Sustainability competency: Integrated problem-solving; Collaboration.UNESCO has developed eight key competencies for sustainability that are aimed at learners of all ages worldwide. Many versions of these exist, as are linked here*. In the UK, these have been adapted within higher education by AdvanceHE and the QAA with appropriate learning outcomes. The full list of competencies and learning outcome alignment can be found in the Education for Sustainable Development Guidance*. *Click the pink ''Sustainability competency'' text to learn more.
AHEP mapping: This resource addresses two of the themes from the UKâs Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):âŻThe Engineer and SocietyâŻ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andâŻEngineering PracticeâŻ(the practical application of engineering concepts, tools and professional skills). To map this resource to AHEP outcomes specific to a programme under these themes, access AHEP 4âŻhereâŻand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.âŻÂ
Related SDGs: All.Â
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: Adapt learning outcomes; Active pedagogies and mindsets; More real-world complexity; Cross-disciplinarity; Authentic assessment.The Reimagined Degree Map is a guide to help engineering departments navigate the decisions that are urgently required to ensure degrees prepare students for 21st century challenges. Click the pink ''Reimagined Degree Map Intervention'' text to learn more.
Projects, and thus project-based learning, offer valuable opportunities for integrating sustainability education into engineering curricula by promoting active, experiential learning through critical and creative thinking within problem-solving endeavours and addressing complex real-world challenges. Engaging in projects can have a lasting impact on students’ understanding and retention of knowledge. By working on projects related to sustainability, students are likely to internalise key concepts and develop a commitment to incorporating sustainable practices into their future engineering endeavours.Â
Building a brief:
Project briefs are a powerful tool for integrating sustainability into engineering education through project-based learning. They set the tone, define the scope, and provide the parameters for students to consider sustainability in their engineering projects, ensuring that future engineers develop the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to address the complex challenges of sustainability.Â
To ensure sustainability has a central and/or clear role within an engineering project, consider the following as you develop the brief:Â
1. Sustainability as part of goals, objectives, and requirements. By explicitly including sustainability objectives in the project brief, educators communicate the importance of considering environmental, social, and economic factors in the engineering design and implementation process. This sets the stage for students to integrate sustainability principles into their project work.Â
2.Context: Briefs should always include the context of the project so that students understand the importance of place and people to an engineered solution. Below are aspects of the context to consider and provide:
What is the central problem for the project? Â
Where is the problem/project located? What data will be given to students to describe the context of the problem? Why is the context important and how does it relate to expectations of solving of the problem or the project solutionÂ
Who are the people directly impacted by the scenario and central to the context? What is the problem that they face and why? How are they associated with the project and why do they need to be considered?Â
When in time does this scenario/context exist? How does the data or information re. the context support the time of the scenario?Â
3. Stakeholders: Sustainability is intertwined with the interests and needs of various stakeholders. Project briefs can include considerations for stakeholder engagement, prompting students to identify and address the concerns of different groups affected by the project. This reinforces the importance of community involvement and social responsibility in engineering projects. Below are aspects of the stakeholders to consider and provide:Â
Who are the main stakeholders (i.e. users) and why are they important to the context? (see above) What are their needs and what are their power positionsÂ
Who else should be considered stakeholders in the project? How do they influence the project by their needs, interest and power situations? Â
Have you considered the earth and its non-human stakeholders, its inhabitants or its landscape?Â
Do you want to provide this information to the students or is this part of the work you want them to do within the project?Â
4.Ethical decision-making: Including ethical considerations related to sustainability in the project brief guides students in making ethical decisions throughout the project lifecycle. The Ethics Toolkit can provide guidance in how to embed ethical considerations such as:Â
Explicitly state ethical expectations and frame decisions as having ethical components.Â
Prompt and encourage students to think critically about the consequences of their engineering choices on society, the environment, and future generations.
5. Knowns and unknowns: Considering both knowns and unknowns is essential for defining the project scope. Knowing what is already understood and what remains uncertain allows students to set realistic and achievable project goals. Below are aspects of considering the knowns and unknowns aspects of a project brief to consider and provide:
What key information needs to be provided to the students to address the problem given? Â
What is it that you want the students to do for themselves in the early part of the project â i.e. research and investigation and then in the process of their problem solving and prototyping/testing and making?Â
6. Engineering design process and skills development: The Project Brief should support how the educator wants to guide students through the engineering design cycle, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed for successful problem-solving. Below are aspects of the engineering design process and skills development to consider and provide:Â
What process will the students follow in order to come to a final output or problem solution? What result is required of the students (i.e. are they just coming up with concepts or ideas? Do they need to justify and thus technical argue their chosen concept? Do they need to design, build/make and test a prototype or model to show their design and building/making skills as well? Do they need to critically analyse it using criteria based on proof of concept or sustainability goals â ie. It is desirable? Viable? Responsible? Feasible?)
What skills should students be developing through the project? Some possibilities are (depending on how far they expect students to complete the solution), however the sustainability competencies are relevant here too:Â Â
a. Research â investigate, Â
b. Creative thinking â divergent and convergent thinking in different parts of the process of engineering design,
c. Critical thinking â innovation model analysis or other critical thinking tools,
d. Decision making â steps taken to move the project forward, justifying the decision making via evidence,
e. Communication, collaboration, negotiation, presentation, Â
f. Anticipatory thinking â responsible innovation model AREA, asking in the concept stages (which ideas could go wrong because of a double use, or perhaps thinking of what could go wrong?),
g. Systems thinking. Â
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7.Solution and impact: Students will need to demonstrate that they have met the brief and can demonstrate that they understand the impact of their chosen solution. Here it would need to be clear what the students need to produce and how long it is expected to take them. Other considerations when designing the project brief to include are:Â
Â
 Is the brief for a module or a short activity? What is the ideal number of students in a team? Is it disciplinary-based or interdisciplinary (and in this case â which disciplines would be encouraged to be included).Â
We would want the students to understand and discuss the trade-offs that they had to consider in their solution. Â
Important considerations for embedding sustainability into projects:Â
1. Competences or content?Â
Embedding and/or developing competences is a normal part of project work. When seen as a set of competences sustainability is crosscutting in the same way as other HE agendas such as employability, global citizenship, decolonisation and EDI. See the Global Responsibility competency compass for an example of how competencies can be developed for engineering practice.Â
Embedding sustainability content often requires additional material, even if it is only in adapting one of the project phases/outcomes to encourage students to think through sustainable practice. For more guidance on how to adapt learning outcomes, see the Engineering for One Planet Framework (aligned to AHEP4).Â
 2. Was any content added or adapted?Â
Was any content adapted to include sustainability awareness?Â
– What form of content, seminars, readings, lectures, tutorials, student activityÂ
Were learning objectives changed?Â
Did you have to remove material to fit in the new or adapted content?Â
Were assessments changed?Â
Â
3. Competencies Â
UNESCO has identified eight competencies that encompass the behaviours, attitudes, values and knowledge which facilitate safeguarding the future. These together with the SDGs provide a way of identifying activities and learning that can be embedded in different disciplinary curricula and courses. For more information on assessing competences, see this guidance article.Â
Did you map the competences that you already support before changing anything?Â
What kind of activities did you add to support the development of the competences you wish to target?Â
Did you explain to the students that these were the competences that you were targeting and that they are considered necessary for all who go on to work and live in a warming world?Â
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Â
Author: Dr. Jemma L. Rowlandson (University of Bristol).Â
Topic: Achieving carbon-neutral aviation by 2050. Â
Tool type: Teaching.Â
Relevant disciplines:âŻChemical; Aerospace; Mechanical; Environmental; Energy. Â
Keywords: Design and innovation; Conflicts of interest; Ethics; Regulatory compliance; Stakeholder engagement; Environmental impact; AHEP; Sustainability; Higher education; Pedagogy; Assessment.Â
Sustainability competency: Systems thinking; Anticipatory; Critical thinking; Integrated problem-solving; Strategic; Collaboration.UNESCO has developed eight key competencies for sustainability that are aimed at learners of all ages worldwide. Many versions of these exist, as are linked here*. In the UK, these have been adapted within higher education by AdvanceHE and the QAA with appropriate learning outcomes. The full list of competencies and learning outcome alignment can be found in the Education for Sustainable Development Guidance*. *Click the pink ''Sustainability competency'' text to learn more.
AHEP mapping: This resource addresses two of the themes from the UKâs Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4): The Engineer and Society (acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) and Engineering Practice (the practical application of engineering concepts, tools and professional skills). To map this resource to AHEP outcomes specific to a programme under these themes, access AHEP 4 here and navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.Â
Related SDGs: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy); SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure); SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production); SDG 13 (Climate Action).Â
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: More real-world complexity; Active pedagogies and mindset development; Authentic assessment.The Reimagined Degree Map is a guide to help engineering departments navigate the decisions that are urgently required to ensure degrees prepare students for 21st century challenges. Click the pink ''Reimagined Degree Map Intervention'' text to learn more.
Educational aim: Apply interdisciplinary engineering knowledge to a real-world sustainability challenge in aviation, foster ethical reasoning and decision-making with regards to environmental impact, and develop abilities to collaborate and communicate with a diverse range of stakeholders.Â
Educational level:âŻIntermediate.Â
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Learning and teaching notes:Â
This case study provides students an opportunity to explore the role of hydrogen fuel in the aviation industry. Considerable investments have been made in researching and developing hydrogen as a potential clean and sustainable energy source, particularly for hydrogen-powered aircraft. Despite the potential for hydrogen to be a green and clean fuel there are lingering questions over the long-term sustainability of hydrogen and whether technological advancements can progress rapidly enough to significantly reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. The debate around this issue is rich with diverse perspectives and a variety of interests to consider. Through this case study, students will apply their engineering expertise to navigate this complex problem and examine the competing interests involved. Â
This case is presented in parts, each focusing on a different sustainability issue, and with most parts incorporating technical content. Parts may be used in isolation, or may be used to build up the complexity of the case throughout a series of lessons. Â
Learners have the opportunity to:Â
Understand the principles of hydrogen production, storage, and emissions in the context of aviation.Â
Assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of adopting hydrogen technology in the aviation industry.Â
Develop skills in making estimates and assumptions in real-world engineering scenarios.Â
Explore the ethical dimensions of engineering decisions, particularly concerning sustainability and resource management.Â
Examine the influence of policy and stakeholder perspectives on the adoption of green hydrogen within the aviation industry.Â
Teachers have the opportunity to:Â
Integrate concepts related to renewable energy sources, with a focus on hydrogen.Â
Discuss the engineering challenges and solutions in storing and utilising hydrogen in aviation.Â
Foster critical thinking about the balance between technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and societal impact.Â
Guide students in understanding the role of policy in shaping technological advancements and environmental strategies.Â
Assess studentsâ ability to apply engineering principles to solve complex, open-ended, real-world problems.Â
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Supporting resources:Â Â
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Learning and teaching resources:Â
Hydrogen fundamentals resources:Â
Case Study Workbook â designed for this study to give a broad overview of hydrogen, based primarily on the content below from US DoE.Â
Hydrogen Aware â Set of modules for a more comprehensive background to hydrogen with a UK-specific context.Â
We recommend encouraging the use of sources from a variety of stakeholders. Encourage students to find their own, but some examples are included below:Â
FlyZero Open Source Reports Archive: A variety of technical reports focused on hydrogen in aviation specifically including concept aircraft, potential life cycle emissions, storage, and usage. Â
Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance: Press release (September 2023) announcing an agreement amongst some of the major players in aviation to focus on hydrogen. Â
Safe Landing: A group of aviation workers campaigning for long-term employment. Projected airline growth is not compatible with net zero goals and the current technology is not ready for decarbonisation, action is drastically needed now to safeguard the aviation industry and prevent dangerous levels of warming.Â
UK Government Hydrogen Strategy: Sets out the UK government view of how to develop a low carbon hydrogen sector including aviation projects including considerations of how to create a market. Â
Pre-Session Work:Â
Students should be provided with an overview of the properties of hydrogen gas and the principles underlying the hydrogen economy: production, storage and transmission, and application. There are several free and available sources for this purpose (refer to the Hydrogen Fundamentals Resources above).Â
IntroductionÂ
âAt Airbus, we believe hydrogen is one of the most promising decarbonisation technologies for aviation. This is why we consider hydrogen to be an important technology pathway to achieve our ambition of bringing a low-carbon commercial aircraft to market by 2035.â – Airbus, 2024Â
As indicated in the industry quote above, hydrogen is a growing area of research interest for aviation companies to decarbonise their fleet. In this case study, you are put in the role of working as an engineering consultant and your customer is a multinational aerospace corporation. They are keen to meet their government issued targets of reducing carbon emissions to reach net zero by 2050 and your consultancy team has been tasked with assessing the feasibility of powering a zero-emission aircraft using hydrogen. The key areas your customer is interested in are:Â
The feasibility of using green hydrogen as a fuel for zero-emission aviation;Â
The feasibility of storing hydrogen in a confined space like an aircraft;Â
Conducting a stakeholder analysis on the environmental impact of using hydrogen for aviation.Â
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Part one: The aviation landscapeÂ
Air travel connects the world, enabling affordable and reliable mass transportation between continents. Despite massive advances in technology and infrastructure to produce more efficient aircraft and reduce passenger fuel consumption, carbon emissions have doubled since 2019 and are equivalent to 2.5 % of global CO2 emissions. Â
Activity: Discuss what renewable energy sources are you aware of that could be used for zero-emission aviation?Â
Your customer is interested in the feasibility of hydrogen for aviation fuel. However, there is a debate within the management team over the sustainability of hydrogen. As the lead engineering consultant, you must guide your customer in making an ethical and sustainable decision. Â
Hydrogen is a potential energy carrier which has a high energy content, making it a promising fuel for aviation. Green hydrogen is produced from water and is therefore potentially very clean. However, globally most hydrogen is currently made from fossil fuels with an associated carbon footprint. Naturally occurring as a gas, the low volumetric density makes it difficult to transport and add complications with storage and transportation.Â
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Activity: From your understanding of hydrogen, what properties make it a promising fuel for aircraft? And what properties make it challenging?Â
Optional activity: Recap the key properties of hydrogen â particularly the low gas density and low boiling point which affect storage. Â
Â
Part two: Hydrogen productionÂ
Hydrogen is naturally abundant but is often found combined with other elements in various forms such as hydrocarbons like methane (CH4) and water (H2O). Methods have been developed to extract hydrogen from these compounds. It is important to remember that hydrogen is an energy carrier and not an energy source; it must be generated from other primary energy sources (such as wind and solar) converting and storing energy in the form of hydrogen. Â
Research: What production methods of hydrogen are you aware of? Where does most of the worldâs hydrogen come from currently? Â
Â
The ideal scenario is to produce green hydrogen via electrolysis where water (H2O) is split using electricity into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). This makes green hydrogen potentially completely green and clean if the process uses electricity from renewable sources. The overall chemical reaction is shown below:Â
However, the use of waterâa critical resourceâas a feedstock for green hydrogen, especially in aviation, raises significant ethical concerns. Your customerâs management team is divided on the potential impact of this practice on global water scarcity, which has been exacerbated by climate change. You have been tasked with assessing the feasibility of using green hydrogen in aviation for your client. Your customer has chosen their London to New York route (3,500 nmi), one of their most popular, as a test-case.Â
Â
Activity: Estimate how much water a hydrogen plane would require for a journey of 3500 nmi (London to New York). Can you validate your findings with any external sources?Hint: How much water does it take to produce 1 kg of green hydrogen? Consider the chemical equation above.Â
Activity: Consider scaling this up and estimate how much water the entire UK aviation fleet would require in one year. Compare your value to the annual UK water consumption, would it be feasible to use this amount of water for aviation?Â
Discussion: From your calculations and findings so far, discuss the practicality of using water for aviation fuel. Consider both the obstacles and opportunities involved in integrating green hydrogen in aviation and the specific challenges the aviation industry might face. Â
Despite its potential for green production, globally the majority of hydrogen is currently produced from fossil fuels â termed grey hydrogen. One of your team members has proposed using grey hydrogen as an interim solution to bridge the transition to green hydrogen, in order for the company to start developing the required hydrogen-related infrastructure at airports. They argue that carbon capture and storage technology could be used to reduce carbon emissions from grey hydrogen while still achieving the goal of decarbonisation. Hydrogen from fossil fuels with an additional carbon capture step is known as blue hydrogen.Â
However, this suggestion has sparked a heated debate within the management team. While acknowledging the potential to address the immediate concerns of generating enough hydrogen to establish the necessary infrastructure and procedures, many team members argued that it would be a contradictory approach. They highlighted the inherent contradiction of utilising fossil fuels, the primary driver of climate change, to achieve decarbonisation. They emphasised the importance of remaining consistent with the ultimate goal of transitioning away from fossil fuels altogether and reducing overall carbon emissions. Your expertise is now sought to weigh these options and advise the board on the best course of action.Â
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Optional activity: Research the argument for and against using grey or blue hydrogen as an initial step in developing hydrogen infrastructure and procedures, as a means to eventually transition to green hydrogen. Contrast this with the strategy of directly implementing green hydrogen from the beginning. Split students into groups to address both sides of this debate.Â
Discussion: Deliberate on the merits and drawbacks of using grey or blue hydrogen to catalyse development of hydrogen aviation infrastructure. What would you recommendâprioritising green hydrogen development or starting with grey or blue hydrogen as a transitional step? How will you depict or visualise your recommendation to your client?Â
Â
Part three: Hydrogen storageÂ
Despite an impressive gravimetric energy density (the energy stored per unit mass of fuel) hydrogen has the lowest gas density and the second-lowest boiling point of all known chemical fuels. These unique properties pose challenges for storage and transportation, particularly in the constrained spaces of an aircraft. Â
Â
Activity: Familiarise yourself with hydrogen storage methods. What hydrogen storage methods are you aware of? Thinking about an aviation context what would their advantages and disadvantages be?Â
Â
As the lead engineering consultant, you have been tasked with providing expert advice on viable hydrogen storage options for aviation. Your customer has again chosen their London to New York route (3,500 nmi) as a test-case because it is one of their most popular, transatlantic routes. They want to know if hydrogen storage can be effectively managed for this route as it could set a precedent for wider adoption for their other long-haul flights. The plane journey from London to New York is estimated to require around 15,000 kg of hydrogen (or use the quantity estimated previously estimated in Part 2 – see Appendix for example). Â
Activity: Estimate the volume required to store the 15,000 kg of hydrogen as a compressed gas and as a liquid. Â
Discussion: How feasible are compressed gas and liquid hydrogen storage solutions? The space taken up by the fuel is one consideration but what other aspects are important to consider? How does this compare to the current storage solution for planes which use conventional jet fuel. Examples of topics to consider are: materials required for storage tanks, energy required to liquify or compress the hydrogen, practicality of hydrogen storage and transport to airports, location and distance between hydrogen generation and storage facilities, considerations of fuel leakage. When discussing encourage students to compare to the current state of the art, which is jet fuel.Â
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Part four: Emissions and environmental impactÂ
In Part four, we delve deeper into the environmental implications of using hydrogen as a fuel in aviation with a focus on emissions and their impacts across the lifecycle of a hydrogen plane. Aircraft can be powered using either direct combustion of hydrogen in gas turbines or by reacting hydrogen in a fuel cell to produce electricity that drives a propeller. As the lead engineering consultant, your customer has asked you to choose between hydrogen combustion in gas turbines or the reaction of hydrogen in fuel cells. The management team is divided on the environmental impacts of both methods, with some emphasising the technological readiness and efficiency of combustion and others advocating for the cleaner process of fuel cell reaction. Â
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Activity: Research the main emissions associated with combustion of hydrogen and electrochemical reaction of hydrogen in fuel cells. Compare to the emissions associated with combustion of standard jet fuel.Students should consider not only CO2 emissions but also other pollutants such as NOx, SOx, and particulate matter.Â
Discussion: What are the implications of these emissions on air quality and climate change. Discuss the trade-offs between the different methods of utilising hydrogen in terms of the environmental impact. Compare to the current standard of jet fuel combustion. Â
Both combustion of hydrogen in an engine and reaction of hydrogen in a fuel cell will produce water as a by-product. The management team are concerned over the effect of using hydrogen on the formation of contrails. Contrails are clouds of water vapour produced by aircraft that have a potential contribution to global warming but the extent of their impact is uncertain. Â
Activity: Investigate how combustion (of both jet fuel and hydrogen) and fuel cell reactions contribute to contrail formation. What is the potential climactic effect of contrails?Â
Optional extension: How can manufacturers and airlines act to reduce water emissions and contrail formation â both for standard combustion of jet fuel and future hydrogen solutions?
Discussion: Based on your findings, which hydrogen propulsion technology would you recommend to the management team?Â
So far we have considered each aspect of the hydrogen debate in isolation. However, it is important to consider the overall environmental impact of these stages as a whole. Choices made at each stage of the hydrogen cycle – generation, storage, usage â will collectively impact the overall environmental impact and sustainability of using hydrogen as an aviation fuel and demonstrates how interconnected our decisions can be. Â
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Activity: Assign students to groups based on the stage of a hydrogen lifecycle (generation, storage/transport, usage). Each group could research and discuss the potential emissions and environmental impacts associated with their assigned stage. Consider both direct and indirect emissions, like energy used in production processes or emissions related to infrastructure development. Principles such as life cycle assessment can be incorporated for a holistic view of hydrogen emissions. Â
Activity: After the individual group discussions, each group could present their findings and perspectives on their stage of the lifecycle. The whole class could then reflect on the overall environmental impacts of hydrogen in aviation. How do these impacts compare across different stages of the lifecycle? What are the trade-offs involved in choosing different types of hydrogen (green, blue, grey) and storage/transportation solutions?Â
Discussion: Conclude with a reflective discussion. Students bring together their findings on the life cycle stages of hydrogen and present their overall perspectives on the environmental sustainability of using hydrogen in aviation. Â
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Part five: Hydrogen aviation stakeholdersÂ
Hydrogen aviation is an area with multiple stakeholders with conflicting priorities. Understanding the perspectives of these key players is important when considering the feasibility of hydrogen in the aviation sector.  Â
Activity: Who are the key players in this scenario? What are their positions and perspectives? How can you use these perspectives to understand the complexities of the situation more fully?Â
Your consultancy firm is hosting a debate for the aviation industry in order to help them make a decision around hydrogen-based technologies. You have invited representatives from consumer groups, the UK government, Environmental NGOs, airlines, and aircraft manufacturers. Â
Activity: Take on the role of these key stakeholders, ensuring you understand their perspective and priorities. This could form part of a separate research exercise, or students can use the key points given below. Debate whether or not hydrogen fuel should be used to help the aviation sector reach net zero. Â
Stakeholder
Key priorities and considerations
Airline & Aerospace ManufacturerÂ
Cost efficiency (fuel, labour, fleet maintenance) â recovering from pandemic.Â
Passenger experience (commercial & freight).Â
Develop & maintain global supply chains.Â
Safety, compliance and operational reliability.Â
Financial responsibility to employees and investors.Â
Need government assurances before making big capital investments.Â
UK GovernmentÂ
Achieve net zero targets by 2050Â
Promote economic growth and job creation (still recovering from pandemic).Â
Fund research and innovation to put their countryâs technology ahead.Â
Fund renewable infrastructure to encourage industry investment.Â
Environmental NGOsÂ
Long-term employment for aviation sector.Â
Demand a sustainable future for aviation to ensure this â right now, not in 50 years.Â
Standards and targets for industry and government and accountability if not met.Â
Some NGOs support drastic cuts to flying.Â
Want to raise public awareness over sustainability of flying.Â
ConsumerÂ
Environmentally aware (understand the need to reduce carbon emissions).Â
Also benefit greatly from flying (tourism, commercial shipping, etc.).Â
Safety and reliability of aircraft & processes.Â
Cost effectiveness â want affordable service
Appendix: Example calculationsÂ
There are multiple methods for approaching these calculations. The steps shown below are just one example for illustrative purposes. Â
Â
Part two: Hydrogen productionÂ
Challenge: Estimate the volume of water required for a hydrogen-powered aircraft.  Â
Assumptions around the hydrogen production process, aircraft, and fuel requirement can be given to students or researched as a separate task. In this example we assume:Â
All hydrogen is generated via electrolysis of fresh water with an efficiency of 100%.Â
A mid-size aircraft required with ~300 passenger capacity and flight range of ~3500 nmi (London to New York).Â
Flight energy requirement for a kerosene-fuelled jet is the same as a hydrogen-fuelled jet.Â
Example estimation:Â
1. Estimate the energy requirement for a mid-size jetÂ
No current hydrogen-fuelled aircraft exists, so we can use a kerosene-fuelled analogue. Existing aircraft that meet the requirements include the Boeing 767 or 747. The energy requirement is then:Â
2. Estimate the hydrogen requirementÂ
Assuming a hydrogen plane has the same fuel requirement:
3. Estimate the volume of water requiredÂ
Assuming all hydrogen is produced from the electrolysis of water:Â
Electrolysis reaction:
For this reaction, we know one mole of water produces one mole of hydrogen. We need to calculate the moles for 20,000 kg of hydrogen:Â
With a 1:1 molar ratio, we can then calculate the mass of water:Â
This assumes an electrolyser efficiency of 100%. Typical efficiency values are under 80%, which would yield:Â
Challenge: Is it feasible to power the UK aviation fleet with water?Â
The total energy requirement for UK aviation can be given to students or set as a research task. Â
Estimation can follow a similar procedure to the above.Â
Multiple methods for validating and assessing the feasibility of this quantity of water. For example, the UK daily water consumption is 14 billion litres. The water requirement estimated above is < 1 % of this total daily water consumption, a finding supported by FlyZero. Â
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Part three: Hydrogen storageÂ
Challenge: Is it feasible to store 20,000 kg of hydrogen in an aircraft?Â
There are multiple methods of determining the feasibility of storage volume. As example is given below.Â
1. Determining the storage volumeÂ
The storage volume is dependent on the storage method used. Density values associated with different storage techniques can be research or given to students (included in Table 2). The storage volume required can be calculated from the mass of hydrogen and density of storage method, example in Table 2. Â
Table 2: Energy densities of various hydrogen storage methodsÂ
2. Determining available aircraft volumeÂ
A straightforward method is to compare the available volume on an aircraft with the hydrogen storage volume required. Aircraft volumes can be given or researched by students. Examples:Â
This assumes hydrogen tanks are integrated into an existing aircraft design. Liquid hydrogen can feasibly fit into an existing design, though actual volume will be larger due to space/constraint requirements and additional infrastructure (pipes, fittings, etc) for the tanks. Tank size can be compared to conventional kerosene tanks and a discussion encouraged over where in the plane hydrogen tanks would need to be (conventional liquid fuel storage is in the wings of aircraft, this is not possible for liquid storage tanks due to their shape and infrastructure storage is inside the fuselage). Another straightforward method for storage feasibility is modelling the hydrogen volume as a simple cylinder and comparing to the dimensions of a suitable aircraft. Â
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Â
Sustainability competency: Integrated problem-solving; Systems thinking; Critical thinking; Collaboration; Anticipatory.UNESCO has developed eight key competencies for sustainability that are aimed at learners of all ages worldwide. Many versions of these exist, as are linked here*. In the UK, these have been adapted within higher education by AdvanceHE and the QAA with appropriate learning outcomes. The full list of competencies and learning outcome alignment can be found in the Education for Sustainable Development Guidance*. *Click the pink ''Sustainability competency'' text to learn more.
AHEP mapping: This resource addresses two of the themes from the UKâs Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):âŻThe Engineer and SocietyâŻ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andâŻEngineering PracticeâŻ(the practical application of engineering concepts, tools and professional skills). To map this resource to AHEP outcomes specific to a programme under these themes, access AHEP 4âŻhereâŻand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.âŻÂ
Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure); SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities); SDG 13 (Climate action).Â
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: More real-world complexity; Active pedagogies and mindset development; Authentic assessment; Cross-disciplinarity.The Reimagined Degree Map is a guide to help engineering departments navigate the decisions that are urgently required to ensure degrees prepare students for 21st century challenges. Click the pink ''Reimagined Degree Map Intervention'' text to learn more.
Educational aim: To foster a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in balancing environmental sustainability and profitability/safety in construction projects. To develop critical thinking and decision-making skills in addressing social, economic, and environmental considerations. To encourage students to propose innovative and comprehensive solutions for sustainable urban development.Â
Educational level: Intermediate.Â
Learning and teaching notes:Â
Before engaging with the case study, learners should be familiar with the process of calculating embodied carbon and conducting a cost-benefit analysis. The case study is presented in three parts. In Part one, an ambitious urban revitalisation project is under development, and a project manager needs to find a balance between financial considerations and the urgent need for sustainable, low-embodied carbon construction. In Part two, the project being developed is located in a coastal area prone to climate change-related disasters. The team needs to ensure that the project is durable in the face of disasters and, at the same time, upholds sustainability principles. Lastly, in Part three, stakeholders involved in the two previous projects come together to identify potential synergies.Â
Learners have the opportunity to:Â
Assess the ethical dimensions of construction scenarios, particularly the trade-offs between socio-economic constraints and environmentally-friendly practices.Â
Identify potential conflicts between environmental advocacy and financial considerations, fostering critical thinking in real-world construction project dilemmas.Â
Gain hands-on experience in researching and calculating the embodied carbon of different construction options, enhancing their understanding of sustainability metrics.Â
Equip students with strategies to navigate tensions between sustainability goals and socio-economic constraints.Â
Integrate technical content on sustainable construction methods.Â
Integrate engineering content with business and entrepreneurial leadership, fostering interdisciplinary learning and preparing students for real-world challenges.Â
Informally evaluate students’ critical thinking and communication skills through discussions, activities, and presentations related to sustainable construction practices.Â
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Supporting resources:Â Â
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Learning and teaching resources:Â
Environmental impact assessment:Â
Hammond, G., et al. (2011).âŻEmbodied carbon: the inventory of carbon and energy.Â
Korpi, E., & AlaâRisku, T. (2008). Life cycle costing: a review of published case studies.Â
Mishan, E. J., & Quah, E. (2020).âŻCost-benefit analysis. Â
Woodward, D. G. (1997). Life cycle costingâTheory, information acquisition and application.Â
Systems thinking and holistic analysis approaches (PESTLE, SWOT):Â
Anderson, V., & Johnson, L. (1997).âŻSystems thinking basicsâŻ.Â
Checkland, P. (1999). Systems thinking. Â
Coman, A., & Ronen, B. (2009). Focused SWOT: diagnosing critical strengths and weaknesses.Â
Christodoulou, A., & Cullinane, K. (2019). Identifying the main opportunities and challenges from the implementation of a port energy management system: A SWOT/PESTLE analysis.âŻÂ
Helms, M. M., & Nixon, J. (2010). Exploring SWOT analysisâwhere are we now? A review of academic research from the last decade.âŻÂ
Perera, R. (2017).âŻThe PESTLE analysis. Â
Rastogi, N. I. T. A. N. K., & Trivedi, M. K. (2016). PESTLE techniqueâa tool to identify external risks in construction projects.Â
Real-world cases to explore:
Related to Part one: Hudson Yards (New York City), King Abdullah Economic City (Saudi Arabia), Masdar City (United Arab Emirates).Â
Related to Part two: Bangladesh Delta Resilience Project, Majuro Atoll Relocation Project, New Orleans Post-Katrina Redevelopment, Kivalina Relocation Project, Vietnamese Red River Delta Resilient Cities Project.Â
Related to Part three: Amsterdam Circular Centre, Seoul Forest.Â
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Part one:Â
In the heart of an urban revitalisation project, the company CityScape Builders is embarking on a transformational journey to convert a neglected area into a vibrant urban centre which will be named ReviveRise District. This urban centre will mostly be formed by tall buildings.Â
Avery, the project manager at CityScape Builders, is under immense pressure to meet tight budget constraints and deadlines. Avery understands the project’s economic implications and the importance of delivering within the stipulated financial limits. However, the conflict arises when Rohan, a renowned environmental advocate and consultant, insists on prioritising sustainable construction practices to reduce the project’s embodied carbon. Rohan envisions a future where construction doesn’t come at the cost of the environment.Â
On the other side of the situation is Yuki, the CFO of CityScape Builders, who is concerned about the project’s bottom line. Yuki is wary of any actions that could escalate costs and understands that using low-embodied carbon materials often comes with a higher price tag. Â
In light of this situation, Avery proposes exploring different options of construction methods and materials that could be used in the design of their skyscrapers. Avery needs to do this quickly to avoid any delay, and therefore consider just the most important carbon-emitting aspects of the different options. Â
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Optional STOP for questions and activitiesÂ
Activity: research and calculate the embodied carbon of three different options that could be used to build one of the buildings at ReviveRise District. Make sure to consider all key aspects involved (e.g., projectâs location, possible materials, etc.). Students can be encouraged to challenge the need to build skyscrapers. Â
Activity: conduct a cost-benefit analysis for the different options. What are the potential financial gains and losses? Students may want to consider the gains and losses from the perspectives of different stakeholders, such as engineers (e.g., construction programme savings) or quantity surveyors/cost consultants (e.g., security of supply material, insurance premiums).Â
Discussion: what are the key challenges in reducing embodied carbon in a construction project?Â
Discussion: how can the construction industry minimise activities that cause conflict between profitability and sustainability, and maximise activities that mutually-benefit sustainability and profitability? Â
Discussion: what are some strategies for convincing stakeholders of the long-term benefits of sustainable practices? In class, this can be done in different ways (e.g., class debate, elevator pitches).Â
Part two:
CityScape Builders is now embarking on a new challenge, ResilientCoast, a construction project located in a coastal area that is susceptible to climate change-related disasters. This region is economically disadvantaged and lacks the financial resources often found in more developed areas. Â
Micha, the resilience project manager at CityScape Builders, is tasked with ensuring the project’s durability in the face of disasters and the impacts of climate change. Michaâs primary concern is to create a resilient structure that can withstand extreme weather events but is equally dedicated to sustainability goals. To navigate this complex situation, Micha seeks guidance from Dr. Ravi, a climate scientist with expertise in coastal resiliency. Dr. Ravi is committed to finding innovative and sustainable solutions that simultaneously address the climate change impacts and reduce embodied carbon in construction.Â
In this scenario, Bao, the local community leader, also plays a crucial role. Bao advocates for jobs and economic development in the area, even though Bao is acutely aware of the inherent safety risks. Bao, too, understands that balancing these conflicting interests is a substantial challenge.Â
In this situation, Micha wonders how to construct safely in a vulnerable location while maintaining sustainability goals. Â
Optional STOP for questions and activitiesÂ
Activity: investigate sustainable construction practices that enhance resilience. Create a list of methods and materials designed to withstand climate challenges,and evaluate their effectiveness to date.Â
Discussion: how can the construction industry minimise activities that cause conflict between safety and sustainability, and maximise activities that mutually-benefit sustainability and safety?  Â
Discussion: what are the ethical considerations when constructing in areas prone to natural disasters and resource scarcity?Â
Discussion: what are some innovative solutions to promote safety and sustainability in construction projects in challenging environments, and what is their effectiveness in this situation?Â
Part three:Â
Robin and Samir are two independent sustainability consultants that are supporting the projects in ReviveRise District and ResilientCoast respectively. They are concerned that sustainability is just being assessed by embodied carbon and cost sustainability, and they believe that sustainability is a much broader concept than just those two indicators. Robin is the independent environmental consultant working with ReviveRise District officials and is responsible for assessing the broader environmental impacts of the construction project. Robinâs analysis spans beyond embodied carbon, considering local job creation, transportation effects, pollution, biodiversity, and other aspects of the project.Â
Samir, on the other hand, is a municipal board member of ResilientCoast. Samirâs role involves advocating for the local community while striving to ensure that sustainability efforts do not compromise the safety and resilience of the area. Samirâs responsibilities are more comprehensive than just economic considerations; they encompass the entire well-being of the community in the face of climate change.Â
Robin and Samir recognise the need for cross-city collaboration and information sharing, and they want to collaborate to ensure that the sustainability efforts of both projects do not create unintended burdens for their communities. They acknowledge that a comprehensive approach is necessary for analysing broader impacts, and to ensure both the success of the construction projects and the greater good of both communities. They believe in working collectively to find solutions that are not only sustainable but also beneficial to all stakeholders involved.Â
Â
Optional STOP for questions and activitiesÂ
Activity: work in pairs or small groups to analyse the holistic impacts of a construction project in their local area. Consider environmental, social, and economic factors and propose potential solutions. This can be supported by PESTLE and SWOT analysis, systems diagrams, or similar techniques.Â
Activity: envision a scenario where two cities, like in the case study, collaborate on a large construction project. Outline the key challenges, benefits, and potential strategies for success. Â
Discussion: how can different stakeholders work together to mitigate unintended burdens in construction projects?Â
Discussion: what are some effective strategies for cross-city collaboration on sustainability initiatives?Â
Discussion: how can construction projects contribute positively to their local communities while addressing environmental concerns?Â
The above questions and activities call for the involvement of cross-disciplinary teams, requiring expertise not only in engineering but also in planning, policy, and related fields. Ideally, in the classroom setting, students with diverse knowledge across these disciplines can be grouped together to enhance collaboration and address the tasks proposed. In cases where forming such groups is not feasible, the educator can assign specific roles such as engineer, planner, policymaker, etc., to individual students, ensuring a balanced representation of skills and perspectives.Â
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Â
Author: Ema Muk-Pavic, FRINA SHEA (University College London)Â
Topic: Links between sustainability and EDIÂ
Tool type: Guidance.Â
Relevant disciplines: Any.Â
Keywords: Sustainability; AHEP; Programmes; Higher education; EDI; Economic Growth; Inclusive learning; Interdisciplinary; Global responsibility; Community engagement; Ethics; Future generations; Pedagogy; Healthcare; Health.
Sustainability competency: Self-awareness; Normative; Collaboration; Critical thinking.UNESCO has developed eight key competencies for sustainability that are aimed at learners of all ages worldwide. Many versions of these exist, as are linked here*. In the UK, these have been adapted within higher education by AdvanceHE and the QAA with appropriate learning outcomes. The full list of competencies and learning outcome alignment can be found in the Education for Sustainable Development Guidance*. *Click the pink ''Sustainability competency'' text to learn more.
AHEP mapping: This resource addresses two of the themes from the UKâs Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):âŻThe Engineer and SocietyâŻ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andâŻEngineering PracticeâŻ(the practical application of engineering concepts, tools and professional skills). To map this resource to AHEP outcomes specific to a programme under these themes, access AHEP 4âŻhereâŻand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.âŻÂ
Related SDGs: All 17.Â
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: Active pedagogies and mindset development; More real-world complexity.The Reimagined Degree Map is a guide to help engineering departments navigate the decisions that are urgently required to ensure degrees prepare students for 21st century challenges. Click the pink ''Reimagined Degree Map Intervention'' text to learn more.
Who is this article for: This article should be read by educators at all levels in Higher Education who wish to understand how engineering practice can promote sustainable and ethical outcomes in equality, diversity, and inclusion.Â
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Supporting resources:Â
Center for Responsible Business (CRB). (2023). Case study: Sustainability initiatives by a gemstone manufacturing organisation: community engagement, decent work and gender empowerment. New Delhi: Center for Responsible Business (CRB)Â
The role of engineering is to enhance the safety, health and welfare of all, while protecting the planet and reversing existing environmental damage by deploying engineering solutions that can meet urgent global and local needs across all sectorsâ (Engineering Council, 2021)â. The socioeconomic and environmental problems are strongly linked and finding responsible solutions is of imminent urgency that requires a holistic interdisciplinary perspective. Â
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Sustainability and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI):Â
Equality, diversity, and Inclusion are interlinked concepts that emphasise equal opportunities, the inclusion of underrepresented groups, and the benefits that derive from diverse perspectives within the engineering field. Because sustainability is a global phenomenon, achieving the objective of âproviding for allâ should be a priority for all engineering professionals to ensure solutions are developed that benefit all â(Jordan et al., 2021)â. To address sustainability challenges, engineers need to keep in mind that some communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental harm. It is essential to empower these communities to create systematic change and advocate for themselves.Â
A strategic pedagogical approach to sustainability and EDI:Â
A variety of pedagogical strategies can be applied to incorporate diversity and inclusion perspectives into sustainability engineering. Rather than adopting an âadd-onâ approach to the existing programmes it is recommended to fully embed inclusive and sustainable perspectives in the existing curriculum. These perspectives should be incorporated following a learning path of the students, from the beginning of the programme in the engineering fundamentals, starting with raising awareness and understanding of these perspectives and gradually improving student knowledge supported by evidence and further to implementing and innovating in engineering practice and solutions. By the end of the programme, diversity and inclusion and sustainability perspectives should be fully incorporated into the attitude of the graduates so that they will consider this when approaching any engineering task. This approach would go hand-in-hand with incorporating an ethics perspective.Â
Some practical examples of implementation in the programme and gradually deepening student learning are:Â
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1. Awareness and understanding:Â
a. Define sustainability and its relation to EDI.Â
b. Engage with practical examples in modules that can be considered and discussed from EDI, ethical, and sustainability perspectives (e.g. present a product related to the subject of a class; in addition to discussing the productâs engineering characteristics, extend the discussion to sustainability and diverse stakeholders perspective â who are the end users, what is the affordability, where does the raw material comes from, how could it be recycled etc.)Â Â
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2. Applying and analysing:Â
Seek out case studies which can expose the students to a range of EDI issues and contexts, e.g.:Â
a. Examples of âsustainableâ engineering solutions aimed toward âwealthyâ users but not available or suitable for the âpoorâ. Question if EDI was considered in stakeholder groups (who are the target end users, what are their specific needs, are the solutions applicable and affordable for diverse socioeconomic groups (e.g. high-tech expensive sophisticated medical devices, luxury cars).
b. Examples of product design suffering from discriminatory unconscious bias (e.g. medical devices unsuitable for womenâ (Phillips SP, 2022)â; âaffordable housing projectsâ being unaffordable for the local community, etc.).Â
c. Positive examples of sustainable engineering solutions with strong EDIÂ perspectives taken that are also financially viable (e.g. sustainable water and sanitation projects, seaweed farming for food security and climate change mitigationâ (Sultana F, 2023)â, sustainable gem production â(Center for Responsible Business (CRB), 2023)â etc.)Â
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3. Implementing, evaluating, and creating:Â
a. Use existing scenario-based modules to focus on finding solutions for the sustainability problems that will improve socioeconomic equality, access to water, improvement of healthcare, and reduction of poverty. This will guide students to implement sustainability principles in engineering while addressing social issues and inequalities.Â
b. In project-based modules, ask students to link their work with a specific UNSDG and evidence an approach to EDI issues.Â
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4. Provide visibility of additional opportunities:
Extracurricular activities (maker spaces, EWB UKâs Engineering for People Design Challenge, partnership with local communities, etc.) can represent an additional mechanism to bolster the link between sustainable engineering practice and EDI issues. Some of these initiatives can even be implemented within modules via topics, projects, and case studies.Â
A systematic strategic approach will ensure that students gain experience in considering the views of all stakeholders, and not only economic and technical driversâ (Faludi, et al., 2023)â. They need to take account of local know-how and community engagement since not all solutions will work in all circumstancesâ (Montt-Blanchard, Najmi, & Spinillo, 2023)â. Engineering decisions need to be made bearing in mind the ethical, cultural, and political questions of concern in the local setting. Professional engineers need to develop a global mindset, taking into account diverse perspectives and experiences which will increase their potential to come up with creative, effective, and responsible solutions for these global challenges.â (Jordan & Agi, 2021)â. Â
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Leading by example:Â
It is of paramount importance that students experience that the HE institution itself embraces an inclusive and sustainable mindset. This should be within the institutional strategy and policies, everyday operations and within the classroom. Providing an experiential learning environment with an inclusive and sustainable mindset can have a paramount impact on the student experience and attitudes developedâ (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2018)â.Â
Conclusion:Â
Engineering education must prepare future professionals for responsible and ethical actions and solutions. Only the meaningful participation of all members of a global society will bring us to a fully sustainable future. Thus, the role of engineering educators is to embed an EDI perspective alongside sustainability in the attitudes of future professionals.Â
References:Â
Burleson, G., Lajoie, J., & et al. (2023). Advancing Sustainable Development: Emerging Factors and Futures for the Engineering Field.Â
Center for Responsible Business (CRB). (2023). Case study: Sustainability initiatives by a gemstone manufacturing organisation: community engagement, decent work and gender empowerment. New Delhi: Center for Responsible Business (CRB).Â
Engineering Council. (2021). Guidance on Sustainability. London: Engineering Council UK.Â
Faludi, J., Acaroglu, L., Gardien, P., Rapela, A., Sumter, D., & Cooper, C. (2023). Sustainability in the Future of Design Education. The Journal of Design, Economics and Innovation, 157-178.Â
Jordan, R., & Agi, K. (2021). Peace engineering in practice: A case study at the University of New Mexico. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173.Â
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Â
Sustainability competency: Self-awareness; Normative. UNESCO has developed eight key competencies for sustainability that are aimed at learners of all ages worldwide. Many versions of these exist, as are linked here*. In the UK, these have been adapted within higher education by AdvanceHE and the QAA with appropriate learning outcomes. The full list of competencies and learning outcome alignment can be found in the Education for Sustainable Development Guidance*. *Click the pink ''Sustainability competency'' text to learn more.
AHEP mapping: This resource addresses two of the themes from the UKâs Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4): The Engineer and Society (acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) and Engineering Practice (the practical application of engineering concepts, tools and professional skills). To map this resource to AHEP outcomes specific to a programme under these themes, access AHEP 4 here and navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37. Â
Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 13 (Climate action).Â
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: More real-world complexity; Active pedagogies and mindset development; Cross-disciplinarity.The Reimagined Degree Map is a guide to help engineering departments navigate the decisions that are urgently required to ensure degrees prepare students for 21st century challenges. Click the pink ''Reimagined Degree Map Intervention'' text to learn more.
Who is this article for?âŻThis article should be read by educators at all levels in higher education who are seeking to apply an approach of teaching with case studies in order to reveal the links between ethics and sustainability. Engaging with this topic will also help to prepare students with the soft skill sets that employers are looking for.Â
As environmental pressures mount, the world demands not just engineering solutions, but sustainable ones. This shift presents profound challenges and opportunities for engineering educators. How can we equip future engineers with the ethical frameworks and critical thinking skills needed to navigate the complex trade-offs inherent in green solutions?Â
This article provides a guide for integrating ethical considerations into engineering education by using case studies. By fostering awareness of sustainability principles and promoting responsible decision-making through real-world examples, we can empower students to become stewards of a more equitable and resilient future.Â
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The interplay of ethics and sustainability:Â
At its core, sustainability goes beyond environmental impact. It encompasses social responsibility, economic viability, and intergenerational equity. Ethical engineering aligns with these principles by:Â
Prioritising transparency and honesty:âŻGreen solutions shouldn’t mask potential downsides or mislead stakeholders.Â
Respecting all stakeholders:âŻEngineers must consider the needs and voices of local communities,âŻindigenous populations,âŻand future generations.Â
Envisioning long-term consequences:âŻSolutions conceived with short-term gain in mind can have unforeseen environmental and social repercussions.Â
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Integrating ethical considerations into engineering curricula presents several challenges:Â
Balancing economic pressures:âŻSustainable solutions don’t always align with immediate cost-effectiveness.âŻEducators must help students navigate these complex trade-offs and advocate for long-term benefits.Â
Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration:âŻSustainability demands diverse perspectives.âŻEducators can encourage partnerships with ecologists,âŻsociologists,âŻand other experts to enrich student understanding.Â
Staying updated with evolving technologies:âŻThe sustainability landscape is dynamic.âŻEducators must themselves embrace continuous learning to ensure their curriculum reflects the latest developments and potential ethical dilemmas.Â
Learning from a case study:Â Â
The sprawling Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California’s Mojave Desert, initially celebrated as a beacon of clean energy, now casts a complex shadow on the region’s ecological landscape. While harnessing the sun’s power to electrify millions, its concentrated solar technology inadvertently unleashed unintended consequences. The intense heat generated by the mirrors tragically claimed thousands of birds, particularly desert tortoises, a threatened species. Drawn to the shimmering light, they would collide with the mirrors or structures, falling victim to a technological mirage. This stark reality challenged the “green” label of a project originally intended to combat climate change. Â
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Unforeseen costs of progress:Â
Ivanpah’s case highlights the hidden costs of even well-intentioned renewable energy projects. It sparks critical questions for students to grapple with:Â
Sustainability beyond carbon emissions: While reducing carbon footprint is crucial, broader ecosystem impacts must be considered. Can technological advancements mitigate harm to vulnerable species and habitats?Â
Balancing energy needs with ecological needs: How can we find the sweet spot between harnessing renewable energy and preserving biodiversity? Can alternative technologies or site selection minimise ecological disruption?Â
Engaging stakeholders in ethical decision-making: How can local communities and ecological experts be meaningfully included in planning and mitigation strategies to ensure equitable outcomes?Â
By delving into the Ivanpah case (and others like it*), students can develop critical thinking skills to analyse the long-term implications of seemingly green solutions. They learn to consider diverse perspectives, advocate for responsible design practices, and prioritise environmental stewardship alongside energy production.Â
As educators, we hold the power to shape the ethical compass of future engineers. By integrating ethical considerations into the fabric of our curriculum, we can equip them with the tools and knowledge necessary to:Â
Make informed decisions:âŻStudents should learn to analyse solutions through the lens of ethics,âŻconsidering environmental impact,âŻsocial responsibility,âŻand economic viability.Â
Engage in open dialogue:âŻCultivating a culture of critical thinking and open communication is crucial for addressing diverse perspectives and mitigating potential ethical concerns.Â
Collaborate ethically:âŻStudents should understand the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration,âŻrespecting diverse expertise and working towards shared goals that benefit all stakeholders.Â
Conclusion:Â
The pursuit of a sustainable future demands ethical engineers, engineers who can not only innovate, but also act with integrity and responsibility. By equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to grapple with complex ethical dilemmas, we can empower them to become transformative agents of change, shaping a world that thrives for generations to come.Â
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters. Â
The EPC’s Engineering Ethics Toolkit is supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering. This resource is designed to help engineering educators integrate ethics content into teaching.
Contents
The toolkit currently includes the following, but it is a growing resource and we are currently working on further content.
Ethics Explorer: An interactive tool to help educators navigate the landscape of engineering ethics education. Start here and find your own pathway for embedding ethics.
Advice and guidance: A library of expertise in engineering ethics and how best to embed learning into teaching practice.
Assessment: Expert advice on how to assess ethics learning within engineering education
Case studies: Worked examples of real and hypothetical situations presenting ethical engineering challenges for use in teaching scenarios.
Case enhancements: Teaching materials and resources that help educators to employ the ethics case studies and lead the activities referenced within them.
Reports and studies: The latest research on ethics within engineering education and the engineering profession.
Blogs: Personal experience, news and updates on the Engineering Ethics Toolkit.
Get involved: A guide to how you can contribute to the Engineering Ethics Toolkit and community.
Contributor biographies: We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making the Toolkit such a useful and vital resource.
Our supporters: We would like to thank the Royal Academy of Engineering, which has supported the Engineering Ethics Toolkit since its inception.
Our supporters
These resources have been produced by the Engineering Professorsâ Council in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering as part of the professionâs on-going work to embed ethical practice into the culture of engineering. See our blog ‘Welcome to the Engineering Ethics Toolkit‘ for an introduction and thoughts on these resources from the EPC’s Vice President.
Licensing
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the toolkit in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, most of this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence you are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that you must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made. Some of these materials are also available as PDF documents on the RAEng website.
More to come
This is just the beginning â we are already working on expanding this toolkit with future projects, including: developing more case studies, devising a system to make the case studies searchable by engineering discipline, ethical issues and so on. Additionally, we are looking to create ‘enhanced’ versions of each case study, including specific teaching materials such as lesson plans, presentations and worksheets. For more information, see our Get involved page.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Authors: Sarah Junaid (Aston University); Yann Serreau (CESI); Alison Gwynne-Evans (University of Cape Town); Patric Granholm (Ă land University of Applied Sciences); Kathryn Fee (Queen’s University Belfast); Sarah Jayne Hitt, Ph.D. SFHEA (NMITE, Edinburgh Napier University).
Keywords: Pedagogy.
Who is this article for?:Â This article should be read by educators at all levels in higher education who wish to integrate ethics into the engineering and design curriculum or module design
Using a constructive alignment tool to plan ethics teaching:
Incorporating ethics into an already-packed engineering curriculum can be an overwhelming prospect. But as more accreditation bodies are requiring engineering programmes to evidence the inclusion of ethics, this activity is becoming essential. Recently, a planning tool has been developed by a team of academics that you can use to constructively align your learning outcomes with activities and assessments that positively reinforce the inclusion of ethics.
For instance, in a year 2 Mechanical Engineering course, an existing outcome might read: âUse CAD modelling and additive manufacturing in the product development process and embed control sensors, actuators and physical hardware into a complete system.â As it is written, it contains no reference to ethics. But after comparing this outcome against language found in AHEP4, the CDIO Syllabus, and the Learning Landscape found in this Toolkitâs Ethics Explorer, you might revise it to read: âUse CAD, modelling and additive manufacturing in the product development process and embed control sensors, actuators and physical sensors to design a safe and complete system to address a societal need.â The minor changes to the language (shown in italics) ensure that this outcome reinforces the ethical dimension of engineering and encourages the ethical development of engineers. These changes also then inform the language used in activity briefs and the criteria by which students are assessed.
This tool has been used in workshops at Aston University and the 2023 SEFI conference, and is endorsed by CDIO.
Stage1: Resources â Tabulate all relevant resources and their Learning Outcomes or Programme Outcomes:
What are your Learning Outcomes for the topic you will teach? Please list them here.
Do any of the accreditation requirements highlight any ethical requirements or competencies that includes key topics such as sustainability or equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)?
Are there any other national requirements or frameworks that highlight engineering ethics?
Are there any teaching frameworks or activities that you would like to implement? List them here.
Highlight the verbs in blue and the ethical topics in red; this will help highlight any potential gaps.
Program level (My module, course, class, or lecture)
Accreditation level
National or Professional level ethics map or framework (optional)
International level
Reference/ Source
[Your University and course title]
[Your national accreditation board]
[e.g. codes of conduct, code of ethics, ethical principles, suggested teaching approaches]
[e.g. CDIO Syllabus, ABET, Washington Accord]
Learning Outcome 1
[Write current Learning Outcome here]
[Copy and paste the relevant competency here]
[Copy and paste the relevant guidance here]
[Copy and paste the relevant competency/skill here]
Learning Outcome 2
Enter text here
Enter text here
Enter text here
Enter text here
Learning Outcome 3
Enter text here
Enter text here
Enter text here
Enter text here
Stage 2: Re-write Learning Outcomes (LOs):Â
Can one or more of the topic LOs be re-written to focus on a competency?
Can different verbs be used e.g. using Bloomâs Taxonomy below or another learning taxonomy to identify appropriate learning levels for this competency?
Can you explain your rationale for the changes you have made?
Learning Outcomes
Re-worded Learning Outcomes
Rationale
LO1.
[Copy and paste LO from Stage I table here]
LO1.
[Re-write LO and highlight verbs in bold here]
[Justify your changes or if unchanged, justify why here]
LO2.
LO2. Enter text here
Enter text here
LO3.
LO3. Enter text here
Enter text here
Stage 3: Ethics Teaching Tools â Evidence-based tools and resources to help with teaching engineering ethics:
What ethics teaching model will you adopt?
Can you fill the ethics-berg with both demonstratable and non-demonstratable principles?
What demonstrable factors (above the ethics-berg) are needed for the relevant LO?
What non-demonstrable factors (below the water) are important that underlie the above?
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Authors: Dr. Jude Bramton (University of Bristol); Elizabeth Robertson (University of Strathclyde); Sarah Jayne Hitt, Ph.D. SFHEA (NMITE, Edinburgh Napier University).
Keywords:Â Collaboration; Pedagogy.
Who is this article for?:Â This article should be read by educators at all levels in higher education who wish to integrate ethics into the engineering and design curriculum or module design.
How to organise class sessions:
Engineering educators can find a wealth of ethics case studies in the Engineering Ethics Toolkit. Each one focuses on different disciplines, different areas of ethics learning, and different professional situations, meaning there is almost certainly a case study that could be embedded in one of your classes.
Even so, it can be difficult to know how to organise the delivery of the session. Fortunately, Toolkit contributors Jude Bramton of the University of Bristol and Elizabeth Robertson of the University of Strathclyde have put together diagrams that demonstrate their approaches. These processes can act as helpful guides for you as you integrate an Ethics case study in one of your engineering class sessions.
Jude Bramtonâs class session organisation looks like this:
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Elizabeth Robertson, Teaching Fellow in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at The University of Strathclyde, discusses how we need to move past our discomfort in order to teach ethics in engineering.
I could wax lyrical about the importance of engineering ethics for todayâs students who are tomorrowâs engineers. However, there are lots of other articles that will do it much better than I can. All Iâd say in short is that as educators, we know itâs important, our graduate employers tell us itâs important, and our accrediting bodies are looking for us to include it through our curriculum because they know itâs important too.
The task for us as educators then is to demonstrate the importance of ethics to our students and to offer students a learning experience that is relevant to them at whatever stage they are and that that will also offer the most impact â but as with so many things, that is easier said than done.
Getting comfortable with what the toolkit is and how to use it
I have used the Engineering Ethics Toolkit since its launch, and I cannot be a bigger proponent for its usefulness for staff or its impact on studentsâ learning. Educators are always challenged to design sessions that are engaging, participatory and have real student impact. With its range of case studies and really useful advice and guidance documents, the Engineering Ethics Toolkit does all three.
The suite of broad engineering ethics case studies means that there is a case study for a range of student needs (and there are often new ones on the horizon too). In my teaching that means sometimes I use case studies that are related to discipline-specific learning the students are currently undertaking so they can pull in technical knowledge and experience they have, and in other cases I choose something totally removed in order to allow students to spend more time with the ethical dimensions of a case and not get preoccupied with the technical.
The case studies Iâve used
During the last academic year we used the case study âGlass safety in a heritage building conversionâ with my first year groups, and thatâs pretty far removed from the electrical, mechanical and computer science modules they take. That decision was intentional; the aim was to get students to concentrate on the principles of ethics, stakeholder mapping, stakeholder motivations and interpersonal dynamics and not be âdistractedâ by the technical aspects. This was one class in a module centred around a sustainable design challenge and we used the Ethics toolkit to help students develop an understanding of the importance of economic, environmental and social factors. Working with a case study not in their exact engineering field helped students see that they must look beyond the technical to understand people â be they stakeholders, end users or community members. Students worked to make decisions on actions with honesty and integrity and to respect the public good. The students engaged really well in the session and there were some vibrant discussions on which actions were ârightâ or âwrongâ and vitally the students grasped how stakeholder dynamics and dynamics of power in projects can affect outcomes.
In comparison, for my third year undergraduate students I intentionally chose a case study that would link to their hardware/software project that was upcoming, and connect closely to learning in their communications module: âSmart homes for older people with disabilitiesâ. This meant that alongside stakeholder mapping we identified technical factors looking into possible routes of data leaks. Students engaged so well and were actively debating possible actions to take covering ethical, technical and legal implications. It pained me every time I had to cut conversations short so we could cover the full case study â so much so that this year weâre going to try and give them longer than an hour for the process.
Getting comfortable with the students in the lead
I use a participatory teaching methodology often. This means starting our 50 minutes together with student reflection, having 5/10 minutes of introductory talk and then rounds of group discussions. The students are therefore in the driving seat in the classroom â students set the tone and the pace. If they are having valuable, meaningful and worthwhile discussions and demonstrating valuable ethical discussions, my plans change. This means maybe not covering all parts of the case study  maybe skipping a stage or two of discussions that were in my plans. As long as the sessionâs objective are met, the students can write their own journey.
What my sessions look like
As the song goes, we start at the very beginning as itâs a very good places to start. That means first asking the students their current understanding of what ethics is â we did this first by using a word association activity, and asked what came to mind when they hear the term âethics.â Their answers in the word cloud below demonstrate a good maturity of thought to work from in the session. We then moved on to discuss when we should consider ethics â for us as individuals, members of society and as engineers.
What they said:
Building on from our prompting questions we then introduced the Statement of Ethical Principles published by the Engineering Council and the Royal Academy of Engineering and covering the four fundamental principles of ethics defined therein.
From there we worked with the toolkit and our case study of choice. Most case studies come in 2-4 âphasesâ, each with a bit more of the story that Iâd briefly talk over, which we gave them printed and electronically. The phases often include a âdilemmaâ for the protagonist and some questions for provoking thought and discussion or more technical work as is suitable. The questions and activity prompts that are within the case studies are invaluable to educators and students in helping design the session and for giving student groups a place to start if they are not sure how to tackle part of the story. We worked on a think-pair-share model asking individuals to think, groups to discuss, and then asking a few groups to report back to the room. One thing I want to do more of is asking different groups to role play as different stakeholders. Asking students to embed themselves in different perspectives can lead to some very valuable insights.
Getting comfortable in a room of differing views
Students worked in small groups with the case study and an important stage was asking groups to report back their thoughts. These were volunteered rather than cold-called and in asking for more groups to share I would prompt if anyone had a different view to make sure that a range of perspectives were heard. Though in fairness to the students they engaged so readily and enthusiastically that I often ran short of time rather than being left with âdead airâ.
I have delivered ethics sessions to groups of 12, 30 and 100. In all cases it is important that all students feel heard and all views and perspectives respected. You need to make sure that an open, honest, and non-judgemental tone is set. This allows all students to feel they are free to ask questions and importantly share their perspectives, meaning that there is a big onus on the educator to act as a facilitator as much as a teacher.
Good facilitation is key. Some things to think about:
Consider room layout. – Flexible seating in small groups has worked best for me. If Iâm not using the whole space I place resources (printouts of the case study) on the tables I want used so no-one is left alone at the back of the room.
How do you build discussion groups? – Will established (friendship) groups all agree with each other and therefore discussions die, or will their knowledge of each other help them challenge each other?
How can you engage the whole room? – Cold-calling can challenge a neurodiverse audience, and so you need to consider ways to include everyone in discussions, but not put anyone on the spot.
How do you set the right tone? – This enables discussions to be open and honest and allows all voices and perspectives to be heard.
Getting comfortable with no absolutes
What is vital in running these sessions is offering some sort of conclusion when there is no ârightâ answer. My third-year cohort knew that a class on ethics was in the schedule â that I was going to get them to answer Menti polls, work in small groups and report back to the room. These are my established teaching styles and by halfway through the semester the students are well used to it. What they werenât prepared for was that in the end I wasnât going to tell them a ârightâ answer.
All the students I have worked on ethics with were somewhat disappointed when in the end they were not offered the ârightâ answer for the ethical dilemmas posed. What I did do though was still offer them a conclusion to their learning. I point out some of the excellent examples of consideration and thought offered by groups to highlight themes from the four principles. Itâs useful here too to point students to where theyâll apply their learning from the session in the short and long term. For my students their future projects all require ethics, inclusion and sustainability statements. Itâs important though to also evidence where the learning will go beyond the classroom.
There are examples of cases that in hindsight there are clear cases of ârightsâ and âwrongsâ (you can pull examples of fields relevant to you, often cited is the Challenger tragedy and Ford Pinto Memo). What we conclude on though is getting comfortable with a lot of decision making professionally being in the âmiddleâ â a complex space with multiple competing factors. Engineers need to work with the principles of ethics to guide us to make sound and well-informed judgements.
Itâs essential that tomorrowâs graduate engineers understand that ethics is not a âtack onâ statement at the end of a project proposal but rather that ethics is a core part of the role of an engineer. Using the Engineering Ethics Toolkit to help integrate ethics into the core of their education today is a very good way to do that. I recommend the Engineering Ethics Toolkit to all educators â the wealth of the resource cannot be understated in its support to a teacherâs session design and, most importantly, to a studentâs learning.
You can find out more about getting involved or contributing to the Engineering Ethics Toolkit here.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
The workshop showcased the Engineering Ethics Toolkit and introduced a pragmatic approach to integrating ethics content into teaching, using examples and a detailed and interactive curriculum map, which connects the elements of the toolkit.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professorsâ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.