Traditional Engineering and Sustainable Engineering

Traditional Engineering:
• Considers the object
• Focuses on technical issues
• Solves the immediate problem (now)
• Considers the local context (user)
• Assumes others will deal with politics, ethics & societal issues

Sustainable Engineering:
• Considers the system in which the object will be used
• Integrates technical and nontechnical issues
• Strives to solve the problem for the indefinite future
• Considers the global context (planet)
• Acknowledges the need for engineers to interact with experts in other disciplines related to the problem

Available tools are already available:
- Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs)
- Pollution Prevention (P2)
- Design for Environment (DfE)
- Life-cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

Sustainable Engineering can
- Help sort priorities
ex: size, performance, emissions, longevity, recycling
- Avoid errors and otherwise unforeseen negative impacts
ex: cheaper electronics → increased hazardous waste
ex: e-commerce → more packaging & airplane transport
- Widen design options
ex: ultrasonic dishwasher
ex: regenerative buildings