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Sustainability Development

What is a Paradigm?

A paradigm is a collection of beliefs and


concepts held by a group of people, a set of
theories, assumptions, and ideas that contribute
to your worldview, or create the framework from
which you operate every day.

Paradigm explained
What is a Paradigm Shift?

A paradigm shift is a fundamental


change in an individual's or a society's
view of how things work in the world.
A Vision of a More Sustainable World
Sustainability:
the capacity of the earth’s natural systems and
human cultural systems to survive, flourish, and
adapt to changing environmental conditions into
the very long-term future
A Vision of a More Sustainable World
Sustainability:
the capacity of the earth’s natural systems and
human cultural systems to survive, flourish, and
adapt into the very long-term future

Requires:
A transition in human attitudes toward the
environment, and a shift in behavior, can lead to
a much better future for the planet in the future
Sustainable Development

Our Common Future (WCED, 1987 p. 41)

Sustainable development is development that


meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs. It contains within it two key
concepts:
(1) the concept of “needs”, in particular the
essential needs of the world's poor, to which
overriding priority should be given;
(2) the idea of limitations imposed by the state of
technology and social organization on the
environment's ability to meet present and future
needs.
Sustainable Design

Sustainable design is the way of doing things or


making things such that the result of the design
meets the three pillars of sustainability – it should
NOT cause irreversible change to the environment
– locally and globally, should be functional,
practical, and economically viable, and should
benefit society. Sustainable design uses a holistic
approach that optimizes the overall system
performance, not just the product or service itself.
Design for Sustainability (D4S)

• Basic D4S techniques for products and


processes include
– increasing energy efficiency,
– using recycled materials,
– designing for recyclability,
– reducing toxic materials,
– extending product life, and
– providing services in new ways.
• Life cycle analysis and supply chain
management are more precise tools for
evaluating material flows and environmental
impacts in a product's life cycle, and can help
designers identify additional improvements.
Principles of Sustainability Design

1. Holistic approach to environmental,


social, and economic issues
2. Minimize environmental impacts
(pollution, waste, disruption, etc.)
3. Use renewable energy and resources
efficiently
4. Design for reuse, recycling, and
emotionally and functionally durability
Sustainable Engineering

Engineering forms an interface between the


design (i.e., the idea how to provide a sustainable
solution to a technical problem) and
Implementation and production.

Sustainable engineering is the process of using


resources in a way that does NOT compromise the
environment or deplete the materials for future
generations. Sustainable engineering requires an
interdisciplinary approach in all aspects of
engineering. All engineering fields should
incorporate sustainability into their practice in order
to improve the quality of life for all.
Sustainability Hierarchy
Grand Engineering Challenges

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Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

A 15-year plan with 8 MDG – 2000


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• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17
interrelated global goals set out by the United Nations.
• Each of the broad goals has several targets.
• The total number of targets is 169. The SDGs cover a broad range of social
development issues, such as poverty, hunger, health, education, climate
change, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, environment and social
justice.
• The SDGs are also known as "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development" or Agenda 2030 in short.
• The goals were developed to replace the Millennium Development
Goals(MDGs) which ended in 2015. Unlike the MDGs, the SDG framework
does not distinguish between "developed" and "developing" nations.
Instead, the goals apply to all countries.
17 Sustainability Development Goals
(SDG)

A 15-year plan to go beyond the previous 15-plan -


2015
Seatwork
• On which of the 17 sustainability development
goals a civil engineer has an important role?
• Discuss each whether a CE plays a role.

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