UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.

College of Engineering and Architecture

Dubinan East, Santiago City

LEARNING MODULE

MODULE 6: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Topic 1: What is Environmental Engineering?

Topic 2: What are Environmental Issues?

Topic 3: Engineering Solutions

Engr. Claudette Mine A. Lumibao

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 1
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City

Module 6: ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Introduction:
Environmental issues are a matter of concern these days. With the rise of pollution levels
and depletion of the ozone layer, all the countries in the world are concerned about the
environment. This is mainly because environmental degradation threatens the existence of
humankind. (Prasanna, 2020)
The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment
which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth. (Firdausi & Shaik) Thus,
Environmental Engineering has emerged. This is a new trend in environmental science, which
studies the interaction of nature and technology, formation patterns of natural-technical systems
and possible management of these systems, so as to ensure environmental safety and protection
of the natural environment. Environmental Engineering tasks are to ensure environmental
compliance processes and technology itself at industrial sites. (thesisleader.com)

Learning Outcomes
At the end of module 6, you should have achieved the following topic learning outcomes:
1. Explain and discuss the effects of the different environmental issues;

2. Discuss Environmental Engineering; and,

3. Describe the role of Environmental Engineering in addressing Environmental Issues.

Topic 1: What is Environmental Engineering?

Environmental engineering is the branch of engineering that focuses on protecting the

environment by reducing waste and pollution. The field is also dedicated to improving
environmental conditions through remediation. It deals with the design of technologies and
processes that control pollution releases and clean up existing contamination.

Environmental engineers design, plan, and implement measures to prevent, control, or remediate
environmental hazards. They may work on waste treatment, wastewater treatment, site
remediation, or pollution control technology.

 Environmental Engineering Jobs & Job Description

Environmental engineers integrate environmental science and engineering principles in order to

improve and manage the natural environment. As our world population grows, environmental
engineers strive to ensure that we all have a good quality of live while also accessing healthy

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 2
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City
water, air, and land for humans and other organisms. While jobs do vary from place to place, the
standard scope of responsibility for an environmental engineer job looks like:

 Assess industrial, commercial and residential sites for their environmental impact
 Calibrating equipment used for air, water, or soil sampling
 Design systems for waste management, reclamation, transfer and disposal on land, sea,
and air
 Advocate best remediative procedures for site clean-up and contamination
 Advise policymakers and companies on relevant issues
 Evaluate the current system performance and incorporate innovations or develop new
technologies to enhance environmental protection
 Collecting field samples and observations for data and observations
 Investigating environmentally related complaints, recording data and compiling a report
based on these
 Establish waste-treatment and pollution-control plans
 Design sampling guidelines for manufacturing and industrial stakeholders
 Ensure that stakeholders are in regulatory compliance for waste management and
disposal
 Collect, construct and evaluate environmental impact statements

A senior environmental engineer has a breadth of experience that assures competent in a team-
lead position. Many of the additional tasks at the upper tier may be administrative or managerial
in scope, such as:

 Creating reports, data meta-analysis and thought leadership

 Communicating with a variety of technical and non-technical stakeholders
 Navigating environmental regulations and funding sources
 Liaising with interdisciplinary teams for an holistic solution to environmental engineering
problems

 How Do I Get an Environmental Engineering Degree?

Positions require a minimum of a bachelor's degree (B.S.), usually in environmental engineering,

civil, or chemical engineering. Some undergraduate and graduate civil engineering programs
offer concentrations in environmental engineering.

Students generally study basic engineering principles, ecosystem processes, fate and transport of
organic contaminants, alternative energy technologies, air quality control technologies, principles
of sustainability, water and wastewater treatment, mathematics, and computer-aided design
(CAD). Lab and field work are often part of the curriculum.

It's important to gain practical experience. Participate in an internship or cooperative engineering

programs if you can. These programs award college credit for structured job experience.

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 3
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City
Some colleges offer a combined 5-year program that leads to both a bachelor's and a master's
degree. A graduate degree can open up opportunities as instructors at some colleges, and also in
research and development positions.

Topic 2: What are environmental issues?

Environmental issues are defined as harmful effects to Earth and its natural systems due to the
actions of humans.

 Causes of environmental issues?

1. Human over population

 The increasing number of global population

 Environmental issues caused by human over population

Biocapacity

It is the capacity of the earth to supply the resources needed by the

global population.

An increase in global population can result in a decrease in

biocapacity. This is usually due to the fact that the Earth’s
resources have to be shared; therefore, there becomes little to
supply the increasing demand of the increasing population.

• Exploitation of resources

• Industrialization

• Land degradation

• Land reclamation

• Optimum population

• Overshoot(population)

• Population density

2. Hydrology

Hydrology, particularly water flow, can affect the local environment due to changes in water
quality and quantity. These changes can be man-made (e.g. a dam release) or weather-related

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 4
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City
(flooding), or due to a combination of both factors (rainfall runoff caused by poor agricultural
practices).

Floods Landslide

3. Intensive Farming

Intensive farming is an agricultural intensification and mechanization system that aims to

maximize yields from available land through various means, such as heavy use of pesticides and
chemical fertilizers. This intensification and mechanization has also been applied to the raising
of livestock with billions of animals, such as cows, pigs and chickens, being held indoors in what
have become known as factory farms.

Intensive farming kills beneficial insects and

plants, degrades and depletes the very soil it depends
on, creates polluted runoff and clogged water
systems, increases susceptibility to flooding, causes the
genetic erosion of crops and livestock species around the
world, decreases biodiversity, destroys natural
habitats and, according to WWF, "Farming practices,
livestock, and clearing of land for agriculture are
significant contributors to the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

4. Intensive Land Use

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 5
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City

5. Nuclear issues

True, nuclear power may not be as obviously pollutive as coal, but the chemicals it releases can
contaminate groundwater, air and plants – and this pollution lingers for decades.

a study by NASA on links between mortality and method of energy production suggested
that: ‘if nuclear power never existed, the energy it supplied almost certainly would have been
supplied by fossil fuels instead (overwhelmingly coal), which cause much higher air pollution-
related mortality and GHG emissions per unit energy produced.’ The health effects of air
pollution caused by greenhouse gases should not be underestimated and coal undoubtedly causes
it more directly than nuclear. So, nuclear is preferable to coal in this respect. But that’s not
saying much.

Topic 3: Engineering Solutions

Engineering is different from science, scientists try to understand nature, engineers try to make
things that do not exist in nature, but they are related because engineering solutions make use of
scientific principles.

1. Bicycle rack and bicycle lane

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 6
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City
2. Green roof

3. Biowalls / living walls

Why green walls?

They have multiple impacts on cities and

citizens; they protect buildings from the
effects of natural elements; they are
introducing more gardens in urban areas and
they can even be used to grow vegetables!

Under sun exposure, a bare wall will

contribute to heat conduction inside the building, making the internal building temperature rise,
and contributing to the urban ‘heat island’ effect. But green walls, where the leaves of plants lose
water through evapotranspiration, lower the surrounding air and building temperatures. Green
walls also depress the cities temperature–they create a microclimate.

4. urban garden / urban farming

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 7
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City
5. Permeable concrete

modern permeable surfaces – are finally here to stay. In recent

years they have steadily become more and more popular.
Concern for the environment, especially water resources, has
massively contributed to their popularity and promotion.

Different types of permeable surfaces have actually been known

for generations. Turf, gravel, or simply soil are all allowing the
water to penetrate through them into the underlying soil

6. Rain water harvesting system

A wide range of technologies used to collect,

convey and store rain -before it reaches the
aquifer- for later use from relatively clean
surfaces such as a roofs

Today, rainwater harvesting has gained much significance as a

modern, water-saving and simple technology.

7. Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally
replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 8
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City

8. sustainable buildings/ green buildings

It is part of the environment, not simply placed on it, it is connected to the surrounding

 Concept of green building

- small/compact buildings

- Integration and compatibility

with the natural environment

- Energy efficiency and

orientation

- Use of recycled, reusable and

sustainable materials

 Sustainable development

1. Small is beautiful
2. Heat with the sun
3. Keep your cool
4. Let nature cool your food
5. Be energy efficient
6. Conserve water
7. Use local materials
8. Use natural materials
9. Save the forests
10. Recycle materials
11. Build to last
12. Grow your food
13. Share Facilities

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 9
 UNIVERSITY OF LA SALETTE, INC.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dubinan East, Santiago City

ACTIVITY
Explain activity:
Visit:
Environmental Engineering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHUO6PrsOzg
Effects of Climate Change:
https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/#:~:text=Increased%20heat%2C%20drought%20and%20insect,c
oastal%20areas%20are%20additional%20concerns.
https://www.livescience.com/37057-global-warming-effects.html

Elaborate activity
THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
Climate Change is one of the biggest threats to our environment. Name two major effects of
Climate Change and discuss its effects and the solutions to these problems.

Evaluate activity
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
1. As a result of growth in some urban centers, the environment in those cities is deteriorating.
How could this issue be tackled by both the government and individuals?

2. What is the importance of environmental engineering? In what ways can environmental

engineering offer solutions to the different environmental issues?

Additional readings for this module

https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-
measurements/parameters/hydrology/#:~:text=Hydrology%2C%20particularly%20water%20flo
w%2C%20can,caused%20by%20poor%20agricultural%20practices).
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-disadvantages-intensive-farming.php
https://public.wmo.int/en/bulletin/water-and-climate-issues-examples-and-potential-context-
hydrological-prediction

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting
online in any form or by any means without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 10