of “ensuring quality of life” ing. These assumptions include: becomes important as it is within
focuses only on the social aspect of a) humans will be here; current that framework that infrastructure of
sustainability and does not consider cities will be here; human habitation can be developed
if there are sufficient resources to b) food will still be grown; and managed for the long term. Lim-
achieve the quality expected by c) materials and energy will still itations of land, water, food, soil, and
individuals [7]. In putting the con- be required to meet human materials can be identified and ways
cept of future generations into prac- needs; of managing those resources within
tice though, there is no clear under- d) human basic needs will not those limitations developed. Areas
standing of what is meant by future have changed; that are suitable for human habita-
generations. Economists argue that e) these include [23]: tion, for agriculture, for transporta-
we care about our children, their ■ Existence – provision of the tion corridors and for green areas
children and possibly their children, basic biological needs of its can be identified and managed.
but beyond four generations we do members: food, drink, shel- Solutions, including new technolo-
not have a sense of concern or oblig- ter, and medical care; gies that must be developed for
ation for future welfare. Some ■ Effectiveness – provision for future survival, can then be identi-
indigenous peoples, such as New the production and distribu- fied through backcasting. Backcast-
Zealand Maori, would identify five tion of goods and services; ing identifies the solutions that are
generations as the minimum period ■ Freedom of action; needed and then determines the
of thinking. ■ Security - provision for the pathways that must be followed to
However, in the context of future maintenance of internal and obtain those solutions.
society, four or five generations external order; Having identified these issues,
(100-125 years) is relatively short. ■ Adaptability – ability to we certainly cannot predict with any
Many societies have existed for change; certainty what will happen in the
much longer than that – some for ■ Coexistence – ability to exist future. However, we can evaluate the
thousands of years (Europe, Middle peacefully with other races risk of our activities on the needs of
East, China, India, Egypt). Most of and species; future generations and reduce those
the major cities in Europe, north ■ Reproduction - provision for risks. Thus we can look at the prob-
Africa, the middle East, and Asia the reproduction of new ability and consequences of negative
have been in existence for over one members and consideration impacts on the environment and
thousand and many for two thou- of laws and issues related to society over the short, medium, and
sand years; some for over 5000 reproduction; long term and move to mitigate
years. Some environmental impacts ■ Psychological needs – provi- those risks, particularly those that
can last for thousands of years, par- sion of meaning and motiva- have major consequences. This will
ticularly loss or salinization of soil, tion to individuals; require a combination of not only
loss of resources, degradation of ■ Ethical reference – provision changing existing practices, but also
ecosystems, and loss of biodiversity. of definitions of right and focusing research in directions that
Some impacts can take long periods wrong. will lead towards sustainability.
of time to develop or occur – loss of The identification of risks
soil or biodiversity, desertification, Long-Term Planning requires that we understand more
deforestation, and depletion of On this basis, we can then determine fully the systems we are affecting –
resources. Thus, at the very least, what we have to consider over 1000 environmental and social, including
we should be considering a period years. Land use, food production, economic. Systems thinking is crit-
of 1000 years and looking to the soil health, water quality and quanti- ical to enable the linkages and feed-
type of future we want at that point. ty, human habitation, ecosystem backs between systems to be identi-
As Tonn [26] points out, this con- health, evolution and robustness, fied and for planning to take all
cept is being recognized and needs biodiversity, waste disposal (particu- systems into account. It also
to be incorporated into current larly hazardous waste), climate requires us to identify and recog-
urban and regional planning; Boyle change, resource use, and even tech- nize the limitations of those sys-
[3] also suggests that sustainability nological direction are all suitable tems, not only for the short term but
should be measured using risk over for long term consideration. Once also for the long term. Those are the
a thousand years. we have started to plan for these fac- limitations that we must live within

34 | IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005

if we are to achieve sustainability. of our soil rivals any other in Developing Principles
At this point, we have identified being all-productive and for Engineers
some critical ecosystem levels and abundant in crops and rich in It was recognized by the Task
species, the points at which ecosys- pasturage for all kinds of cat- Force that for engineers, sustain-
tems will crash. However, the caus- tle and at that period, in addi- ability principles had to bridge the
es and factors leading to such crash- tion to their fine quality it pro- gap between existing practice and
es are not well known and the duced these things in vast the long-term focus on sustain-
critical levels of many species and quantity... And, just as hap- ability. They also had to take the
ecosystems remain unknown. pens in small islands, what integrated, holistic view of envi-
The implications of sustainabil- now remains compared with ronment, society, and economics
ity for engineers are major. Long what then existed is like the into account. Above all, the ongo-
term thinking on resource avail- skeleton of a sick man, all the ing viability of the natural envi-
ability and infrastructure planning fat and soft earth having wast- ronment had to be maintained.
is essential. Paradigm shifts in eco- ed away, and only the bare From this the following principles
nomics and technology design are framework of the land being were developed.
necessary. Clearer and better left. But at that epoch the
understanding of how to provide country was unimpaired, and Sustainability Principles
for a good quality of life without for its mountains it had high for Engineers
necessarily increasing the quantity arable hills, and in place of Sustainability is the focus on the
of goods is required. Individual the “moorlands,” as they are long-term survival of humanity, with
responsibility for the future also now called, it contained the recognition that decisions made
needs to be clarified and accepted. plains full of rich soil; and it today need to enable both those in
had much forestland in its the present and in the future to make
Needs vs. Wants mountains, of which there are effective choices about their quality
Engineers, in collaboration with visible signs even to this day; of life. Three key principles are the
politicians, planners, social scien- for there are some mountains basis of sustainability, to provide
tists, and other professionals, need which now have nothing but future generations with choices and
to become more effective at identi- food for bees, but they had with a direction that will enable
fying the needs of consumers and trees no very long time ago, long-term survival of humanity.
clients, rather than “wants,” particu- and the rafters from those
larly the need for technology. This felled there to roof the largest Principle 1: Maintaining the
will require engineers to become buildings are still sound. And viability of the planet
problem framers by asking the besides, there were many lofty a) Humans need to maintain the
client to identify the core of the trees of cultivated species; integrity of global and local
problem, rather than just the solu- and it produced boundless biophysical systems to retain
tion. It will also mean deciding on pasturage for flocks. More- the irreplaceable life support
the most effective directions that over, it was enriched by the functions upon which human
technology takes, rather than rely- yearly rains from Zeus, which well-being depends.
ing solely on market drivers. Over- were not lost to it, as now, by b) The efficiency of products
all, engineers need to be aware of flowing from the bare land into needs to be improved and the
the potential long-term impacts of the sea; but the soil it had was material and energy intensity
their actions rather than merely deep, and therein it received needs to be reduced by a fac-
using a predict and provide model. the water, storing it up in the tor of 10 to 50 to achieve sus-
Plato, writing Critias 2400 years retentive loamy soil and by tainability; thus redesigning
ago [30], lamented the impact of drawing off into the hollows engineered products, process-
deforestation and farming on the from the heights the water that es, and services and mini-
Greek island of Attica: was there absorbed, it provid- mization, recycling, and reuse
ed all the various districts with of resources are needed to
...all other lands were sur- abundant supplies of spring- achieve this factor.
passed by ours in goodness of waters and streams, whereof c) Depletion rates of non-renew-
soil, so that it was actually the shrines which still remain able resources shall equal the
able at that period to support even now, at the spots where rate at which renewable substi-
a large host which was exempt the fountains formerly existed, tutes are developed by human
from the labors of husbandry. are signs which testify that our invention and investment.
And of its goodness a strong present description of the land Renewable resources must
proof is this: what is now left is true. be managed to ensure that they

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005 | 35

 can be produced over the long poverty to fulfil their needs tasks and requirements for engineers
term without damage to the while ensuring resource use is from all disciplines and sectors.
environment, and harvest rates within the environment’s car-
of renewable resource inputs rying capacity. Sustainability & Engineering
must not exceed the regenera- k) Development and resource Practices Overview
tive capacity of the natural sys- use must be considered over a This overview translates sustain-
tem that generates them. sufficiently long time scale so ability principles into overarching
d) All waste products from the that future generations are not practical tasks and requirements for
life cycle of engineered prod- disadvantaged economically, the engineering profession as a
ucts, processes or systems socially, or environmentally. whole. These also apply to a greater
should be eliminated, prefer- l) All those affected by engi- or lesser extent to all sectors.
ably at the source. Waste dis- neering projects need to be Because sustainability has a
charge should be kept within given equal opportunity with- long-term focus, beyond the life of
the assimilative capacity of the out repercussions to voice most engineering projects, products,
local and global environments. their concerns and opinions processes, or systems - generically
e) The use of hazardous materi- and to have their views incor- called projects - the methodology
als must be minimized and, porated into the planning and and resource use by projects needs
wherever possible, eliminated. decision making process. to focus on both short- and long-
f) The use of materials and chem- term factors. This is often far
icals that can accumulate in the Principle 3: Solving beyond the duties imposed by pro-
environment needs to be problems holistically fessional codes of ethics.
reduced to a minimum that will m) Problem solutions shall be Key sustainability factors for
not exceed natural or hazardous based primarily on human engineers are:
levels, whichever is lower. needs and ecosystem viabili- ■ The need to manage changes

g) When selecting an engineer- ty rather than the availability in the environment (both local
ing option for product design, of technology. and global) as the consequence
processing or providing a ser- n) A holistic, systems-based of any engineering activities to
vice, weight shall be given to approach shall be used to solve ensure the continued viability
choices that, for a given problems rather than focussing of the planet (Principle 1).
expenditure, minimize the on technology alone. ■ Ensuring the equity and

use of resources, particularly o) Methods that provide optimum safety of engineering activ-
non-renewable resources outcomes for all stakeholders ities for both current and
such as fossil fuel-based rather than expedient or single future generations is also of
energy and metals. solutions shall be implemented. high importance (Principle
h) Options chosen for product p) The use of non-sustainable 2). Wherever possible this
design, processing, or provid- practices or practices that pre- also means improving the
ing a service should be based sent a risk to sustainability shall quality of life, particularly
on the precautionary principle be minimised and reduced to for the poor and those in
and reduce risk as much as zero over time. Where it is developing countries.
practicable or foreseeable. practicable or desirable, past ■ Problem solving, one of the

degradation must be reversed. key aspects of a professional

Principle 2: Providing for equity q) Problem solving shall be engineer’s skills, needs to be
within and between generations based on prudent approach- done in a holistic way (Prin-
i) All members of society have es and not through solving ciple 3), so that solving one
equal rights to achieve an one problem at the expense problem does not create
acceptable quality of life, to be of another. another, and the solution
given choices in their life and arrived at is the optimum one
to work to reduce significant Putting the Principles from many viewpoints.
gaps in health, security, social into Practice ■ Where practicable engineers

recognition, political influ- The principles, as developed, pro- need to consider resolving
ence, etc. between rich and vide engineers with a framework but existing problems caused by
poor people. These rights must require more detail for engineers as failures to follow sustainabil-
be respected. to how to put them into practice. An ity principles (Principle 3).
j) Excessive consumption of overview of sustainability and engi- These factors are explored fur-
resources by the wealthy needs neering practices was prepared by ther below, from an engineering
to be reduced to allow those in the Task Force, outlining practical perspective.

36 | IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005

Key Sustainability Factors account of environmental voice their concerns. Their
damage. For example bio- relevant opinions shall be
Managing changes mass from sustainable forests considered and where practi-
in the environment can be used as a boiler fuel cal incorporated into the
1) Maintain the integrity of global instead of oil or gas. planning, decision making
and local biophysical systems. 5) Minimize waste products, and implementation process.
Engineers must thoroughly particularly hazardous ones, 11) Where outcomes cannot be
consider any project or plan from the total life cycle of accurately foreseen choices
that will have a significant engineered products, process- shall be based on risk reduc-
impact on the life support func- es or systems, preferably as tion and the precautionary
tions upon which human well- near to the source as practica- principle - where in the
being depends, many of which ble: Ensure that any waste absence of data, new risk is
are irreplaceable. For example discharges are within the avoided - as much as practi-
the use and placement of dams short term assimilative capac- cable or foreseeable.
on waterways, or the deploy- ity of the environment, with-
ment of a technique, material out long term accumulation. Holistic problem solving
or process with unknown side 12) An integrated systems, or an
effects - such as nanotechnolo- Equity and safety overall holistic, approach
gy assembly processes. of engineering activities shall be taken including all
2) Ensure that the true cost of 6) Engineering projects, prod- stakeholders and the envi-
resource depletion is included ucts or processes should be ronment when attempting to
in all feasibility studies and aimed primarily at improving solve problems. Rather than
estimates. Usually the market the overall quality of life for focusing solely on the tech-
cost is assumed to include all humans and other life forms, nology aspects, and solving
costs, but this is often not so, but not at the expense of the one problem at the expense
and where alternatives exist, environment. of another, a coordinated
the more sustainable product 7) Any increased consumption solution shall be the aim.
or material should be used. of resources and energy, must 13) Problem solutions shall be
For example a recyclable or be weighed against the based primarily on existing
reusable container is inherent- improvement in quality of life or new human needs rather
ly more sustainable than a sin- to be achieved. than finding a use for a new-
gle-use container, whatever 8) Resource use must be consid- ly available technology or
the apparent cost. ered over a sufficiently long technological method.
3) Minimize the absolute use of time scale so that present and 14) Approaches that are multi-
resources, and convert the future generations are not dis- faceted, and synergistic are
energy source from fossil advantaged economically, preferable to single issue
based to renewable energy. socially or environmentally, approaches. For example,
This requires a constant aware- by excessive and unnecessary using transportation in such
ness of optimization processes consumption. This may be a way that viable loads are
on a life cycle basis, for exam- considerably longer than an available for both journeys is
ple engineered products, anticipated project lifetime. more sustainable than single
processes and services should 9) Positively weight projects, load journeys.
be designed to minimise the products and processes that
initial use of resources and to decrease significant gaps in Resolving existing problems
provide for maximum recy- health, security, social recog- 15) Where desirable and techni-
cling and reuse of resources. nition, and political influence cally and economically
This applies both to scarce between groups of people. practicable, past environ-
resources, and apparently Those that do the opposite mental degradation should
abundant resources such as should be carefully consid- be remedied. For example,
concrete and timber, all of ered before embarking on land degradation, groundwa-
which have an embedded ener- them in whole or in part. ter contamination, and haz-
gy content. 10) All those affected by engi- ardous waste sites should be,
4) Maximize the use of renew- neering projects shall be con- at a minimum, stabilized,
able resources but always sulted where practicable and and wherever possible reme-
within sustainable extraction given equal opportunity diated, to current or foresee-
or harvest rates and taking without repercussions to able standards.

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005 | 37

 16) Past hazardous practices mercury, and PCBs. 18) Support social and economic
shall cease and hazards shall 17) Reduce the use of non-sus- accounting methods which
be cleaned up in a cost tainable practices (such as disclose, identify and quanti-
effective way and time burning or using petroleum fy previous or developing
frame. These include, for and fossil fuel products for environmental problems.
example, hazardous materi- feedstocks) to zero over a
als such as asbestos, lead, relatively short time frame. Implications for
IPENZ Members
and Engineers in General
1. Have you thoroughly considered any project or plan that will A policy framework is emerging in
have a significant impact on the life support functions upon New Zealand for sustainable devel-
which human well-being depends?
opment to be implemented in cer-
2. Have you ensured that the true cost of resource depletion is tain specific areas. Engineers have
included in all your feasibility studies and estimates? many opportunities to be involved
in this process. They also have pro-
3. Have you minimized the absolute use of resources on a life
cycle basis, and used renewable energy as much as possible? fessional responsibilities to do so, as
noted, for example, in the IPENZ
4. Have you maximized the use of renewable resources within Code of Ethics:
sustainable extraction or harvest rates and taken account
of environmental damage?
“Members shall be commit-
5. Can you minimize waste products, particularly hazardous ted to the need for sustainable
ones, from the total life cycle of engineered products, management of the planet's
processes or systems, as near to the source as practicable?
resources and seek to min-
6. Does the project, product, or process improve the overall imise adverse environmental
quality of life for humans and other life forms, without large impacts of their engineering
increases in the consumption of resources and energy, or at works or applications of tech-
the expense of the environment?
nology for both present and
7. Has resource use been considered over a sufficiently long future generations.”
time scale so that present and future generations are not
disadvantaged by excessive and unnecessary consumption? Members of IPENZ and of its vari-
8. Does the project, product, or process decrease comparative
ous technical groups and societies
gaps in health, security, social recognition, political influence are encouraged to learn more about
between groups of people as much as it could? sustainability and apply it in their
day-to-day actions at work and in
9. Have those likely to be affected by the project been consulted
if practicable, and will any relevant opinions be considered other aspects of their lives. Further
and where practical incorporated into final planning? information is readily available both
from New Zealand and internation-
10. If outcomes cannot be accurately foreseen, is your planning
ally. The engineering profession
based on risk reduction and the precautionary principle?
should lead the way and be seen to
11. Have you taken an integrated systems, overall holistic lead the way towards a more sus-
approach including all stakeholders and the environment tainable future.
in your proposed solution?
There a number of specific ways
12. Is your project, product or process based on human needs rather in which engineers and the engi-
than just finding a use for some newly available technology? neering community can move New
Zealand towards sustainability. The
13. Does the project, product or process involve past hazardous
practices, and if so can these be eliminated and cleaned up
checklist shown in Fig. 1 gives
in a cost effective way and time frame? some guidance on this.
It needs to be recognized that
14. Does the project, product or process contribute towards existing practice and reality con-
reducing non-sustainable practices to zero over a
relatively short time frame?
flict strongly with many of the
points raised in the checklist.
15. Can social and economic accounting methods be used Much of this is due to the per-
at the planning stages to disclose, identify and quantify ceived role of engineers as being a
previous or developing environmental problems?
“servant” to a client, rather than an
expert, and relates back to the role
Fig. 1: General sustainable engineering and technology checklist. of engineers as technicians rather

38 | IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE | FALL 2005

than professionals. In addition, in providing comments on the Task fidic.org/conference/2001/talks/tuesday/van-
there is the traditional, conservative Force material as well as the contri- derputte/bus_guide_2sept_montreux.doc,
accessed Dec. 2003.
approach favored by many practic- butions of Ron McDowall, Director, [14] Institution of Chemical Engineers, The
ing engineers, not only to reduce International Centre for Sustainabil- Melbourne Communique, agreed and signed at
liability but also because it is the ity Engineering and Research, and the 6th World Congress of Chemical Engi-
neers, Melbourne, Australia, 2001, http://www.
easy approach. Much work is nec- Richard Donnelly, research assis- icheme.org/sustainability/Melbourne_commu-
essary by engineers to realize their tant, in developing the principles. nique.pdf, accessed Feb. 2005.
role as professionals and to live up [15] Institution of Chemical Engineers, The Sus-
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