Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION TO
ENVIRONMENTAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
ENGINEERING
CHAPTER 1
shafieza163@uitm.edu.my
Course Outcome
• Outline the principles of environmental infrastructure, laws
and contemporary issues related to environmental
infrastructure.
Learning Outcome
At the end of this lecture, student should be able to discuss:
• Discuss the impact of environmental to human health and
how to improve the environmental (air, water and land)
quality.
• Role of engineer to protect the human populations &
improvement of environmental quality – sustainable
development.
• Able to explain that regulate the impact of human activities
on the environment and relate the environment legislation
with the current situation in Malaysia.
Outline
1.1 Definition of Environmental
Infrastructure Engineering
1.2 Impact of the environment to
humans
1.3 Improvement of environmental
quality
1.4 The role of environmental engineers
1.5 Environmental legislation in
Malaysia
1.1 Definition of Environmental
Infrastructure Engineering
• Environmental Engineering - as the branch of

engineering that is concerned with protecting the
environment form the potentially harmful effects of
human activity, protecting human populations from
the effects adverse environmental factors,
improving environmental quality for human health
and well-being.
• Environmental Infrastructure is the engineering
and construction practice that provides safe water
supply, waste disposal, and pollution control
services to protect human health and safeguard the
environment.
1.2 Impact of the environment to humans
• Human impact on the environment or anthropogenic

impact on the environment includes water quality,
environmental pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions, depletion of natural resources and
contribution to climate change.
*anthropogenic - an effect or object resulting from human activity.
WATER DISCHARGE FROM INDUSTRY
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
• Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer.
• The sun naturally bombs the Earth with significant amounts of
radiation that comes in various forms: visible light, infrared (IR)
light, ultraviolet (UV) light, etc. When sunlight reaches the
Earth, some portions of this radiation from the sun are
absorbed by the surface of the land, whereas some portions are
reflected back. Now, this is where greenhouse gases come into
place.
Characteristics of Greenhouse Gases
Type of Greenhouse Contribution To Greenhouse
Origin Sink
Gas Effect
Carbon dioxide (CO2) •Burning of fossil fuels •Plants undergoing photosynthesis •Absorption of infrared radiation
•Deforestation •Oceans •Indirectly affects the
concentration of ozone in the
stratosphere.
Methane (CH4) •Burning of Biomass •Microorganisms uptake •Absorption of infrared radiation
•Rice paddies •Reactions associated with hydroxyl •Indirectly affects the
•Fermentationby groups concentration of ozone and water
enteric bacteria vapor in the stratosphere
•Production of carbon dioxide
Nitrous oxide (N2O) •Burning of Biomass •Removal by soils •Absorption of infrared radiation
•Combustion of fossil fuels •Photolysis in the stratosphere •Indirectly affects the
•Fertilizers concentration of ozone in the
stratosphere
Ozone (O3) Chemical reactions that involve All catalytic chemical reactions that Absorption of infrared and
oxygen involve nitrous oxide, hypochlorite, and ultraviolet radiation
hydroxyl species
Chlorofluorocarbon Industrial production Photolysis and reaction with oxygen •Absorption of infrared radiation
(CFC) •Indirectly affects the
concentration of ozone in the
stratosphere
Carbon Monoxide (CO) •Plant emissions •Soil uptake •Affects stratospheric O3 and OH
•Man¬made release (transport •Reactions with OH cycles
& industrial) •produces CO2
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) •Volcanoes •Dry and wet deposition Forms aerosols, which scatter
•Coal and Biomass burning •Reactions with OH solar radiation
Effects of Too Much Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere
• The increase in the amounts of greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere reduces the out-flux of infrared
radiation, resulting in a warmer temperature.
Changes in the Earth’s temperature will trigger other
phenomena like changes in wind patterns and
variation of cloud covers.
Global
Warming
• The increase in temperature results in the thermal

expansion of seawater and melting of the ice and glaciers
in some regions like Greenland and Antarctica, thereby
adding water to the total water in the ocean.
• if global warming continues, the Earth’s sea level will
become ten times higher (from 0.09 meters to 0.88
meters) in the next 90 years.
Rise in
Sea Level
• The most affected is the hydrological cycle. Atmosphere

becomes relatively warmer than it was, the amount of
evaporation is also expected to increase. This means that
higher amount of precipitation will be experienced. On the
other hand, global warming also contributes to the loss of
coastal areas and other habitats, thereby reducing
organism population and diversity.
Effects
Biological
Cycles
• Because of higher carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,

photosynthesis can readily occur, making plants grow at a
faster rate. However, too much heat can also affect soil and
water conditions, thereby causing them to wilt and
eventually die.
• When this happens, agricultural production, as well as
economic growth will be affected
Economic &
Agricultural
Impacts
DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
• Natural resource depletion refers to the decreasing amount of

resources left on the Planet Earth. It occurs when we use the
resources at a rate faster than their renewal.
NATURAL SOURCES
DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Major causes of resource depletion
Deforestation
Over- Over- Technological Pollution and
and the
consumption Mining and industrial Soil erosion contamination
population destruction of
and waste development of resources
ecosystems
CLIMATE CHANGE
• Climate change refers to significant, long-term changes in the

global climate.
• Global climate change has already had observable effects on the
environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is
breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and
trees are flowering sooner.
CLIMATE CHANGE
FUTURE EFFECTS
Change will
Changes in
Temperatures will continue through
precipitation
continue to rise this century and
patterns
beyond
Hurricanes will
More droughts Sea level will rise
become stronger
and heat waves 1-4 feet by 2100
and more intense
Arctic likely to
become ice-free
CLIMATE CHANGE
1.3 Improvement of environmental quality
• Do not try to change the world –

just try to change yourself. And
then the world will follow.
• To protect and preserve the

environment.
• There are two main subjects of
environmental laws
i. control of pollution
ii. conservation and management
of land.
• Both sections of environmental
law protect land, air, water, and
soil.
• Malaysian Nature Society plays an

active role in the appreciation and
conservation of our natural heritage
for over sixty years.
• MNS works closely with the Federal
and State governments, the media,
universities, schools and commercial
firms to protect Malaysia's precious
natural gifts.
• The natural or intentional restocking

of existing forests and woodlands
(forestation) that have been
depleted, usually through
deforestation.
• Planting new trees can help to
reduce the amount of CO2 in the air.
Gases like carbon dioxide and
methane are major contributors to
the changing climates.
• Hydro electricity captures energy from

falling water.
• Nuclear energy uses nuclear fission to
release energy stored in the atomic
bonds of heavy elements.
• Wind energy is the generation of
electricity from wind, commonly by using
propeller-like turbines.
• Solar energy is tfrom the sun. Heat from

the sun can be used for solar thermal
applications or light can be converted
into electricity via photovoltaic devices.
• Geothermal energy is the use of the
earth's internal heat to boil water for
heating buildings or generating
electricity.
• Biofuel and ethanol are plant-derived
gasoline substitutes for powering
vehicles.
• Public transportation also benefits

those not using it because it helps
reduce energy consumption,
greenhouse gases and other
pollutant.
They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and

What are the water and air pollution control. They also address global issues,
benefits of being such as unsafe drinking water, climate change, and environmental
an environmental
sustainability.
engineer?
What are the major Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil
job responsibilities science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to
of an environmental problems. They work to improve recycling, waste
environmental disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control.
engineer?
• enjoy technical and engineering activities.

What skills do you
• good communication skills.
need to be an
• ability to identify, analyse and solve problems.
environmental
• interest in the environment and conservation.
engineer?
• good planning and organisation skills.
1.5 Environmental legislation in Malaysia
• Environmental legislation is the collection of

laws and regulations pertaining to air
quality, water quality, the wilderness,
endangered wildlife and other environmental
factors. The umbrella of environmental
legislation covers many laws and
regulations, yet they all work together
toward a common goal, which is regulating
the interaction between man and the natural
world to reduce threats to the environment
and increase public health.
• In order to cope with the environmental problems,

the Government of Malaysia has passed some
important environmental laws and policies such as
the Environment Quality Act 1974 and its
Regulations 1989, the Environmental Quality Order
1989, the Protection of Wildlife Act, the National
Forestry Act 1984, the Fisheries Act 1985, the
National Parks Act 1980, the International
Environmental Laws etc. (Mohammad et al., 2011)
• Malaysia Department of Environment. Established
in 1975, the Department of Environment (DOE) of
Malaysia is responsible for the prevention, control
and abatement of pollution in the country through
the enforcement of the Environmental Quality Act
of 1974 and its subsidiary legislation.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT 1974. An Act relating to

What EQA 1974? the prevention, abatement, control of pollution and
enhancement of the environment, and for purposes
connected therewith.
Environmental Quality Act 1974 (No. 127 of 1974). An Act

What is main relating to the prevention, abatement, control of pollution
purpose of having and enhancement of the environment, and for purposes
a Environmental connected therewith. The Act entered into force on 15 April
Quality Act 1974?
1975.

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INTRODUCTION TO

• Environmental Engineering - as the branch of

• Human impact on the environment or anthropogenic

WATER DISCHARGE FROM INDUSTRY

• The increase in the amounts of greenhouse gases in

• The increase in temperature results in the thermal

• The most affected is the hydrological cycle. Atmosphere

• Because of higher carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,

• Natural resource depletion refers to the decreasing amount of

Major causes of resource depletion

• Climate change refers to significant, long-term changes in the

• Do not try to change the world –

• To protect and preserve the

• Malaysian Nature Society plays an

• The natural or intentional restocking

• Hydro electricity captures energy from

• Solar energy is tfrom the sun. Heat from

• Public transportation also benefits

They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and

• enjoy technical and engineering activities.

• Environmental legislation is the collection of

• In order to cope with the environmental problems,

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT 1974. An Act relating to

Environmental Quality Act 1974 (No. 127 of 1974). An Act

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