Policy Agenda

Sustainable Engineering:

Sustainable Engineering may be defined as engineering for human development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Examples of Sustainable Engineering include: Using methods that minimise environmental damage to provide sufficient food, water, shelter, and mobility for a growing world population, Designing products and processes so that wastes from one are used as inputs to another, Incorporating environmental and social constraints as well as economic considerations into engineering decisions.

Sustainable engineering is the process of using resources in a way that does not compromise the environment or deplete the materials for future generations.

There are several distinct components to how engineering can be practised sustainably in society, each of which is a requirement for engineering sustainability:

1. Sustainable resources

2. Sustainable processes

3. Increased efficiency

4. Reduced environmental impact

5. Fulfilment of other aspects of sustainability

Sustainable engineering requires an interdisciplinary approach in all aspects of engineering, and it should not be designated as a sole responsibility of environmental engineering. All engineering fields should incorporate sustainability into their practice to improve the quality of life.

Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and fostering the continual use of resources.

A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose of) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in help, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.

Moving towards a circular economy could deliver benefits such as,

• reducing pressure on the environment,

• improving the security of the supply of raw materials,

• increasing competitiveness,

• stimulating innovation,

• boosting economic growth,

• creating jobs (580,000 jobs in the EU alone)

The circular economy includes products, infrastructure, equipment, and services, and applies to every industry sector. It has ‘technical’ resources (metals, minerals, fossil resources) and ‘biological’ resources (food, fibres, timber, etc.).

The circular economy refers to an economic model whose objective is to produce goods and services sustainably, by limiting the consumption and waste of resources (raw materials, water, energy) as well as the production of waste.

The Circular Economy is a new way of creating value, and ultimately prosperity. It works by extending product lifespan through improved design and servicing, and relocating the waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning-in effect, using resources more efficiently by using them over and over