MODULE 4

CIVIL ENGINEERING SUSTAINABILITY AND THE FUTURE

INTRODUCTION
In today’s society the idea of sustainability is possibly more prevalent than at any
other point and time. Across our everyday lives we encounter the practice of sustainability
from renewable energy resources to curbside recycling programs. As our demand for
products, infrastructure and lifestyle amenities grow, so should our awareness that we
live in a fragile balance between meeting these needs and meeting these needs in a way
that has minimal impact to the environment and does not jeopardize our own public health
and safety. We as Civil Engineers and future Civil Engineers play a vital role in the
Sustainable Development in meeting the needs of the public. We are those designing and
building the infrastructures that support us as a society. A Civil Engineers utmost
responsibility is sustainability.

Sustainability by definition is the method of using a resource in a way that the

resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary).
Traditionally the concept of sustainability has been applied to relating biological systems
(the Earth) and human systems (society). Sustainable Development as defined by the
ASCE in 1996: “Sustainable Development is the challenge of meeting human needs for
natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective
waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural
resource base essential for future development.”(ASCE Code of Ethics, 1996)
Sustainable Development

When you decide to follow a certain career path and make the decision to become a
professional in that field, whether it be medical, law or in this case a Professional
Engineer, you have a code of ethics that you are bound to. The American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE) Code of Ethics was designed so that a standard could be put in place
as to how engineers should practice professionally. This Code of Ethics lays out seven
Fundamental Canons that an engineer shall always govern their actions by. The first of
these Canons introduces us to the concept of Sustainable Development.

Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall
strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their
professional duties.

(ASCE Code of Ethics, 1996)

This concept of Sustainable Development could in many ways be considered the “Golden
Rule” of engineering. If as engineers we follow this one Canon the other Canons
immediately fall into place.

Sustainability by definition is the method of using a resource in a way that the resource is
not depleted or permanently damaged. (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary).
Traditionally the concept of sustainability has been applied to relating biological systems
(the Earth) and human systems (society). Although, very complex when looking at the
direct relationships of human needs and biological impacts, the concept is really one that
is as old as time itself that has been taught through the concept of not over harvesting
from the Bible.
GOAL 1
End Poverty in all its forms in every way
Giving people in all parts of the world the support they need to lift themselves out of
poverty in all its manifestations is the very essence of sustainable development. Goal 1
focuses on ending poverty through interrelated strategies, including the promotion of
social protection systems, decent employment and the resilience of the poor. Although
the global rate of extreme poverty has been reduced by more than half since 2000,
intensified efforts are required to boost the incomes, alleviate the suffering and build the
resilience of those still impoverished. Social protection systems need to be expanded
and risks mitigated for disaster-prone countries, which tend to be among the world’s
poorest countries.
GOAL 2

End Hunger achieved food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture

Goal 2 seeks sustainable solutions to end hunger in all its forms by 2030 and to achieve
food security. The aim is to ensure that everyone everywhere has enough good-quality
food to lead a healthy life. Achieving this Goal will require better access to food and the
widespread promotion of sustainable agriculture. This entails improving the productivity
and incomes of small-scale farmers by promoting equal access to land, technology and
markets, sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices. It also
requires increased investments through international cooperation to bolster the
productive capacity of agriculture in developing countries.

GOAL 3

Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all ages

Over the past 15 years, reproductive, maternal and child health have improved greatly.
The incidence of communicable diseases has declined, as have premature deaths from
non-communicable diseases. Health services have been upgraded through better
maternal and reproductive care, targeted disease elimination and control programmes,
including broader treatment and vaccination coverage, and increased funding to support
medical research and basic health in developing countries. To meet the 2030 targets,
however, these interventions need to be expanded, particularly in regions with the highest
burden of disease.

GOAL 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all

Quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all are central to ensuring a full
and productive life to all individuals and to the realization of sustainable development.
Despite considerable progress in school enrolment, millions of children remain out of
school, especially where educational systems struggle to keep up with population growth.
Even when more children are enrolled, many do not acquire the basic skills. Quality
education is hampered by the lack of trained teachers and adequate school facilities.
Achieving this Goal will require intensified efforts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and
Southern Asia, targeted to vulnerable populations, specifically persons with disabilities,
indigenous people, refugees and the rural poor.
GOAL 5

Achieve gender quality and empower all women and girls

Empowering women and girls to reach their full potential requires that they have equal
opportunities to those of men and boys. This means eliminating all forms of discrimination
and violence against them, including violence by intimate partners, sexual violence and
harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). Ensuring
that women have better access to paid employment, sexual and reproductive health and
reproductive rights, and real decision-making power in public and private spheres will
further ensure that development is equitable and sustainable.

GOAL 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management and sanitation water for all

Sustainable water resources are essential to human health, environmental sustainability

and economic prosperity. This vital resource is under threat, making it crucial to address
the challenges related to water, sanitation and hygiene for populations and water-related
ecosystems. Currently, more than 2 billion people are affected by water stress, which will
only increase with population growth and the effects of climate change. Achieving
universal access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene and ensuring that services are
safely managed remain major challenges, and meeting them are crucial to further
progress in health, education and poverty eradication.

GOAL 7

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is crucial to achieving many of the
Sustainable Development Goals – from poverty eradication via advancements in health,
education, water supply and industrialization to mitigating climate change. Energy access,
however, varies widely across countries and the current rate of progress falls short of
what will be required to achieve the Goal. Redoubled efforts will be needed, particularly
for countries with large energy access deficits and high energy consumption.

GOAL 8

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment and decent work for all

Sustained and inclusive economic growth is a prerequisite for sustainable development,

which can contribute to improved livelihoods for people around the world. Economic
growth can lead to new and better employment opportunities and provide greater
economic security for all. Moreover, rapid growth, especially among the least developed
and other developing countries, can help them reduce the wage gap relative to developed
countries, thereby diminishing glaring inequalities between the rich and poor.

GOAL 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster
industrialization

Sustainable Development Goal 9 addresses three important aspects of sustainable

development: infrastructure, industrialization and innovation. Infrastructure provides the
basic physical facilities essential to business and society; industrialization drives
economic growth and job creation, thereby reducing income inequality; and innovation
expands the technological capabilities of industrial sectors and leads to the development
of new skills.
GOAL 10

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Progress in reducing inequality within and among countries has been mixed. Income
inequality has declined in many of the countries that experienced sustained economic
growth, while increasing in countries with negative growth. Meanwhile, the voices of
developing countries in international economic and financial decision-making still need to
be strengthened. And, while remittances can be a lifeline for families and communities in
the home countries of international migrant workers, the high cost of transferring money
continues to diminish the benefits.
GOAL 11

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities. By 2030, it is projected that 6
in 10 people will be urban dwellers. Despite numerous planning challenges, cities offer
more efficient economies of scale on many levels, including the provision of goods,
services and transportation. With sound, risk-informed planning and management, cities
can become incubators for innovation and growth and drivers of sustainable
development.

GOAL 12

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

How societies use and manage their natural resources fundamentally shapes their quality
of life. One of the core objectives of the 2030 Agenda is to decouple economic growth
from resource use and environmental degradation, notably through improved resource
efficiency, while improving people’s well-being. This can occur through a shift towards
more sustainable consumption and production patterns. Such a shift requires national
public policies that create conducive environments, social and physical infrastructure and
markets, and a transformation of business practices along global value chains.
GOAL 13

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Climate change presents the single biggest threat to development, and its widespread,
unprecedented effects disproportionately burden the poorest and the most vulnerable.
Goal 13 calls for urgent action not only to combat climate change and its impacts, but
also to build resilience in responding to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
GOAL 14

Conserve and sustainable use of the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable
development

Oceans cover almost three quarters of the planet, comprising the largest ecosystem on
Earth. Large coastal populations in every region depend on them for their livelihoods and
prosperity. Oceans also provide priceless environmental services: they generate half the
oxygen we breathe, support a wealth of marine resources and act as a climate regulator.
Yet despite their critical importance, the mounting impacts of climate change (including
ocean acidification), overfishing and marine pollution are jeopardizing progress in
protecting the world’s oceans. Small island developing States are the most threatened.
Due to the transboundary nature of oceans, marine resource management requires
interventions at all levels (national, regional and global) to mitigate threats.

GOAL 15

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystem, sustainably

manage forest combat desertification and halt and reserve land degradation and halt
biodiversity loss
Preserving diverse forms of life on land requires targeted efforts to protect, restore and
promote the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and other ecosystems. Goal
15 focuses specifically on managing forests sustainably, halting and reversing land and
natural habitat degradation, successfully combating desertification and stopping
biodiversity loss. All these efforts combined aim to ensure that the benefits of land-based
ecosystems, including sustainable livelihoods, will be enjoyed for generations to come.

GOAL 16

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development provided access
justice for all

Progress in promoting peace and justice, and in building effective, accountable and
inclusive institutions remains uneven across and within regions. Homicides are slowly
declining, and more citizens around the world have better access to justice. However,
violent conflicts have increased in recent years, and a number of high-intensity armed
conflicts are causing large numbers of civilian casualties and driving millions of people
from their homes. Disparities abound: data show that countries with higher income
inequality suffer from higher levels of violence. Poorer countries and regions tend to be
sources of victims for human traffickers and are more prone to corruption. In response,
legal frameworks and institutions are being put in place— for example, on access to
information and human rights promotion—but implementation does not always follow suit.
GOAL 17

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalized the global partnership for
sustainable development

Achieving the ambitious targets of the 2030 Agenda requires a revitalized and
enhanced global partnership that brings together Governments, civil society, the private
sector, the United Nations system and other actors, mobilizing all available resources.
Meeting implementation targets, including the raising of necessary funds, is key to
realizing the Agenda, as is the full implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
Increasing support to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries,
landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, is fundamental to
equitable progress for all.
What is sustainable construction and why is it important?

The construction industry must help to build a world that will improve the lives of future
generations and use eco-friendly methods. Working sustainably involves meeting
demands of the expanding population, as well as supporting the environment in the long-
term.

What is sustainable construction?

Sustainable construction means building with renewable and recyclable resources and
materials. During construction projects, care must be taken to reduce waste and energy
consumption where possible and protect the natural environment around the site. The
end result of a sustainable construction project must be an environmentally friendly
building or environment.
Need for Sustainable Construction

Construction has a direct impact on the environment due to following reasons:

1.Generation of waste materials

2. Emissions from vehicles, machineries

3. Noise pollution due to use of heavy vehicles and construction machineries

4. Releases of wastes and pollutants into water, ground and atmosphere

Sustainability assessment of construction projects is essential to the fact that it does not
create any harmful effects on the living ecosystem while optimizing the cost of
construction. This is to ensure the availability of resources for the future generations.
Sustainability assessment of construction projects is essential to the fact that it does not
create any harmful effects on the living ecosystem while optimizing the cost of
construction. This is to ensure the availability of resources for the future generations.
Following are the important construction activities which have large impacts on
sustainability in construction and civil engineering:

Wastes from demolition of building and structures:

Over billions of tonnes of construction and demolition waste are generated worldwide
annually. These wastes can be hazardous to environment is not disposed off at suitable
place without environmental impact assessment of such wastes. The other alternate is to
recycle and reuse of the demolished building materials to minimize the risk of harmful
impacts.

How to make construction waste sustainable?

Following are the steps which need to be followed to make construction waste more
sustainable:

Eliminate – avoid producing construction waste in the first place.

Reduce – minimize the amount of waste you produce.

Reuse – reuse the construction wastes in other works.

Recover (recycling, composting, energy) – recycle what you can only after you have
reused it.

Dispose – dispose of what is left in a responsible way.

Use of durable construction materials and quality control at site for durability of structure
is one step towards minimization of construction waste generation.
Use of Sustainable Building Materials:

Building Materials such as sand and gravel have been used for thousands of years in
construction. The demand for these is increasing day by day as demand for infrastructure
development is increasing.

Uses of construction materials such river sand and gravels also have negative impact on
environment. Excessive sand-and-gravel mining causes the degradation of rivers.
Instream mining lowers the stream bottom, which may lead to bank erosion. This results
in the destruction of aquatic and riparian habitat through large changes in the channel
morphology. Impacts include bed degradation, bed coarsening, lowered water tables near
the streambed, and channel instability.

There are many harmful impacts of using river sand and mining of gravels and a detailed
study is required to list all the negative impacts. The use of alternate building materials
can reduce the impact of this on environment.

Energy Consumption and Green House:

Around 40% of total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are directly due
to construction and operation of buildings. The best of to reduce this impact is the use of
green buildings construction techniques. The use of transparent concrete in buildings also
helps to reduce the use of energy for lighting during day time.

How to Ensure Sustainable Construction?

Following steps should be taken to for better sustainability of construction activities:

Reduce the supply chains to reduce transport costs

Exercise waste minimization and recycling construction

Building orientation – Choose the building orientation in a way to reduce energy utilization.
Durability and quality of building components, generally chosen to last for the appropriate
refurbishment or demolition cycle.

Use construction materials which are locally available.

Design buildings and structures as per local topological, climatic and community
demands.

Select appropriate construction methods – prefabrication, wood or concrete structures.

Reuse of existing buildings or structures can reduce the construction waste. Reutilizing
by strengthening and rehabilitation of buildings can also save construction cost.

Make site waste management plans not only during construction but also during use or
operation.

Minimize energy in construction.

ROLE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

One of the most worthy tasks that a civil engineer can undertake in the modern world is
a sustainable construction. Today, the natural environment, transformed by builders,
affects the sustainable development of all countries of the world. And in achieving the
goals of sustainable development, civil engineers are in the forefront.

STUDENT ACTIVITY:

The student will select one sustainable development goals and explain in details
the concept, importance and targets. Make a video clips on the said report
REFERENCES:

https://www.scribd.com/presentation/477769224/Civil-Engineering-Sustainability-and-
the-Future

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2017/Goal-01/

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2016/goal-02/

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2017/Goal-04/

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2017/Goal-06/

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2016/goal-07/

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2016/goal-11/

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2016/goal-15/