This document discusses engineering sustainability and taking a systems approach. It provides examples of sustainable engineering projects and outlines steps engineers can take to further sustainability goals. Specifically: 1) It highlights several award-winning engineering projects that demonstrate sustainable solutions through resource efficiency, reuse of materials, and reduced environmental impacts. 2) It advocates taking a whole systems approach to sustainability that considers economic, environmental and social factors over the full lifecycle of projects. 3) It argues that engineers are well-positioned to drive sustainability through innovation, expanding their influence early in the project process, and striving for engineering excellence.

1. Engineering Sustainability
– A Systems Approach
Lorie Jones
FIEAust CPEng NPER
Co-authors:
Katie DeJong
Janine Barrow
ICWES15 Conference, Adelaide 19-22 July 2011

2. How do we get there?
The road to sustainability…
Where have we been? Where are we going?

3. Flying over northern Canada in the 1950s, I saw lakes and rivers the
colour of tomato soup…
(pers comm: retired Canadian mining engineer).
www.squidoo.com www.amazon.com

4. “Business as Usual” is no longer sufficient!
From wet to dry disposal – a simple solution…
Failure of wet bauxite dam, Hungary Dry stacking, Alcoa WA
From article by David Boger in
the chemical engineer (January 2011)

5. There are limits to growth…
• A paradigm shift in thinking will be required.
• Engineers must rise to the challenge of leading the
community through to the new paradigm.

6. Think of the earth as a soccer ball coated in varnish - the thin layer
of varnish represents our finite liveable atmosphere…
(concept by David Suzuki).
cabinetmagazine.org commons.wikimedia.org

7. Take a global perspective
“End of pipe” solutions are no longer sufficient
www. chemistry.about.com; www. barrhead.ca; www. forcedgreen.com

8. Take a global perspective…
• Are we satisfied that these overseas components
have been made without compromising workforce
health and safety, or the local environment?
• How shall we as engineers respond to these
dilemmas and other leadership challenges?
• What tools, skill sets and personal attributes will
engineers require to deliver more sustainable
outcomes?

9. Take a long term perspective…
4565

10. Take a long term perspective…
• Real behavioural change will take generations.
• How do we maintain momentum and convert public
sentiment into policies and actions which set the
foundations for a more sustainable future?
• Patience, Persistence, Persuasion

11. Engineers have a leadership role
in creating sustainable solutions
1992 - Rio Earth Summit Agenda 21 explictly addressed the important role of
engineers in achieving sustainability;
1993 - IEAust AGM resolved ‘that Council acknowledge the leadership role
the engineering profession must provide in attainment of sustainable
development and that Council develop special plans to achieve this
leadership role and report progress regularly to the members’;
1994 - IEAust Policy on Sustainability and Code of Ethics;
2007 - Engineers Australia Sustainability Charter;
2010 - Engineers Australia Code of Ethics states that ‘As engineering
practitioners, we use our knowledge and skills for the benefit of the
community to create engineering solutions for a sustainable future’.

12. There is a disconnect between sustainability
drivers and project planning and design
Project
Sustainability planning
Drivers and
design
KPIs
images.betterworldbooks.com

13. Engineering is becoming more complex
• Lengthy approvals
Stakeholders • Community resistance
• Media involvement
• Cradle to Cradle design
Time scale • Long approval times
Spatial scale • Large areas Increasing
• Water, soil, habitats
Complexity
• Labour
Shortages • Components
• Performance
Expectations • Flexibility

14. We need a text book like this, but for
sustainability

15. I wish I could find this book…

16. The Sustainability Equation?
ds (v at )dt
1 2
vt at
2
1
stakeholders values* time approach * time2
2
ds S
Sustainability
???

17. How do we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Embed a ‘sustainability framework’
within existing processes
• risk workshops;
• safety-in-design workshops;
• concept planning workshops;
• options evaluation, analysis and assessment (using
SA, LCA, TBL, ecological footprint analysis, etc); and
• value for money workshops.

18. How do we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Add design parameters with sustainability objectives...
• Are there cleaner production alternatives?
• Can the design be optimised to minimise use of
energy, water, materials and other resources?
• Which design option would minimise lifecycle costs?
• Have all stakeholder requirements been considered?

19. How do we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Take a Whole Systems Approach...
• Take a more strategic view
• Review the purpose and objectives
• Consider Whole of Life
• Define the boundaries of the system
• Ask the right questions - communication is key

20. Project stages - the cost of leaving it too late

21. How do we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Take a Whole Systems Approach...
• Take a more strategic view
• Review the purpose and objectives
• Consider Whole of Life
• Define the boundaries of the system
• Ask the right questions - communication is key

22. We need to optimise the ‘System’
Inputs Outputs
• Capital & operating cost Economic • Revenue and asset value
Economic
• Opportunity costs
• Sink and source: pollution, • Service for the
Environmental environment?
Environmental materials
• Damage to biodiversity
• No net social impacts
• “Common Good” benefits
Social
Social • Eliminate injuries, deaths • Education?
• Collateral business
ROI
Investment In
‘Black Service Out
Box’

23. How do we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Take a Whole Systems Approach...
• Take a more strategic view
• Review the purpose and objectives
• Consider Whole of Life
• Define the boundaries of the system
• Ask the right questions - communication is key

24. Communication is the key to influencing more
sustainability outcomes
Take your finger out of
your ear when I am
speaking to you !
www.classicsofky.com
www.flickriver.com

25. How do we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Take a Whole Systems Approach...
• Take a more strategic view
• Review the purpose and objectives
• Consider Whole of Life
• Define the boundaries of the system
• Ask the right questions - communication is key

26. So what does sustainability look like?
Engineering excellence can provide a platform
for sustainability
• Many of the attributes of engineering excellence also
reflect aspects of sustainability;
• Of the 21 Judging criteria, 16 contain elements of
sustainability thinking;
• Some of the recent Engineering Excellence Awards
provide a glimpse of what’s possible...

27. A NATURAL BIOLOGICAL REMOVAL SYSTEM FOR OXALATE
Alcoa World Alumina
From bauxite to alumina
and red mud:
• The Bayer process is used to
extract alumina from bauxite ore.
Oxalate is an impurity.
• Water is removed from the waste
slurry and reused in the process.
• Dry stacking method is used for
residue storage .

28. A NATURAL BIOLOGICAL REMOVAL SYSTEM FOR OXALATE
Alcoa World Alumina

29. A NATURAL BIOLOGICAL REMOVAL SYSTEM FOR OXALATE
Alcoa World Alumina
Provides significant environmental and cost advantages;
reduced energy use and hence reduced greenhouse emissions.
Bio air sampling

30. MOBILE MINING UNIT PLANT (MUP)
RCR MINING
• CLIENT:
ILUKA RESOURCES
• STRUCTURAL DESIGN
SUPPORT:
SINCLAIR KNIGHT MERZ
• ELECTRICAL DESIGN:
OVERFLOW INDUSTRIAL
(OFI)

31. MUP at work at Iluka’s Jacinth Ambrosia mine
“the key to the project’s success was
passion, innovation and team work”.

32. MOBILE MINING UNIT PLANT (MUP)
RCR MINING
Track mounted vehicle.
Fully articulated along three axis.

33. MOBILE MINING UNIT PLANT (MUP)
RCR MINING

34. MOBILE MINING UNIT PLANT (MUP)
RCR MINING
•reduced
infrastructure and
operation costs;
•improved efficiencies;
•reduced waste,
energy and emissions.

35. Condor Towers
Pritchard Francis Pty Ltd
Photography by F22 Photography
supplied by Pritchard Francis.

36. Condor Towers
Pritchard Francis Pty Ltd
• Reusing the existing
concrete structure
reduced concrete
consumption and
building wastage to
landfill.
Photography by F22
Photography supplied
by Pritchard Francis.

37. Condor Towers
Pritchard Francis Pty Ltd
Photography by F22 Photography
supplied by Pritchard Francis

38. WOODMAN POINT ODOUR CONTROL FACILITY
Water Corporation
The W2W Alliance Biological Scrubbers
• Black & Veatch;
• Sinclair Knight Merz;
• Thiess; and
• Water Corporation.

39. ENEABBA TO MOONYOONOOKA
TRANSMISSION LINE CORRIDOR SELECTION PROCESS
Western Power and Sinclair Knight Merz

40. ENEABBA TO MOONYOONOOKA
TRANSMISSION LINE CORRIDOR SELECTION PROCESS
Community
engagement, communication
, consultation, cooperation
Dongara design parameter and
community workshops

41. ENEABBA TO MOONYOONOOKA
TRANSMISSION LINE CORRIDOR SELECTION PROCESS
Heritage and Native Title considerations
Dongara Special Interest Group workshop

42. Consultation with farmers and potentially affected
landowners

43. ENEABBA TO MOONYOONOOKA
TRANSMISSION LINE CORRIDOR SELECTION PROCESS
Upon referral, the EPA was satisfied with the level of public
consultation, and a formal public review was not required,
hence saving two years….

44. How can we ‘engineer’ sustainability?
Engineers and scientists have the skill sets
to make a difference…
• Be ingenious - work smarter and innovate;
• Expand your ‘spheres of influence’;
• Breakdown the silos;
• Seek involvement at the conceptual stage of
projects;
• Take a ‘whole systems’ approach; and
• Strive for engineering ‘excellence’.

45. The future is out there…
We have come a long way,
but there is still a long road ahead of us.