if they expect to be rewarded socially or financially for that behavior - then they are more likely

to adopt that behavior. Make it Social states that if people believe their peers are behaving in a
certain way, or if they have committed to their peers that they will perform in that way, then they
are more like to adopt that behavior. Make it Timely states that by encouraging behavior at the
appropriate time, such as when other changes are already occurring, a person is more likely to
adopt the behavior.

Research has explored applying behavioral economics principles to engineering and design
workflows to encourage sustainable engineering practice (MacDonald and She 2015), dividing
the overall process into four scales of behavior: individual and interpersonal, organizational,
community, and enabling environment and policy (Report of the International Expert Panel on
Behavioral Science for Design 2019). While all four of these scales of behavior are important
methods of enacting change, individual engineering practices are best placed to focus on the first
two scales where they can have direct influence over the behavior of employees, and the
guidance and processes implemented at an organization-wide level.

Figure 1 – EAST® Framework (Credit: Behavioural Insights Team; reproduced with permission
of Behavioural Insights Ltd)

DESIGN BEHAVIOR AND SBP

Schlaich Bergermann Partner (sbp) has historically encouraged a very particular design behavior
within the practice: the search for lightness and efficiency in design solutions (sbp 2021).
However, in response to the climate emergency sbp has consciously reinforced the principles of
lightweight and efficient design with that of low greenhouse gas emissions in their designs. Sbp
has used the EAST® framework (Figure 1) - as well as an understanding of some common
cognitive biases, such as social norms, mental shortcuts, and present bias - to more effectively
encourage design behavior which reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with engineering
designs.

Easy. At the early stages of the design process engineers will typically use rules of thumb, and
other mental shortcuts, to narrow the design scope. Many existing rules of thumb focus on
engineering performance criteria such as serviceability and strength, or ease of fabrication and