Engineering Solutions for Sustainability

Materials and Resources
1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-1-118-19681-6
Verlag: John Wiley & Sons
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 76 Seiten, E-Book

A wealth of resources and topics of discussion from the EngineeringSolutions for Sustainability: Materials and Resources workshop heldin Switzerland in 2009
Natural resources are the lifeblood of agricultural andindustrial endeavors that contribute to our social and economicwell-being. Yet, even as these resources dwindle frommismanagement, there is still no clear consensus in the engineeringcommunity of what actually defines "sustainable engineering."
This publication offers the engineering profession amulti-disciplinary blueprint for action by presenting topics ofdiscussion from the Engineering Solutions for Sustainability:Materials and Resources workshop held at the écolePolytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, July22-24, 2009. It includes an extensive bibliography andrecommended readings section, and a summary of key, cross-cuttinginitiatives recommended as priorities because of their potential tocreate common principles for advancing societal sustainabilitythrough technological, educational, and public policysolutions.
The resources, tools, and concepts delivered in this report drawfrom the unique perspectives and expertise of an array ofengineering disciplines, represented by delegates from the AmericanInstitute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME),the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the AmericanInstitute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The intent of thispublication is to forge a better understanding of the role andresponsibility of engineering in achieving global sustainability,while also laying the foundation for an ongoing and productiveinterdisciplinary dialogue in other forums.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

About This Report vii
About the Workshop Sponsors ix
Acknowledgments x
I Executive Summary 1
II Introduction and Process 6
III Human Needs (Water, Food, and Health) 12
Figure 1: Earth's Water Balance 15
Table 1: Water Consumption by Energy Type in the United States16
IV Infrastructure (Transportation, Housing, and Urban Design)23
Figure 1: The Brooklyn Bridge: An Example of a Pioneering andSustained Urban Infrastructure 25
Figure 2: The Los Angeles Airport "Theme Building": Melding Art,Architecture, and Air Transport 28
V The Resource Cycle 30
V(A). Energy 30
Figure 1: Carbon Abatement Wedges 33
Figure 2: Populations Without Electricity Access 34
V(B). Mineral Resources 37
Figure 3: Expansion of the Scope of Concern about Mineral Supply39
Figure 4: Assessing How a Mine Project Can Contribute toSustainable Development 40
Table 1: Five Dimensions of Mineral Availability 41
Figure 5: The Scope of Material Stewardship Encompasses Processand Product Stewardship 42
Table 2: Opportunities for Research and Development in theMinerals Sector 43
V(C). Materials and Recycling 46
VI Human Resources 52
VII Linking Technologies to Resources 61
Figure 1: Technology and Resources Matrix 62
VIII The Path Forward 66
Appendix A: List of Delegates 68
Appendix B: References and Recommended Readings 70
Appendix C: Summary of Sector-Specific Advances 77