01 Sustainability Management and Regulatory Requirement

ECW 445
SUSTAINABILITY
MANAGEMENT
& REGULATORY
REQUIREMENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1) Able to demonstrate good values

good values related to sustainable
environmental engineering issues
and trends
2) Able to understand the philosophy of
sustainability in Civil Engineering
3) Able to apply and use environmental
laws and regulations
ECW 445 Prepared by: Dr Norhafezah Kasmuri
THE ENVIRONMENT
The global environment consists of the

atmosphere, the hydrosphere and lithosphere
in which the life-sustaining resources of the
earth are contained – biosphere.
ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 3

THE ATMOSPHERE
mixture of gases extending outward from the surface of the earth

THE HYDROSPHERE
consists of all water sources such as oceans, lakes andstreams
ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

5
Sustainability
THE LITHOSPHERE
soil mantle that wraps the core of theearth

THE BIOSPHERE
the place on earth's surface where life dwells

EARTH

ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
a branch of engineering that is concerned
with Protecting The Environment from the
potentially deleterious effects of human
activities
Protecting Human populations from the
effects of adverse environmental factors
Improving Environmental quality for human
health and well being

HOW DOES THE QUALITY OF OUR
SURROUNDINGS AFFECT...
 our physical health?
 the health of other species and the ecosystem itself?
 our economic well-being?
 the aesthetic, psychological or spiritual benefits we
derive from our surroundings?
 future generations?

IMPACT OF HUMANS UPON THE
ENVIRONMENT
Population
 The growth of population has increased the need
for water and usage of land
 Population growth will affect the demand for many
resources, the attainment of environmental goals,
and the ability of systems to accommodate waste
streams

11
Sustainability
LEADING TO THIS...

OR THIS....

AND THIS....
ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability

14
POPULATION INCREASE ALSO RESULTS
IN CLIMATE CHANGE
 Human activities are causing greenhouse gas
concentrations to rise above natural levels, further
heating the planet. This is called the greenhouse
effect.
 Global temperatures rise, causing changes to
weather conditions worldwide. The enhanced
greenhouse ef fect is of ten referred to as global
warming or climate change.
 The biggest factor of present concern is the
increase in CO 2 levels
 Other factors, including excessive land use, ozone
depletion and deforestation
CLIMATE CHANGE

DEFORESTATION

AIR POLLUTION

18
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Development
 land development
 water development
 unplanned development → pollution
 It is important to have a sustainable
development

19
Sustainability
WATER POLLUTION

WATER POLLUTION

SOIL POLLUTION

WATER POLLUTION

THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT…

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
 Sustain :
1)To keep in existence; maintain.
2) To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for.
3) To support from below; keep from falling or sinking; prop.
4) To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage.
5) To bear up under; withstand, endure: can't sustain the
cold.
6) To experience or suffer: sustained a minor injury.
7) To affirm the validity of
8) To prove or corroborate; confirm/agree with
9)To keep up (assumed role) competently.
(Dictionary definitions..)
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
 Sustainable - capable of being sustained
 of, relating to, or being a method of
harvesting or using a resource so that the
resource is not depleted or permanently
damaged e.g. sustainable techniques,
sustainable agriculture
 of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of
sustainable methods, e.g. sustainable
society
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
26
Sustainability
SUSTAINABLE
Synonyme : defendable, defensible,

justifiable, maintainable, supportable,
tenable
Antonym : indefensible, insupportable,
unjustifiable, unsustainable, untenable

SUSTAINABILITY
The property of being sustainable
Brundtland (1987) Our Common Future

“development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs”

28
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable development is the process of

moving human activities to a pattern that can be
sustained in perpetuity.
It is an approach to environmental and

development issues that seeks to reconcile
human needs with the capacity of the planet to
cope with the consequences of human activities.

29
Sustainability
THE 3 DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY
The 3 E’s
ecology/environment
economy/employment
equity/equality

TECHNO-CENTRIC CONCERNS
Concerns which encompass techno-economic
systems, represent human skills and ingenuity.
The skills that engineers must continue to deploy,

and the economic system within which we deploy
them.

ECO-CENTRIC CONCERNS
Represent the ability of the planet to sustain us
Both by providing material and energy resources

and by accommodating us and our emissions and
wastes

SOCIO-CENTRIC CONCERNS
Represent human expectations and aspirations;

the needs of human beings to live worthwhile lives
A better quality of life for everyone, now and in the

future

ENGINEERING AND SUSTAINABILITY
Engineering has spurred and led the

industrial revolution.
But, in the process it has created

important classes of problems…

PROBLEMS..
 Human exposure to toxics in food, air, water and soil

 Rising demand for energy for transport, manufacturing,
heating & cooling
 Depletion of non-renewable resources (petroleum, metals,
phosphorus)
 Excessive demand for water for homes, agriculture, and
industry
 Rising demand for land for housing, food production, and
economic activities (production, retail, transportation)
 Ever increasing number and size of landfills
 Ecosystem damage and habitat loss due to pollutant
discharges
 Impact on global climate
SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING
 Engineering in context
 Engineering with a conscience
 Engineering for a finite planet and the
indefinite future

ENGINEERING IN CONTEXT
Engineers must “solve problems holistically” + 17

guidelines
(Institute of professional Engineers of New Zealand – 2004)
Engineers must “solve problems holistically and

proactively” + 8 principles
(Engineers Australia – 2005)
Engineers must “consider true life-cycle costs”

(Canadian Society for Civil Engineering – 2006)

ENGINEERING WITH A CONSCIENCE
from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy and used as

lead inspiration by the Seventh Generation Company.
“Engineers should take greater responsibility for shaping the

sustainable future and must commit to: ethics, international
cooperation, …”
(Shanghai Declaration on Engineering and Sustainable Development World
Federation of Engineering Organizations – 2004)

ENGINEERING FOR A FINITE PLANET AND
THE INDEFINITE FUTURE

3 MAIN CHALLENGES
1. What are the main principles of Sustainable Engineering and
how can they be applied to solve the problems?
2. Where should the boundaries lie? Boundaries are critical
because the wrong scale can hide critical links. E.g.:
switching from steel to lightweight composite in an
automobile can boost fuel efficiency but break the recycling
system. So, it would seem that the wider the better, but how
wide?
3. How can Sustainable Engineering be taught to the next
generation of engineers? Modules in existing courses? New
courses? New curriculum?

SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES FOR
ENGINEERS
Sustainability is the focus on the long-term survival of
humanity, with the recognition that decisions made
today need to enable both those in the present and in
the future to make effective choices about their
quality of life.
Three key principles are the basis of sustainability, to

provide future generations with choices and with a
direction that will enable long-term survival of
humanity.
Three key principles
PRINCIPLE 1: MAINTAINING THE

VIABILITY OF THE PLANET
PRINCIPLE 2: PROVIDING FOR EQUITY

WITHIN AND BETWEEN GENERATIONS
PRINCIPLE 3: SOLVING
PROBLEMS HOLISTICALLY
a) Humans need to maintain the integrity of global and local
biophysical systems to retain the irreplaceable life
support functions upon which human well-being depends.
b) The efficiency of products needs to be improved and the
material and energy intensity needs to be reduced by a
factor of 10 to 50 to achieve sustainability; thus
redesigning engineered products, processes, and services
and minimization, recycling, and reuse of resources are
needed to achieve this factor.

c) Depletion rates of non-renewable resources (oil, natural
gas, coal, steel, aluminum) shall equal the rate at which
renewable (solar energy, soil, grass, tree) substitutes are
developed by human invention and investment.
Renewable resources must be managed to ensure that
they can be produced over the long term without damage
to the environment, and harvest rates of renewable
resource inputs must not exceed the regenerative
capacity of the natural system that generates them.

44
Sustainability
d) All waste products from the life cycle of engineered
products, processes or systems should be eliminated,
preferably at the source. Waste discharge should be kept
within the assimilative capacity of the local and global
environments.
e) The use of hazardous materials must be minimized and,
wherever possible, eliminated.
f) The use of materials and chemicals that can accumulate
in the environment needs to be reduced to a minimum
that will not exceed natural or hazardous levels,
whichever is lower.

45
Sustainability
g) When selecting an engineering option for product
design, processing or providing a service, weight shall be
given to choices that, for a given expenditure, minimize
the use of resources, particularly non-renewable
resources such as fossil fuel-based energy and metals.
h) Options chosen for product design, processing, or
providing a service should be based on the precautionary
principle and reduce risk as much as practicable or
foreseeable.

46
Sustainability
i) All members of society have equal rights to achieve an
acceptable quality of life, to be given choices in their life
and to work to reduce significant gaps in health, security,
social recognition, political influence, etc. between rich
and poor people. These rights must be respected.
j) Excessive consumption of resources by the wealthy
needs to be reduced to allow those in poverty to fulfill
their needs while ensuring resource use is within the
environment’s carrying capacity.

47
Sustainability
k) Development and resource use must be considered over
a sufficiently long time scale so that future generations
are not disadvantaged economically, socially, or
environmentally.
l) All those affected by engineering projects need to be
given equal opportunity without repercussions to voice
their concerns and opinions and to have their views
incorporated into the planning and decision making
process.

48
Sustainability
• Problem solutions shall be based primarily on human
needs and ecosystem viability rather than the
availability of technology.
• A holistic, systems-based approach shall be used to
solve problems rather than focusing on technology
alone.
• Methods that provide optimum outcomes for all
stakeholders rather than expedient or single solutions
shall be implemented.

49
Sustainability
p) The use of non-sustainable practices or practices that
present a risk to sustainability shall be minimised and
reduced to zero over time. Where it is practicable or
desirable, past degradation must be reversed.
q) Problem solving shall be based on prudent/cautious
approaches and not through solving one problem at
the expense of another.

50
Sustainability
KEY SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS FOR
ENGINEERS ARE:
1. The need to manage changes in the environment (both
local and global) as the consequence of any
engineering activities to ensure the continued viability
of the planet (Principle 1).
2. Ensuring the equity and safety of engineering activities
for both current and future generations is also of high
importance (Principle 2). Wherever possible this also
means improving the quality of life, particularly for the
poor and those in developing countries.

51
Sustainability
KEY SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS FOR
ENGINEERS ARE:
3. Problem solving, one of the key aspects of a
professional engineer’s skills, needs to be done in a
holistic way (Principle 3), so that solving one problem
does not create another, and the solution arrived at is
the optimum one from many viewpoints.
4. Where practicable engineers need to consider resolving
existing problems caused by failures to follow
sustainability principles (Principle 3).

52
Sustainability
1. MANAGING CHANGES IN THE
ENVIRONMENT
1) Maintain the integrity of global and local biophysical

systems. Engineers must thoroughly consider any
project or plan that will have a significant impact on
the life support functions upon which human
wellbeing depends, many of which are irreplaceable.
For example the use and placement of dams on
waterways, or the deployment of a technique,
material or process with unknown side effects - such
as nanotechnology assembly processes.

53
Sustainability
ENVIRONMENT
2) Ensure that the true cost of resource depletion is

included in all feasibility studies and estimates. Usually
the market cost is assumed to include all costs, but this
is often not so, and where alternatives exist, the more
sustainable product or material should be used. For
example a recyclable or reusable container is inherently
more sustainable than a single-use container, whatever
the apparent cost.

54
Sustainability
ENVIRONMENT
3) Minimize the absolute use of resources, and convert

the energy source from fossil based to renewable
energy. This requires a constant awareness of
optimization processes on a life cycle basis, for
example engineered products, processes and services
should be designed to minimise the initial use of
resources and to provide for maximum recycling and
reuse of resources. This applies both to scarce
resources, and apparently abundant resources such
as concrete and timber, all of which have an
embedded energy content.

55
Sustainability
ENVIRONMENT
4) Maximize the use of renewable resources but always

within sustainable extraction or harvest rates and taking
account of environmental damage. For example biomass
from sustainable forests can be used as a boiler fuel
instead of oil or gas.
5) Minimize waste products, particularly hazardous ones,
from the total life cycle of engineered products, processes
or systems, preferably as near to the source as
practicable: Ensure that any waste discharges are within
the short term assimilative capacity of the environment,
without long term accumulation.
56
Sustainability
2. EQUIT Y AND SAFETY
OF ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES
6) Engineering projects, products or processes should be

aimed primarily at improving the overall quality of life
for humans and other life forms, but not at the expense
of the environment.
7) Any increased consumption of resources and energy,
must be weighed against the improvement in quality of
life to be achieved.

57
Sustainability
OF ENGINEERING
8) Resource use must be considered over a sufficiently long
time scale so that present and future generations are not
disadvantaged economically, socially or environmentally,
by excessive and unnecessary consumption. This may be
considerably longer than an anticipated project lifetime.
9) Positively weight projects, products and processes that
decrease significant gaps in health, security, social
recognition, and political influence between groups of
people. Those that do the opposite should be carefully
considered before embarking on them in whole or in part.

58
Sustainability
OF ENGINEERING
10) All those affected by engineering projects shall be

consulted where practicable and given equal opportunity
without repercussions to voice their concerns. Their
relevant opinions shall be considered and where practical
incorporated into the planning, decision making and
i.mplementation process.
11) Where outcomes cannot be accurately foreseen choices
shall be based on risk reduction and the precautionary
principle - where in the absence of data, new risk is
avoided - as much as practicable or foreseeable

59
Sustainability
3. HOLISTIC PROBLEM SOLVING
12) An integrated systems, or an overall holistic, approach

shall be taken including all stakeholders and the
environment when attempting to solve problems.
Rather than focusing solely on the technology aspects,
and solving one problem at the expense of another, a
coordinated solution shall be the aim.
13) Problem solutions shall be based primarily on existing
or new human needs rather than finding a use for a
newly available technology or technological method

3. HOLISTIC PROBLEM SOLVING
14) Approaches that are multifaceted, and synergistic are

preferable to single issue approaches. For example,
using transportation in such a way that viable loads are
available for both journeys is more sustainable than
single load journeys.

RESOLVING EXISTING PROBLEMS
15) Where desirable and technically and economically

practicable, past environmental degradation should
be remedied. For example, land degradation,
groundwater contamination, and hazardous waste
sites should be, at a minimum, stabilized, and
wherever possible remediated, to current or
foreseeable standards.
16) Past hazardous practices shall cease and hazards
shall be cleaned up in a cost effective way and time
frame. These include, for example, hazardous
materials such as asbestos, lead, mercury, and
PCBs
4. RESOLVING EXISTING PROBLEMS
17) Reduce the use of non-sustainable practices (such as

burning or using petroleum and fossil fuel products for
feedstocks) to zero over a relatively short time frame.
18) Support social and economic accounting methods
which disclose, identify and quantify previous or
developing environmental problems.

63
CHECKLIST FOR SUSTAINABILITY

OLD VS NEW

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

POLLUTION
Act
Limit Pollution Properties
Effect
MAINFRAME
MAINFRAME
WATER POLLUTION
 Akta Air 1920

 Akta Jalan, Parit dan Bangunan 1974
 Akta Kawasan Pengairan 1953
 Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976
 Akta Kualiti Alam Sekeliling 1974
 Akta Sungai (Pencegahan Pencemaran)
 Akta Perhutanan Negara 1984
 Akta Zon Ekonomi Eksklusif 1984
 Akta Perikanan 1985
 Akta Perkhidmatan Pembetungan 1993
WATER POLLUTION
Enakmen Perlombongan
Kanun Keseksaan
Ordinan Kesalahan-kesalahan Kecil
Peraturan-peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekitar (Kumbahan dan Efluen
Industri) 1979
Peraturan-peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekitar (Premis-premis
Tertentu)(Minyak Sawit) 1977
Peraturan-peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekitar (Premis-premis
Tertentu)(Getah Asli Malaysia) 1978
Peraturan-peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Buangan Terjadual),
1989
Peraturan-peraturan Makanan 1985
Perintah Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Larangan Terhadap Penggunaan
Bahan Terkawal Di Dalam Sabun, Bahan Cuci Sintetik dan Agen
Pencuci Lain), 1995
SOLID WASTE
Peraturan-peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Buangan

Terjadual), 1989
Akta Air 1920
Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976
Kanun Tanah Negara 1965
Akta Jalan, Parit dan Bangunan 1974
Akta Perancangan Bandar dan Desa 1976
Akta Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal dan Pembersihan Awam (Akta
672) 2007
Akta Pengurusan Sisa Pepejal dan Pembersihan Awam (Akta
673) 2007
AIR POLLUTION
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Udara Bersih)

1978
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Kawalan
Kepekatan Plumbum ) 1987
Perintah Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Larangan ke Atas
Penggunaan Klorofluokarbon dan Lain-Lain Gas Sebagai
Propelan dan Agen Pengembang) 1993
Pelepasan Daripada Enjin Diesel) 1996
Pelepasan Daripada Enjin Petrol) 1996
AIR POLLUTION
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Pengurusan

Refrigeran) 1999
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Pengurusan
Halon) 1999
Perintah Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Aktiviti Yang Diisytiharkan)
(Pembakaran Terbuka) 2003
Pelepasan Daripada Motosikal) 2003
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Dioksin Dan
Furan) 2004
Kaedah-Kaedah Kereta Motor (Kawalan Pelepasan Asap dan
Gas), 1977
NOISE POLLUTION
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Bunyi Bising

Kenderaan Motor), 1987
Peraturan-Peraturan Kualiti Alam Sekeliling (Bunyi Bising
Kenderaan Motor) 1985
The Planning Guidelines for Environmental Noise Limits and
Control ( 2004)
The Guidelines for Noise Labeling and Emission Limits of
Outdoor Source (2004)
SOIL POLLUTION
Akta Kualiti Alam Sekeliling 1974,

Section 24
Most of the legislation for soil pollution
are related to water pollution act due to
the closed correlation and interaction
between soil particle and water
accumulation.
DEVELOPMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL
LAW
DATE OF RATIFICATION TREATY
14 September 1993 Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on

Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 1990
14 June 1994 Amendment to the Montreal Protocol o
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 1992
22 September 1994 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
1992
11 October 1994 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change 1992
DEVELOPMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL
LAW
DATE OF RATIFICATION TREATY
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention

4 September 2000 on Climate Change 1997
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance

10 March 1995 especially as Waterfowl Habitat 1971
Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary
8 January 1995 Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal 1989
1 January 1997 International Tropical Timber Agreement 1994
International Convention to Combat Desertification in those
26 December 1996 Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, particularly in Africa 1994
ASSIGNMENT 1
A green building is envisioned in UiTM Shah Alam campus.

 There will be restrooms
 There will be laboratories
There will be lecture theatres and classrooms
There will be offices
 Rainwater is easily available on site
 We need water and sanitation on site
As an engineer, propose sustainable solutions to meet

human needs while working with nature. Discuss the effects of this
project on the environment and propose corrective measures to reduce
the negative impacts during the construction.

THANK YOU

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ECW 445

1) Able to demonstrate good values

The global environment consists of the

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 3

mixture of gases extending outward from the surface of the earth

consists of all water sources such as oceans, lakes andstreams

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

soil mantle that wraps the core of theearth

the place on earth's surface where life dwells

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 8

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 9

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 10

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 12

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 13

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 16

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 17

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 20

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 21

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 22

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 23

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 24

Synonyme : defendable, defensible,

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 27

The property of being sustainable

Brundtland (1987) Our Common Future

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability

Sustainable development is the process of

It is an approach to environmental and

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 30

The skills that engineers must continue to deploy,

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 31

Represent the ability of the planet to sustain us

Both by providing material and energy resources

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 32

Represent human expectations and aspirations;

A better quality of life for everyone, now and in the

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 33

Engineering has spurred and led the

But, in the process it has created

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 34

 Human exposure to toxics in food, air, water and soil

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 36

Engineers must “solve problems holistically” + 17

Engineers must “solve problems holistically and

Engineers must “consider true life-cycle costs”

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 37

from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy and used as

“Engineers should take greater responsibility for shaping the

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 38

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 30

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 40

Three key principles are the basis of sustainability, to

PRINCIPLE 1: MAINTAINING THE

PRINCIPLE 2: PROVIDING FOR EQUITY

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering & Sustainability 43

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &

ECW 445 Environmental Engineering &