Author:Ā Dr. Sarah Jayne Hitt Ph.D. SFHEAĀ (NMITE, Edinburgh Napier University).Ā
Topic: Building sustainability awareness.Ā
Tool type: Teaching.Ā
Relevant disciplines: Any.Ā
Keywords: Everyday ethics; Communication; Teaching or embedding sustainability; Knowledge exchange; SDGs; Risk analysis; Interdisciplinary; Social responsibility; AHEP; Sustainability; Higher education.Ā
Sustainability competency: Systems thinking; Critical thinking; 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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: Many SDGs could relate to this activity, depending on what students focus on. Teachers could choose to introduce the SDGs and dimensions of sustainability prior to the students doing the activity or the students could complete part one without this introduction, and follow on to further parts after an introduction to these topics.Ā
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: Active pedagogies and mindset development.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 level: Beginner / Intermediate.Ā
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Learning and teaching notes:Ā Ā
This learning activity is designed to build studentsā awareness of different dimensions of sustainability through reflection on their everyday activities.This activity is presented in two parts. If desired, a teacher can useāÆPart oneāÆin isolation, butāÆPart twoāÆdevelops and complicates the concepts presented ināÆPart oneāÆto provide for additional learning. Educators could incorporate shorter or longer versions of the activity as fits their needs and contexts. This activity could be presented without a focus on a specific area of engineering, or, students could be asked to do this around a particular discipline. Another powerful option would be to do the activity once at the beginning of term and then again at the end of term, asking students to reflect on how their perceptions have changed after learning more about sustainability.Ā
This activity could be delivered as an in-class small group discussion, as an individual writing assignment, or a combination of both. Students could even make a short video or poster that captures their insights.Ā Ā
Learners have the opportunity to:Ā
Develop awareness around personal connections to sustainability issues;Ā
Engage in reflection;Ā
Undertake informal research;Ā
Practice communication in multiple modes.Ā
Teachers have the opportunity to:Ā
Introduce topics of sustainable development the UNSDGs, and dimensions of sustainability;Ā
Evaluate critical thinking and/or written and/or verbal communication skills;Ā
Introduce or contextualise issues around materials, manufacturing, supply chain, energy/water consumption, and end-of-life.Ā
Choose 3 activities that you do every day. These could be things like: brushing your teeth, commuting, cooking a meal, messaging your friends and family, etc. For each activity, consider the following as they connect to this activity:Ā
Materials and energy required to do the activity;Ā
Manufacturing and transportation required to enable you to do it;Ā
Water consumed and waste generated for all of the above.Ā
To help you consider these elements, list the āstuffā that is involved in doing each activityāfor example, in the case of brushing your teeth, this would include the toothbrush, the toothpaste, the container(s) the toothpaste comes in, the sink, the tap, and the water.Ā Ā
What are the āingredientsā or materials that make up this stuff?Ā
Where is this stuff made? If you donāt know, can you find out? If you canāt find out, why?Ā
How did this stuff get to you? Can you uncover the āchain of custodyā from where it was made to how it arrived in your possession? If not, what links in the chain are missing and what might that mean?Ā
Where does it go when you are done with it, and whose responsibility is it? How circular is the waste disposal system related to this stuff?Ā Ā
Who besides you is involved in this process of supply, use, and disposal? This could include companies, government entities, and/or community and financial organisations.Ā Ā
Which engineering disciplines inform the creation, distribution, use, and disposal of this stuff?Ā Ā
Part two:Ā
Teachers may want to preface this part of the activity through an introduction to the SDGs, or, they may want to allow students to investigate the SDGs as they are related to these everyday activities. Students could engage in the following:Ā
Research and report on which SDG(s) are connected to this daily activity.Ā
Compare and contrast how this daily activity is conducted in different countriesāhow do differences in policies and infrastructure affect how it is done, and how sustainable it is?Ā
Suggest improvements to systems that would enable a more sustainable approach to this activity, from the perspective of design, manufacture, use, and disposal.Ā
Debate the challenges, risks, and benefits to enacting these improvements.Ā
Create a solution to an aspect of the activity that is not as sustainable as it could be.Ā Ā
Develop a campaign to influence a stakeholder to change a process in such a way that would make the activity more sustainable.Ā Ā
Acknowledgements: This activity is based on an Ethical Autobiography activity developed by Professor Sandy Woodson and other instructors of the āNature and Human Valuesā module at the Colorado School of Mines.Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Keywords:āÆClimate change; Water and sanitation; Renewable energy; Battery Technologies; Recycling or recycled materials; AHEP; Sustainability; Student support; Local community; Environment; Future generations; Risk; Higher education; Assessment; Project brief.Ā
Sustainability competency: Systems thinking; Anticipatory; Strategic; Integrated problem-solving; 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 UKās 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. Potential alignments with AHEP criteria are shown below.Ā
Related SDGs: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy); SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).Ā
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 level: Intermediate / Advanced.Ā
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Learning and teaching notes:Ā
This resource outlines a project brief that requires an engineer to assess the local area to understand the scale of flooding and the local context. This will highlight how climate change affects everyday life, how water usage is changing and happening on our doorstep.
The project also requires the engineer to be considerate of the needs of a local business and showcases how climate change affects the economy and individual lives, enabling some degree of empathy and compassion to this exercise.
Depending upon the level of the students and considering the needs of modules or learning outcomes, the project could follow either or both of the following pathways:Ā
Pathway 1 ā Introduction to Electronic Engineering (beginner/intermediate- Level 4)Ā
LO1: Describe the operation of electronic circuits and associated discrete components (AHEP4: SM1m).Ā
LO2: Compare the operation principles of a variety of electronic sensors and actuators and apply them to a given task (AHEP4: EA2m).Ā
LO3: Interpret how transistors and operational amplifiers function (AHEP4: EA4m).Ā
LO4: Know how amplifiers operate and assess their performance for a given application (AHEP4: EA1m; EA2m).Ā
LO5: Integrate the operation of an actuator, sensor, and power supply into a system for a given task (AHEP4: EA4m; EA6m).Ā
In this pathway, the project deliverables could be in the form of a physical artefact, together with a technical specification.Ā
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Pathway 2 ā Electromagnetics in Engineering (intermediate/advanced- Level 5)Ā
LO1: communicate the primary challenges inherent in wireless communication (AHEP4: SM1mĀ
LO2: devise solutions to a given design challenge (AHEP4: SM1m; SM3m) In this pathway, the project deliverable could be in the form of a Technical Report.Ā
This project allows teachers the option to stop at multiple points for questions and/or activities as desired.Ā Ā
Learners have the opportunity to:Ā
analyse local environmental factors that affect river water levels,Ā
appreciate local planning with respect to installing devices on or near a riverbank,Ā
consider how to communicate with a variety of stakeholders,Ā
undertake cost-benefit and value trade-off analysis in the context of using sustainable materials,Ā
undertake cost-benefit and value trade-off analysis in the context of using renewable energy,Ā
practise argument and reasoning related to sustainability dilemmas.Ā
Teachers have the opportunity to:Ā
introduce concepts related to climate change in the local environment,Ā
introduce concepts related to environmental sensors,Ā
introduce concepts related to renewable energy sources,Ā
introduce concepts related to battery systems,Ā
introduce concepts related to local planning laws,Ā
informally evaluate studentsā argument and reasoning skills,Ā
integrate technical content in the areas of electrical or mechanical engineering related to water level monitoring,Ā
authentically assess a team activity and individual work.Ā
A local business premises near to a river has been suffering from severe flooding over the last 10 years. The business owner seeks to install a warning system that can provide adequate notice of a possible flood situation.Ā
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Time frame & structure: This project can be completed over 30 hours, either in a block covering 2-3 weeks (preferred) or 1 hour per week over the academic term. This project should be attempted in teams of 3-5 students. This would enable the group to develop a prototype, but the Specification (Pathway 1) and Technical Report (Pathway 2) could be individual submissions without collusion to enable individual assessment.
It is recommended that a genuine premises is found that has had the issues described above and a site visit could be made. This will not only give much needed context to the scenario but will also trigger emotional response and personal ownership to the problem.Ā
To prepare for activities related to sustainability, teachers may want to read, or assign students to pre-read the following article: āMean or Green: Which values can promote stable pro-environmental behaviour?āĀ
Context and Stakeholders:Ā
Flooding in the local town has become more prevalent over recent years, impacting homes and businesses. A local coffee shop priding itself on its ethical credentials is located adjacent to the river and is one of the businesses that has suffered from severe flooding over the last 10 years, causing thousands of pounds worth of spoilt stock and loss of revenue. The local councilās flood warning system is far from adequate to protect individuals on a site-by-site basis. So the shop is looking for an individual warning system, giving the manager and staff adequate notice of a possible flood situation. This will enable stock to be moved in good time to a safer drier location. The shop manager is very conscious of wanting to implement a sustainable design that uses sustainable materials and renewable energy, to promote the values of the shop. It is becoming clear that such a solution would also benefit other businesses that experience flooding and a wider solution should also be considered.Ā
Pathway 1Ā
This project requires assessment of the local area and ideally a visit to the retailer to understand their needs and consider options for water level monitoring. You are required to consider environmental and sustainable factors when presenting a solution.
After a visit to the premises:Ā Ā
Discussion: What is your initial reaction to the effects of the floodingā and doesāit surprise you? What might your initial reaction reveal to you about your own perspectives and values?
Discussion: What is your initial reaction to the causes of the floodingā andādoes it surprise you? What might your initial reaction reveal to you about your own perspectives and values?ā
āāDiscussion and activity: List the potential issues and risks to installing a device in or near to the river bank. ā
āāActivity: Research water level monitoring. What are the main technical and logistical issues with this technology in this scenario?ā
Activity: Both cost-benefit and sustainable trade-off analyses are valuable approaches to consider in this case. āÆDetermine the possible courses of action and undertake both types of analysis for each position by considering both short- and long-term consequences.āāĀ Ā Ā Ā āā
Reflection: āObligations to future generations: Do we have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for humans that donāt yet exist, or for an ecosystem that will eventually change?āĀ
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āāDesign Processāāā:
To satisfy the learning outcomes identified above the following activities are suggested.āĀ
Design, build and test a prototype flood warning device, monitoring various water levels and controlling an output or outputs in an alarm condition to meet the following as a minimum: Ā
a) The device will require the use of an analogue sensor that will directly or indirectly output an electrical signal proportional to the water level.Ā
b) It will integrate to appropriate Operational Amplifier circuitry.Ā
c) The circuitry will control an output device or devices.Ā
d) The power consumption of the complete circuit will be assessed to allow an appropriate renewable energy supply to be specified (but not necessarily be part of the build).Ā
The written specification and accompanying drawings shall enable a solution to be manufactured based on the study, evaluation and affirmation of the product requirements.Ā
The evaluation of the product requirements and consequent component selection will reference the use of design tools and problem-solving techniques. In compiling the specification the component selection and integration will highlight the underlying engineering principles that have been followed. The specification shall be no more than 1000 words (plus illustrations and references).Ā
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Pathway 2
This project requires assessment of the local area and ideally a visit to the retailer to understand their needs and consider options for water level monitoring.
You are required to consider environmental and sustainable factors when presenting a solution.Ā
After a visit to the premises:Ā Ā
Discussion: What is your initial reaction to the effects of the flooding and does it surprise you? What might your initial reaction reveal to you about your own perspectives and values?
āāDiscussion: What is your initial reaction to the causes of the floodingā andādoes it surprise you? What might your initial reaction reveal to you about your own perspectives and values?ā
Discussion and activity: List the potential issues and risks to installing a device in or near to the river bank. ā
Activity:Both cost-benefit and sustainable trade-off analyses are valuable approaches to consider in this case. āÆDetermine the possible courses of action and undertake both types of analysis for each position by considering both short- and long-term consequences.āāĀ Ā Ā Ā āāĀ
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Wireless communication of information electronically is now commonplace. It’s important āfor the learners āto understand the differences between the various types both technically and commercially to enable the most appropriate form of communication to be chosen.
Pathway 1 above explains the need for a flood warning device to monitor water levels of a river. In Pathway 2, this part of the challenge (which could be achieved in isolation) is to communicate this information from the river to an office location within the town.Ā
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Design Process:Ā
Design a communications system that will transmit data, equivalent to the height of the river in metres. The maximum frequency and distance over which the data can be transmitted should be explored and defined, but as a minimum this data should be sent every 20 seconds over a distance of 500m.Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Sustainability competency: Anticipatory; Strategic; Integrated problem-solving.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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy); SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities); SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).Ā
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.
Educational level: Intermediate.Ā
Learning and teaching notes:Ā
This case study offers learners an explorative journey through the multifaceted aspects of deploying off-grid renewable solutions, considering practical, ethical, and societal implications. It dwells on themes such as Engineering and Sustainable Development (emphasizing the role of engineering in driving sustainable initiatives) and Engineering Practice (exploring the application of engineering principles in real-world contexts).Ā
The dilemma in this case is presented in six parts. If desired, a teacher can use Part one in isolation, but Parts two and three develop and complicate the concepts presented in Part one to provide for additional learning. The case study allows teachers the option to stop at multiple points for questions and/or activities, as desired.Ā Ā Ā Ā
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Learners have the opportunity to:Ā
Recognise the significance of the SDGs in engineering solutions;Ā
Enhance their skills in applying sustainable engineering practices in real-world scenarios.Ā
Delve into the complexities of implementing off-grid solutions.Ā
Navigate through the ethical considerations of deploying technologies in remote, often vulnerable, communities.Ā
Engage in critical thinking to balance technological, societal, and environmental aspects.Ā
Teachers have the opportunity to:Ā
Highlight the importance of SDGs in engineering.Ā
Facilitate discussions on ethical implications in technology deployment.Ā
Evaluate learners’ ability to devise sustainable and ethical engineering solutions.Ā
DGS; Planning and installing photovoltaic systems: A guide for installers, architects and engineers; ISBN: 978-1849713436; Planning and installing series.Ā
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In accordance with a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and statistics provided by the World Bank, approximately 633 million individuals in Africa currently lack access to electricity. This stark reality has significant implications for the remote villages across the continent, where challenges related to energy access persistently impact various aspects of daily life and stall social and economic development. In response to this critical issue, the deployment of off-grid renewable solutions emerges as a promising and sustainable alternative. Such solutions have the potential to not only address the pressing energy gap but also to catalyse development in isolated regions.Ā
Situated in one of Egypt’s most breathtaking desert landscapes, Siwa holds a position of immense natural heritage importance within Egypt and on a global scale. The region is home to highly endangered species, some of which have restricted distributions found only in Siwa Oasis. Classified as a remote area, a particular community in Siwa Oasis currently relies predominantly on diesel generators for its power needs, as it remains disconnected from the national grid. Moreover, extending the national grid to this location is deemed economically and environmentally impractical, given the long distances and rugged terrain.Ā
Despite these challenges, Siwa Oasis possesses abundant renewable resources that can serve as the foundation for implementing a reliable, economical, and sustainable energy source. Recognising the environmental significance of the area, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) declared Siwa Oasis as a protected area in 2002.Ā
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Part one: Household energy for Siwa OasisĀ Ā
Imagine being an electrical engineer tasked with developing an off-grid, sustainable power solution for Siwa Oasis village. Your goal is to develop a solution that not only addresses the power needs but also is sustainable, ethical, and has a positive impact on the community. The following data may help in developing your solution.Ā Ā Ā
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Data on Household Energy for Siwa Oasis:
Activities:Ā
Analyse typical household appliances and their power consumption (lighting, refrigeration, pressing Iron).
Simulate daily energy usage patterns using smart meter data.
Identify peak usage times and propose strategies for energy conservation (example LED bulbs, etc)
Calculate appliance power consumption and estimate electricity costs.
Discussion: Ā
a. How does this situation relate to SDG 7, and why is it essential for sustainable development?Ā
b. What are the primary and secondary challenges of implementing off-grid solutions in remote villages?Ā
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Part two: Power supply optionsĀ
Electricity supply in Siwa Oasis is mainly depends on Diesel Generators, 4 MAN Diesel Generators of 21 MW which are going to be wasted in four years, 2 CAT Diesel Generators of 5.2 MW and 1 MAN Diesel Generator 4 MW for emergency. Compare and contrast various power supply options for the household (renewable vs. fossil fuel).Ā
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Renewable: Focus on solar PV systems, including hands-on activities like solar panel power output measurements and battery sizing calculations.Ā
Fossil fuel:āÆBriefly discuss diesel generators and their environmental impact.Ā
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The Siwa Oasis community is divided over the choice of power supply options for their households. On one hand, there is a group advocating for a complete shift to renewable energy, emphasising the environmental benefits and long-term sustainability of solar PV systems. On the other hand, there is a faction arguing to continue relying on the existing diesel generators, citing concerns about the reliability and initial costs associated with solar power. The community must decide which power supply option aligns with their values, priorities, and long-term goals for sustainability and energy independence. This decision will not only impact their day-to-day lives but also shape the future of energy use in Siwa Oasis.Ā
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Optional STOP for questions and activities:
Debate: Is it ethical to impose new technologies on communities, even if itās for perceived improvement of living conditions?
Discussion: How can engineers ensure the sustainability (environmental and operational) of off-grid solutions in remote locations?
Activities:āÆStudents to design a basic solar PV system for the household, considering factors like energy demand, solar resource availability, and budget constraints.Ā Ā
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Part three: Community mini-grid via harnessing the desert sunĀ
Mini-grid systems (sometimes referred to as micro-grids) generally serve several buildings or entire communities. The abundant sunshine in Siwa community makes it ideal for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and based on the load demand of the community, a solar PV mini grid solution will work perfectly.Ā
Electrical components of a typical PV system can be classified into DC and AC.Ā
DC components: The electrical connection of solar modules to the inverter constitutes the DC part of a PV installation. Its design requires particular care and reliable components, as there is a risk of significant accidents with high DC voltages and currents, especially due to electric arcs.Ā Ā
The key DC components are:Ā Ā
PV cables and connectors: PV modules are usually delivered with a junction box and pre-assembled cables with single-contact electrical connectors. They enable easy interconnection of individual modules in strings. Solar cables are made of copper or aluminum (more cost-efficient).Ā Ā
Combiner boxes: Here, incoming strings are connected in parallel, and the resulting current is channeled through an output terminal to the inverter. A combiner box usually contains all required protection devices, disconnectors, and measuring equipment for string monitoring.Ā
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AC components: The equipment installed on the AC side of the inverter depends on the size and voltage class of the grid connection (low-voltage (LV), medium-voltage (MV), or high-voltage (HV) grid). Utility-scale PV plants usually require the following equipment:Ā Ā
Transformers, to increase the inverter output voltage to the grid voltage levelĀ Ā
AC cables, buriedĀ
Circuit breakers, switchgears, and protection devices, for large PV plants (MV/HV connection)Ā
Electricity metersĀ
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Activities:Ā
Research and discuss the safety precautions and regulations for working with DC systems.Ā
Analyse the DC components of a typical PV system, including cables, connectors, and combiner boxes.Ā
Calculate the voltage and current levels at different points in the DC circuit based on the system design.Ā
Investigate the concept of power factor and its significance in grid stability and energy bills.Ā
Analyse the power factor of common household appliances and discuss its impact on the mini-grid.Ā
Propose strategies to improve the overall power factor of the mini-grid, such as using capacitors or choosing energy-efficient appliances.Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Keywords: Circular business models; Teaching or embedding sustainability; Plastic waste; Plastic pollution; Recycling or recycled materials; Responsible consumption; Teamwork; Interdisciplinary; AHEP; Higher education.Ā
Sustainability competency: Integrated problem-solving; Collaboration; Systems 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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities); SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production); SDG 13 (Climate action); SDG 14 (Life below water).Ā
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 level: Intermediate.Ā
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Learning and teaching notes:āÆāÆĀ
This case study is focused on the role of engineers to address the problem of plastic waste in the context of sustainable operations and circular business solutions. It involves a team of engineers developing a start-up aiming to tackle plastic waste by converting it into infrastructure components (such as plastic bricks). As plastic waste is a global problem, the case can be customised by instructors when specifying the region in which it is set. The case incorporates several components, including stakeholder mapping, empirical surveys, risk assessment and policy-making.āÆThis case study is particularly suitable for interdisciplinary teamwork, with students from different disciplines bringing their specialised knowledge.Ā Ā
The case study asks students to research the data on how much plastic is produced and policies for the disposal of plastic, identify the regions most affected by plastic waste, develop a business plan for a circular business focused on transforming plastic waste into bricks and understand the risks of plastic production and waste as well as the risks of a business working with plastic waste. In this process, students gain an awareness of the societal context of plastic waste and the varying risks that different demographic categories are exposed to, as well as the role of engineers in contributing to the development of technologies for circular businesses. Students also get to apply their disciplinary knowledge to propose technical solutions to the problem of plastic waste.Ā
The case is presented in parts. Part one addresses the broader context of plastic waste and could be used in isolation, but parts two and three further develop and add complexity to the engineering-specific elements of the topic.Ā Ā
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Learners have the opportunity to:āÆĀ
apply their ethical judgement to a case study focused on a circular technology;Ā
understand the national and supranational policy context related to the production and disposal of plastic;Ā
analyse engineering and societal risks related to the development of a novel technology;āÆāÆĀ
develop a business model for a circular technology dealing with plastic waste;Ā
identify the key stakeholder groups in the development of a circular business model;Ā Ā
reflect on how risks may differ for different demographic groups and identify the stakeholder groups most vulnerable to the negative effects of plastic waste;āÆĀ
develop an empirical survey to identify the risks that stakeholders affected by or working with plastic waste are exposed to;Ā
develop a risk assessment to identify the risks involved in the manufacturing of plastic waste bricks;Ā
provide recommendations for lowering the risks in the manufacturing of plastic bricks.Ā
Teachers have the opportunity to include teaching content purporting to:Ā
Physico-chemical properties of plastic waste;Ā
Manufacturing processes of plastic products and plastic bricks;Ā
Sustainable policies targeting plastic usage and reduction;Ā
Climate justice;Ā
Circular entrepreneurship;Ā
Risk assessment tools such as HAZOP and their application in the chemical industry.Ā
Plastic pollution is a major challenge. It is predicted that if current trends continue, by 2050 there will beāÆ26 billion metric tonsāÆof plastic waste, and almost half of this is expected to be dumped in landfills and the environment (Guglielmi, 2017). As plastic waste grows at an increased speed, it kills millions of animals each year, contaminates fresh water sources and affects human health. Across the world, geographical regions are affected differently by plastic waste. In fact, developing countries are more affected by plastic waste than developed nations. Existing reports trace a link between poverty and plastic waste, making it a development problem. Africa, Asia and South America see immense quantities of plastic generated elsewhere being dumped on their territory.Ā At the moment, there are several policies in place targeting the production and disposal of plastic. Several of the policies active in developed regions such as the EU do not allow the disposal of plastic waste inside their own territorial boundaries, but allow it on outside territories.Ā Ā
Optional STOP for activities and discussionĀ
Conduct research to identify 5 national or international regulations or policies about the use and disposal of plastic.Ā
Compare these policies by stating which is the issuing policy body, what is the aim and scope of the policy.Ā Ā
Reflect on the effectiveness of each policy and debate in class what are the most effective policies you identified.Ā
Write a reflection piece based on a policy of your choice targeting the use or disposal of plastic. In this reflection, identify the benefits of the policy as well as potential limitations. You may consider how you would improve the policy.Ā Ā
Conduct research to identify how much plastic is produced and how much plastic waste is generated in your region. Identify which sectors are the biggest producers of waste. Conduct research on how much of this plastic waste is being exported and where is it exported.Ā
Identify the countries and companies with the biggest plastic footprint. Discuss in the classroom what you consider to contribute to these rankings.Ā
Research global waste trading and identify the countries that are the biggest exporters and importers of plastic waste. Discuss the findings in classroom and what you consider to contribute to these rankings. Discuss whether there are or should be any restrictions governing global waste trade.Ā
Write a report analysing the plastic footprint of a country or company of your choice. Include recommendations for minimising the plastic footprint.Ā
Impressed by the magnitude of the problem of plastic waste faced today, together with a group of friends you met while studying engineering at the Technological University of the Future, you want to set up a green circular business. Circular business models aim to use and reuse materials for as long as possible, all while minimising waste. Your concern is to develop a sustainable technological solution to the problem of plastic waste. The vision for aāÆcircular economyāÆfor plastic rests on six key points (Ellen McArthur Foundation, n.d.):Ā
Elimination of problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging through redesign, innovation, and new delivery models is a priorityĀ
ReuseāÆmodels are applied where relevant, reducing the need for single-use packagingĀ
All plastic packaging is 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostableĀ
All plastic packaging is reused, recycled, or composted in practiceĀ
The use of plastic is fully decoupled from the consumption of finite resourcesĀ
All plastic packaging is free of hazardous chemicals, and the health, safety, and rights of all people involved are respectedĀ
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Optional STOP for group activities and discussionĀ
Read about the example of the Great Plastic Bake Off and their project focused on converting plastic waste into plastic bricks. Research the chemical properties of plastic bricks and the process for the manufacturing process. Present your findings on a poster or discuss it in class.Ā
Develop a concept map with ideas for potential sustainable technologies for reducing or recycling plastic waste. You may use as inspiration the Circular Strategies Scanner (available here).Ā
Select one idea that you want to propose as the focus of your sustainable start-up. Give a name to your startup!Ā
Describe the technology you want to produce: what is its aim? What problem can it solve or what gap can it address? What are the envisioned benefits of your technology? What are its key features?Ā Ā
Map the key stakeholders of the technology, by identifying the decision-makers for this technology, the beneficiaries of the technology, as well as those who are exposed to the risks of the technologyĀ
Analyse the market for your technology: are there businesses with a similar aim or similar technology? What differentiates your business or technology from them?Ā
Identify key policies relevant to your technology: are there any policies or regulations in place that you should consider? In your geographical area, are there any policy incentives for sustainable technologies or businesses similar to the one you are developing?Ā
For your start-up, assign different roles to the members of your group (such as technology officer, researcher, financial officer, communication manager, partnership director a.s.o) and describe the key tasks of each member. Identify how much personnel you would needĀ
Identify the cost components and calculate the yearly costs for running your business (including personnel).Ā
Perform a SWOT analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for your business. You may use this matrix to brainstorm each component.Ā
Part three:Ā
The start-up SuperRecycling aims to develop infrastructure solutions by converting plastic waste into bricks. Your team of engineers is tasked to develop a risk assessment for the operations of the factory in which this process will take place. The start-up is set in a developing country of your choice that is greatly affected by plastic waste.Ā
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Optional STOP for group activities and discussionĀ
Agree on the geographical location of the startup SuperRecycling and identify the amount of plastic waste that your region has to cope with, as well as any other relevant socio-economic characteristics of the region.Ā
Identify the demographic categories that are most exposed to the risks of plastic waste in the region.Ā
Research and analyse the situation of the informal plastic waste picking sector in the region: who is picking up the waste? How much do they earn for working with waste? Is this a regular form of income and who pays this income? What does it mean to be an āinformalā worker? Are there any key insights about the characteristics of the plastic waste workers that you find interesting?Ā
Based on research and your own reflections, write a report on the role and risks that the plastic waste pickers are exposed to in their work.Ā
Create an empirical survey with the aim of identifying the risks the plastic waste pickers are exposed to, as well as the strategies they take to mitigate risks or deal with accidents.Ā Ā
Create an empirical survey with the aim of identifying the risks that the factory workers at SuperRecycling are exposed to, as well as the strategies they take to mitigate risks or deal with accidents.Ā Ā
Research the manufacturing process for developing plastic bricks and analyse the technical characteristics of plastic bricks, based on existing tests.Ā Ā
With the classroom split into 2 groups, argue in favour or against their use of plastic bricks in construction. One group develops 5 arguments for the use of plastic bricks in construction, while the other group develops 5 arguments against the use of plastic bricks in construction. At the end, the groups disperse and students vote individually via an anonymous online poll whether they are personally in favour or against the use of plastic bricks in construction.Ā
Create a HAZOP risk assessment for the manufacturing processes of the factory where plastic waste is converted into plastic bricks.Ā
Develop an educational leaflet for preventing the key injuries and hazards in the process of converting plastic waste into bricks, both for the informal waste pickers and the factory workers.Ā
Acknowledgement: The authors want to acknowledge the work of Engineers Without Borders Netherlands and its partners to tackle the problem of plastic waste. The case is based on the Challenge Based Learning exploratory course Decision Under Risk and Uncertainty designed by Diana Adela Martin at TU Eindhoven, where students got to work on a real-life project about the conversion of plastic waste into bricks to build a washroom facility in a school in Ghana, based on the activity of Engineers Without Borders Netherlands. The project was spearheaded by Suleman Audu and Jeremy Mantingh.Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Keywords: Design and innovation; Conflicts of interest; Ethics; Regulatory compliance; Stakeholder engagement; Environmental impact; AHEP; Sustainability; Higher education; Pedagogy; Assessment.Ā
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 UKās 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.Ā
Related SDGs: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy); SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure); SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production); SDG 13 (Climate Action).Ā
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.Ā
Educational level:āÆIntermediate.Ā
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Learning and teaching notes:Ā
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.Ā Ā
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.Ā Ā
Learners have the opportunity to:Ā
Understand the principles of hydrogen production, storage, and emissions in the context of aviation.Ā
Assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of adopting hydrogen technology in the aviation industry.Ā
Develop skills in making estimates and assumptions in real-world engineering scenarios.Ā
Explore the ethical dimensions of engineering decisions, particularly concerning sustainability and resource management.Ā
Examine the influence of policy and stakeholder perspectives on the adoption of green hydrogen within the aviation industry.Ā
Teachers have the opportunity to:Ā
Integrate concepts related to renewable energy sources, with a focus on hydrogen.Ā
Discuss the engineering challenges and solutions in storing and utilising hydrogen in aviation.Ā
Foster critical thinking about the balance between technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and societal impact.Ā
Guide students in understanding the role of policy in shaping technological advancements and environmental strategies.Ā
Assess studentsā ability to apply engineering principles to solve complex, open-ended, real-world problems.Ā
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Supporting resources:Ā Ā
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Learning and teaching resources:Ā
Hydrogen fundamentals resources:Ā
Case Study Workbook ā designed for this study to give a broad overview of hydrogen, based primarily on the content below from US DoE.Ā
Hydrogen Aware ā Set of modules for a more comprehensive background to hydrogen with a UK-specific context.Ā
We recommend encouraging the use of sources from a variety of stakeholders. Encourage students to find their own, but some examples are included below:Ā
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.Ā Ā
Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance: Press release (September 2023) announcing an agreement amongst some of the major players in aviation to focus on hydrogen.Ā Ā
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.Ā
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.Ā Ā
Pre-Session Work:Ā
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).Ā
IntroductionĀ
āAt 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.ā – Airbus, 2024Ā
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:Ā
The feasibility of using green hydrogen as a fuel for zero-emission aviation;Ā
The feasibility of storing hydrogen in a confined space like an aircraft;Ā
Conducting a stakeholder analysis on the environmental impact of using hydrogen for aviation.Ā
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Part one: The aviation landscapeĀ
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.Ā Ā
Activity: Discuss what renewable energy sources are you aware of that could be used for zero-emission aviation?Ā
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.Ā Ā
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.Ā
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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?Ā
Optional activity: Recap the key properties of hydrogen ā particularly the low gas density and low boiling point which affect storage.Ā Ā
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Part two: Hydrogen productionĀ
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.Ā Ā
Research: What production methods of hydrogen are you aware of? Where does most of the worldās hydrogen come from currently?Ā Ā
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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:Ā
However, the use of waterāa critical resourceāas a feedstock for green hydrogen, especially in aviation, raises significant ethical concerns. Your customerās 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.Ā
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Activity: Estimate how much water a hydrogen plane would require for a journey of 5000 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.Ā
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?Ā
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.Ā Ā
Despite its potential for green production, globally the majority of hydrogen is currently produced from fossil fuels ā 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.Ā
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.Ā
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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.Ā
Discussion: Deliberate on the merits and drawbacks of using grey or blue hydrogen to catalyse development of hydrogen aviation infrastructure. What would you recommendāprioritising 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?Ā
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Part three: Hydrogen storageĀ
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.Ā Ā
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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?Ā
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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).Ā Ā
Activity: Estimate the volume required to store the 15,000 kg of hydrogen as a compressed gas and as a liquid.Ā Ā
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.Ā Examples of topics to consider are: materials required for storage tanks, energy required to liquify or compress the hydrogen, practicality of hydrogen storage and transportĀ 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.Ā
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Part four: Emissions and environmental impactĀ
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.Ā Ā
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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.Ā
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.Ā Ā
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.Ā Ā
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?Ā
Optional extension: How can manufacturers and airlines act to reduce water emissions and contrail formation ā 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?Ā
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 ā will collectively impact the overall environmental impact and sustainability of using hydrogen as an aviation fuel and demonstrates how interconnected our decisions can be.Ā Ā
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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.Ā 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.Ā Ā
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?Ā
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.Ā Ā
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Part five: Hydrogen aviation stakeholdersĀ
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.Ā Ā Ā
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?Ā
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.Ā Ā
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.Ā Ā
Stakeholder
Key priorities and considerations
Airline & Aerospace ManufacturerĀ
Cost efficiency (fuel, labour, fleet maintenance) ā recovering from pandemic.Ā
Passenger experience (commercial & freight).Ā
Develop & maintain global supply chains.Ā
Safety, compliance and operational reliability.Ā
Financial responsibility to employees and investors.Ā
Need government assurances before making big capital investments.Ā
UK GovernmentĀ
Achieve net zero targets by 2050Ā
Promote economic growth and job creation (still recovering from pandemic).Ā
Fund research and innovation to put their countryās technology ahead.Ā
Fund renewable infrastructure to encourage industry investment.Ā
Environmental NGOsĀ
Long-term employment for aviation sector.Ā
Demand a sustainable future for aviation to ensure this ā right now, not in 50 years.Ā
Standards and targets for industry and government and accountability if not met.Ā
Some NGOs support drastic cuts to flying.Ā
Want to raise public awareness over sustainability of flying.Ā
ConsumerĀ
Environmentally aware (understand the need to reduce carbon emissions).Ā
Also benefit greatly from flying (tourism, commercial shipping, etc.).Ā
Safety and reliability of aircraft & processes.Ā
Cost effectiveness ā want affordable service
Appendix: Example calculationsĀ
There are multiple methods for approaching these calculations. The steps shown below are just one example for illustrative purposes.Ā Ā
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Part two: Hydrogen productionĀ
Challenge: Estimate the volume of water required for a hydrogen-powered aircraft.Ā Ā Ā
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:Ā
All hydrogen is generated via electrolysis of fresh water with an efficiency of 100%.Ā
A mid-size aircraft required with ~300 passenger capacity and flight range of ~3500 nmi (London to New York).Ā
Flight energy requirement for a kerosene-fuelled jet is the same as a hydrogen-fuelled jet.Ā
Example estimation:Ā
1. Estimate the energy requirement for a mid-size jetĀ
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:Ā
2. Estimate the hydrogen requirementĀ
Assuming a hydrogen plane has the same fuel requirement:
3. Estimate the volume of water requiredĀ
Assuming all hydrogen is produced from the electrolysis of water:Ā
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:Ā
With a 1:1 molar ratio, we can then calculate the mass of water:Ā
This assumes an electrolyser efficiency of 100%. Typical efficiency values are under 80%, which would yield:Ā
Challenge: Is it feasible to power the UK aviation fleet with water?Ā
The total energy requirement for UK aviation can be given to students or set as a research task.Ā Ā
Estimation can follow a similar procedure to the above.Ā
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.Ā Ā
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Part three: Hydrogen storageĀ
Challenge: Is it feasible to store 20,000 kg of hydrogen in an aircraft?Ā
There are multiple methods of determining the feasibility of storage volume. As example is given below.Ā
1. Determining the storage volumeĀ
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.Ā Ā
Table 2: Energy densities of various hydrogen storage methodsĀ
2. Determining available aircraft volumeĀ
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:Ā
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.Ā Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Author: Ema Muk-Pavic, FRINA SHEA (University College London)Ā
Topic: Links between sustainability and EDIĀ
Tool type: Guidance.Ā
Relevant disciplines: Any.Ā
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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: All 17.Ā
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.Ā
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Supporting resources:Ā
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)Ā
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 sectorsā (Engineering Council, 2021)ā. The socioeconomic and environmental problems are strongly linked and finding responsible solutions is of imminent urgency that requires a holistic interdisciplinary perspective.Ā Ā
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Sustainability and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI):Ā
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 āproviding for allā should be a priority for all engineering professionals to ensure solutions are developed that benefit all ā(Jordan et al., 2021)ā.Ā 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.Ā
A strategic pedagogical approach to sustainability and EDI:Ā
A variety of pedagogical strategies can be applied to incorporate diversity and inclusion perspectives into sustainability engineering. Rather than adopting an āadd-onā 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.Ā
Some practical examples of implementation in the programme and gradually deepening student learning are:Ā
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1. Awareness and understanding:Ā
a. Define sustainability and its relation to EDI.Ā
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 productās engineering characteristics, extend the discussion to sustainability and diverse stakeholders perspective ā who are the end users, what is the affordability, where does the raw material comes from, how could it be recycled etc.)Ā Ā
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2. Applying and analysing:Ā
Seek out case studies which can expose the students to a range of EDI issues and contexts, e.g.:Ā
a. Examples of āsustainableā engineering solutions aimed toward āwealthyā users but not available or suitable for the āpoorā. 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 unconsciousĀ bias (e.g. medical devices unsuitable for womenā (Phillips SP, 2022)ā; āaffordable housing projectsā being unaffordable for the local community, etc.).Ā
c. Positive examples of sustainable engineering solutions with strong EDIĀ perspectives taken that are also financially viable (e.g. sustainable water and sanitation projects, seaweed farming for food security and climate change mitigationā (Sultana F, 2023)ā, sustainable gem production ā(Center for Responsible Business (CRB), 2023)ā etc.)Ā
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3. Implementing, evaluating, and creating:Ā
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.Ā
b. In project-based modules, ask students to link their work with a specific UNSDG and evidence an approach to EDI issues.Ā
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4. Provide visibility of additional opportunities:
Extracurricular activities (maker spaces, EWB UKās 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.Ā
A systematic strategic approach will ensure that students gain experience in considering the views of all stakeholders, and not only economic and technical driversā (Faludi, et al., 2023)ā. They need to take account of local know-how and community engagement since not all solutions will work in all circumstancesā (Montt-Blanchard, Najmi, & Spinillo, 2023)ā. 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.ā (Jordan & Agi, 2021)ā.Ā Ā
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Leading by example:Ā
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 developedā (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2018)ā.Ā
Conclusion:Ā
Engineering education must prepare future professionals for responsible and ethical actions and solutions.Ā 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.Ā
References:Ā
Burleson, G., Lajoie, J., & et al. (2023). Advancing Sustainable Development: Emerging Factors and Futures for the Engineering Field.Ā
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).Ā
Engineering Council. (2021). Guidance on Sustainability. London: Engineering Council UK.Ā
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.Ā
Jordan, R., & Agi, K. (2021). Peace engineering in practice: A case study at the University of New Mexico. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 173.Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Sustainability competency: Critical thinking; 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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 13 (Climate action).Ā
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: More real-world complexity; Active pedagogies and mindset development.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?āÆThis article should be read by educators at all levels in higher education who are seeking an overall perspective on using PBL for integrating sustainability in engineering education. Engaging with this topic will also help to prepare students with the soft skill sets that employers are looking for.Ā
Premise:Ā
Engineering graduates are increasingly required to implement sustainability-focussed initiatives within industry, alongside enhanced expectations from professional bodies and the UK specification (UK-SPEC) for engineers (Engineering Council, 2024). However, a recent study of UK Higher Education institutions highlighted that only a handful have implemented Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into their curricula in a systemic manner ā(Fiselier et al., 2018)ā, which suggests many engineering institutions still need support in this area. This article aims to explain opportunities and challenges for integrating ESD into engineering programmes via project-based learning.Ā
Ā 1. An overview of problem-based learning as a tool for teaching sustainability within engineering:
To develop sustainability-literate graduates, the Higher Education Academy (AdvanceHE) and the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) emphasise that students need to:Ā Ā
understand what the concept of environmental stewardship means for their discipline and their professional and personal lives;Ā
think about issues of social justice, ethics, and wellbeing, and how these relate to ecological and economic factors; andĀ
develop a future-facing outlook by learning to think about the consequences of actions, and how systems and societies can be adapted to ensure sustainable futures (QAA & HEA, 2014).Ā Ā
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) provides a suitable teaching method for addressing these educational objectives. It is an influential approach in engineering education that emphasises real-world problem-solving and student-centred investigation. PBL deeply engages engineering students, prompting them to develop higher-level thinking skills while they personally confront and navigate economic, social, and environmental issues. This method fosters holistic systems thinking, interdisciplinary insights, ethical considerations, and an emphasis on the long-term viability of technical solutions (Cavadas and Linhares, 2023), while also inspiring and motivating learners (Loyens, 2015).Ā
While PBL can be delivered through theoretical case study examples, the term is used interchangeably with Project-Based Learning within engineering education. Both problem-based learning and project-based learning share characteristics such as collaboration and group work, the integration of knowledge and practice, and foregrounding problem analysis as the basis of the learning process (De Graaff and Kolmos, 2003). One of the main differences is where the parameters lie: with problem-based learning the parameters are defined at the beginning and students are able to find a range of solutions; with project-based learning the parameters lie at the end and students are expected to reach a specific end solution (Savery, 2006). There is also a difference in the role of the tutor and the information they provide: in problem-based learning the tutor facilitates but gives little information, while in project-based learning they are both a facilitator and a source of knowledge (Savery, 2006). Project based learning may be more accepted within engineering education since it is considered to more closely resemble the reality of the profession (Perrenet, Bouhuijs and Smits, 2000), hence Aalborgās working definition of PBL as āProblem-Oriented, Project-Organized, Learningā (Dym et al., 2005).Ā Ā
PBL thus facilitates the creation of immersive student-centric environments where group projects enable collaborative learning (Kokotsaki, Menzies and Wiggins, 2016). As Lozano et al. (2017) highlight, the nature of PBL advances critical thinking and problem-solving in engineering contexts, enabling students to critically reflect on sustainability concepts and apply this understanding to real-world challenges. Importantly, it is paramount in engineering education to foster action-oriented competencies and incorporate social contextualisation aspects (Fogg-Rogers et al., 2022), such as ethical nuances, justice, and equality, ensuring a comprehensive grasp of an engineerās role amidst evolving societal and environmental challenges (Wang et al., 2022).Ā Ā
2. Overcoming challenges within PBL:
While PBL presents an obvious approach for embedding sustainability, there are a series of challenges which engineering educators need to overcome to facilitate transformational learning. This section presents some of the most common challenges encountered, along with pedagogic solutions.Ā Ā
Ā
Lack of apparent topic relevance Sustainability topics can sometimes be treated as isolated topics, rather than an integrated aspect of an engineering problem. A perception of sustainability in engineering is that it is not implicit in design, manufacture, and operation; rather it is often perceived as an āadd-onā to technical skill development. This applies to both students and teachers: both require support to understand the relevance and complexities of sustainability. When academics delivering sustainability materials may struggle to relate the topic to their own engineering disciplines, students may fail to see how they can impact change. Students must work on real-world projects where they can make a difference locally or globally, and they are more inclined towards sustainability topics that are relevant to their subject discipline with subject experts.Ā Ā
Dealing with an overwhelming amount of information Students can be overwhelmed by the large amounts of multidisciplinary information that needs to be processed when tackling real-world problems. This can also be a challenge for academics delivering teaching, especially if the topic is not related to their speciality. Additional support (and training), along with allocation of teaching workload, are needed to successfully integrate sustainability contexts for both staff and students.Ā Ā Ā
Ā
Group work challenges PBL is best conducted by mixing individual study and group work. However, groups can fail if group creation, monitoring, supporting, and assessing processes are inconsistent, or not understood by academic tutors or students. Tutors need to act as group facilitators to ensure successful collaborative learning.Ā Ā
Ā
Issues with continual engagement PBL often requires active engagement of students over an extended period (several weeks or months). This can be a challenge, as over time, students’ focus and priorities can change. We suggest that whole programmes need to be designed around PBL components, so that other modules and disciplines provide the scaffolding and knowledge development to the relevant PBL topics.Ā Ā
Ā
Delivering PBL onlineĀ
PBL is best delivered using experiential hands-on learning. For example, at UWE Bristol, this is provided through civic engagement with real-world industry problems and service learning through engagement with industry, schools, and community groups ā(Fogg-Rogers et al., 2017)ā. This experiential learning was exceptionally challenging to deliver online during the COVID-19 pandemic, and programmes would need to be re-designed for online learning.Ā
Ā
3. Recommendations for successful implementation of PBL:
Sustainability topics need to be embedded within engineering education so that each discipline-specific engineering problem is explored within PBL from a technical, economic, ethical, and sustainability perspective.Ā Drawing from UWE Bristolās journey of ESD implementation using PBL, key recommendations are outlined below.Ā Ā
Ā
Managing academic workload In the initial phases of ESD integration at UWE Bristol, a small number of committed academics contributed a lot of time, effort, and dedication to push through and enable ESD acceptance from staff and students. Programme-wide implementation of ESD required wider support at the institutional level, alongside additional support for module leaders and tutors, so they felt capable of delivering ESD with a realistic workload.Ā
Ā
Structured delivery of ESD Structuring delivery over time and throughout different modules enables students to work through large amounts of information. Providing summative feedback/assessments during key phases of the PBL exercise can also help students stay on track and manage their workload. At UWE Bristol, group presentations with pass/fail grading are introduced mid-project, so students can present information gathered about the context, before beginning problem-solving.Ā
Ā
Managing group work challenges PBL is best conducted by mixing individual study and group work. Ensuring assessment briefs have implicit sustainability requirements is vital to embedding ESD concepts, so that students can see the need for engagement. This is further enhanced by stating the relevance to workplace contexts and UK-SPEC requirements. Tutors need to facilitate group dynamics and engagement, along with providing support structures for students who, for whatever reason, are unable to engage with group work.Ā Ā
Ā
Creating an enabling environment for ESD integration The integration of sustainable development throughout the curricula at UWE Bristol has been supported at the institutional level, and this has been critical for the wide scale rollout. An institution-wide Knowledge Exchange for Sustainability Education (KESE) network was created to support staff by providing a platform for knowledge sharing. Within the department, Staff Away days were used to run sustainability workshops to discuss ESD and topics of interest to students. An initial mapping exercise was conducted to highlight where sustainability was already taught within the curriculum and to identify the discipline relevant contexts (Lamere et al., 2022). Further training and industrially relevant contexts were provided to convince some staff that sustainability needed to be included in the curriculum, along with evidence that it was already of great relevance in the wider engineering workplace. This led to the development of an integrated framework of key learning requirements which embedded professional attributes and knowledge of the UK-SPEC.Ā Ā
Ā
Student motivation and continual engagementĀ Ā
For sustainability education to be effective, the content coverage should be aligned, or better still, integrated, with the topics that form part of studentsā disciplinary studies. To maintain continual engagement during the PBL delivery and beyond, clear linkages need to be provided between learning and future career-related practice-based sustainability activities. Partnerships have been developed with regional stakeholders and industry, to provide more context for real-world problems and to enable local service learning and community action (Fogg-Rogers, Fowles-Sweet, 2018). Industry speakers have also been invited to contribute to lectures, touching on a wide range of sustainability and ethical issues. ESD teaching is also firmly linked to the individualās own professional development, using the UK-SPEC competency requirements, and linked to end-point assessments. This allows students to see the potential impact on their own professionalism and career development.Ā
Ā
These recommendations can enable engineering educators to integrate sustainability topics within the curriculum using PBL to enhance student learning and engagement.Ā Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
Sustainability competency: Systems-thinking; Collaboration; Integrated problem-solving.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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: SDG 2 (Zero hunger); SDG 3 (Good health and well-being); SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production); SDG 13 (Climate action).Ā
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: Active pedagogies and mindset development; Authentic assessment; 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?āÆThis article should be read by Chemical Engineering educators in higher education who are seeking to integrate sustainability in their project modules. Engaging with this topic will also help to prepare students with the soft skill sets that employers are looking for.Ā
Premise:Ā
The design project (DP) is considered to be the major focus of the CE curriculum, where students work in groups to design a complete chemical process ā feeds, products process routes, energy requirements, financial aspects and emissions.Ā It is considered challenging for various reasons including the following: the requirement to recall and combine knowledge covered previously in taught classes (some of which may have been forgotten), dealing with a huge corpus of data (unavailability, uncertainty, some being in conflict and some being superfluous) and all the design decisions that need to be made from many options.Ā This is a major contrast with standard taught modules where all the data required is normally provided in advance.Ā Just making decisions is not enough ā they need to be timely and justified otherwise the project may be rushed and may not complete by the deadline.Ā This is why the DP is valued by employers.Ā Furthermore, if Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is embedded in the design project, it is more likely that students will take forward sustainability into the workplace. Figure 1 illustrates Chemical processes and the design project.Ā Ā Ā
1.Subject (CE) and DP pictorial representations:
Part (a) is a generic representation of a chemical process and shows the input-output nature of chemical processes.Ā A chemical process takes a feed and converts it to useful products (the process shown has two equipment units and four streams). Part (b) is a representation of the design project, where the specification (or brief) is provided to groups at the start (DSpec) and the final submission (or solution) is the information in part (a).Ā Part (c) shows that specifications can be product-based (the top two) or feed-based (the bottom two).Ā The dashed lines indicate specifications where the flowrate and composition of the feed/product is subject to design choice ā a typical factor that will extend the design procedure and require more decision-making.Ā
Ā
Ā 2. Inclusion of sustainability in the project topic and communication with students:
This is fairly straightforward in CE design projects, because of the circular economy and the associated waste minimisation.Ā So, from Figure 1, a feed-based (rather than product-based) specification can be employed.Ā Topics that have been used at Strathclyde in recent years have been the utilisation of coffee grounds, food waste and (in 2024) green and garden waste. It is helpful that such topics can be linked to many of the UN SDGs. Furthermore, waste products are often complex with many components, and one of the characteristics of chemical engineering is the various separation techniques. These two factors should be communicated to students to improve engagement.Ā Ā Ā
Ā
3. Inclusion of sustainability as an ESD activity to be carried out by groups:
One of the complicating factors about the UN SDGs is that there are so many, meaning that there is the possibility of a chemical process having both positive and negative impacts on different SDGs. This means that groups really need to consider all of the SDGs.Ā This might be conveniently demonstrated as per Table 1.Ā Certainly, it would be hoped that there are more ticks in column 2 than in column 3.Ā Column 4 corresponds to minimal change, and column 5 where there is not enough information to determine any impact.Ā
Table 1: Sustainability rating form for design project submissionsĀ Ā
As an example, consider a design project which is based on better utilisation of green waste.Ā Let us say that this results in less greenhouse gas emissions, as well as there being less need to plant and harvest plants.Ā This will result in positive outcomes for SDG12 and SDG13.Ā There are also positive effects because more land can be used for crops, and there will be higher plant coverage during the year.Ā It could be argued then that there are minor positive effects om SDG2 and SDG3.Ā The subsequent SDG profile in Table 1 shows two major impacts and two minor impacts ā this might be typical for DPs.Ā Ā
4. Assessment of sustainability in the design project:
Table 2 shows the typical sections in a DP submission.Ā For convenience these are shown as having equal 20-mark contributions.Ā One way of determining marks is to divide these sections into a number of dimensions, for example: use of the literature, technical knowledge, creativity/innovation and style/layout.Ā Sustainability could then be included as a fifth dimension.Ā It is then a case of determining the sustainability dimension for each of the marking sections.Ā It could be argued that sustainability is particularly important at the start of the project (when feeds and amounts are being decided) and at the end (when the final process is being assessed).Ā This explains the larger weightings in Table 2. Coherence refers to how well the submission reads in terms of order and consistency and is thus independent of sustainability.Ā The weightings are subject to debate, but they do at least give the potential for consistent (and traceable) grading between different assessors.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Table 2: Design project assessment now including ESDĀ Ā Ā
Feijoo, G., Moreira, M.T. (2020) āFostering environmental awareness towards responsible food consumption and reduced food waste in chemical engineering studentsā, Education for Chemical Engineers 33, pp. 27ā35Ā Ā
IChemE (2021), āAccreditation of chemical engineering programmes: a guide for education providers and assessorsāĀ
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā
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 UKās 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.Ā Ā
Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 13 (Climate action).Ā
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?āÆThis 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.Ā
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?Ā
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.Ā
Ā
The interplay of ethics and sustainability:Ā
At its core, sustainability goes beyond environmental impact. It encompasses social responsibility, economic viability, and intergenerational equity. Ethical engineering aligns with these principles by:Ā
Prioritising transparency and honesty:āÆGreen solutions shouldn’t mask potential downsides or mislead stakeholders.Ā
Respecting all stakeholders:āÆEngineers must consider the needs and voices of local communities,āÆindigenous populations,āÆand future generations.Ā
Envisioning long-term consequences:āÆSolutions conceived with short-term gain in mind can have unforeseen environmental and social repercussions.Ā
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Integrating ethical considerations into engineering curricula presents several challenges:Ā
Balancing economic pressures:āÆSustainable solutions don’t always align with immediate cost-effectiveness.āÆEducators must help students navigate these complex trade-offs and advocate for long-term benefits.Ā
Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration:āÆSustainability demands diverse perspectives.āÆEducators can encourage partnerships with ecologists,āÆsociologists,āÆand other experts to enrich student understanding.Ā
Staying updated with evolving technologies:āÆThe sustainability landscape is dynamic.āÆEducators must themselves embrace continuous learning to ensure their curriculum reflects the latest developments and potential ethical dilemmas.Ā
Learning from a case study:Ā Ā
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.Ā Ā
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Unforeseen costs of progress:Ā
Ivanpah’s case highlights the hidden costs of even well-intentioned renewable energy projects. It sparks critical questions for students to grapple with:Ā
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?Ā
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?Ā
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?Ā
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.Ā
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:Ā
Make informed decisions:āÆStudents should learn to analyse solutions through the lens of ethics,āÆconsidering environmental impact,āÆsocial responsibility,āÆand economic viability.Ā
Engage in open dialogue:āÆCultivating a culture of critical thinking and open communication is crucial for addressing diverse perspectives and mitigating potential ethical concerns.Ā
Collaborate ethically:āÆStudents should understand the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration,āÆrespecting diverse expertise and working towards shared goals that benefit all stakeholders.Ā
Conclusion:Ā
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.Ā
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 Professorsā Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.Ā Ā
Authors: Emma Crichton CEng MICE and Dr Jonathan Truslove MEng PhD (Engineers Without Borders UK).Ā
Topic: How to talk about sustainability in engineering education.Ā
Tool type: Guidance.Ā
Relevant disciplines: Any.Ā
Keywords: Advocacy; Collaboration; Global responsibility; Sustainability; Systems change; Climate change; AHEP; Higher education; Pedagogy.Ā
Sustainability competency: Self-awareness; Strategic; 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 UKās Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes fourth edition (AHEP4):āÆThe Engineer and SocietyāÆ(acknowledging that engineering activity can have a significant societal impact) andāÆEngineering PracticeāÆ(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 4āÆhereāÆand navigate to pages 30-31 and 35-37.āÆĀ
Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities); SDG 13 (Climate action).Ā
Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: Active pedagogies and mindset development.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 should read this article? This article should be read by educators at all levels of higher education looking to embed and integrate sustainability into curriculum design. Itās especially useful in helping educators, heads of departments and deans to engage in a constructive or uncomfortable conversation if you donāt see yourself as a sustainability expert.Ā Ā
Premise:Ā
“To not have conversations because they make you uncomfortable is the definition of privilege. Your comfort is not at the centre of this discussion. That’s not how it works. We have to be able to choose courage over comfort, we have to be able to say, āLook, I donāt know if Iām going to nail this but Iām going to try because I know what Iām sure as hell not going to do is stay quiet.āā Brene BrownĀ Ā
Some of the best conversations you can have in life are not comfortable to initiate:Ā
Saying āI love youā for the first time to someone you don’t know will say it back.Ā Ā
Asking for a pay rise for the first time and having to describe why you are valuable.Ā
Saying “I don’t know” when you’ve positioned yourself as an expert.Ā Ā
Talking about your grief. Talking about life. Talking about death.Ā Ā
Talking about the future. Talking about the past.Ā Ā
Think about a time you’ve participated in a meaningful conversation. These are not easy conversations, but they can also be the ones we look back to as very powerful, even if they took courage to initiate. And sometimes in a conversation, especially a constructive conversation, people disagree. People debate. People have different perspectives. And that’s the beauty of conversation and the beautiful rich diversity of people. It would be so boring if we all had the same life experiences, expertise and thoughts. If we only wanted to hear our own perspective, you can do that in a voice note to yourself, in your journal or by talking to the mirror.Ā Ā
There can also be different conversations depending on the values of those having the conversation. What they see as important, scary or what environment they live in helps form their core understanding. But despite our differences, humans are hard-wired for connection, to listen and talk with others. We discuss ideas in order to find common ground, and/or to learn about an experience we didn’t have ourselves. Difficult, constructive conversations build relationships, while avoiding them leads to a less deep connection.Ā Ā
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Why talk about sustainability?Ā
Educators,you have permission to start and facilitate a conversation about something you don’t know much about or are not an expert in. Just be honest about what you know and be driven to learn more.Ā Ā Ā Ā
This relates to conversations around the topic of sustainability. When we talk about how we can live within our planetary limits, whilst meeting the needs of all people, questions about justice, inequality and fairness often crop up. We don’t have one right answer here, we don’t have a magic fix or one person to blame. No one is an expert here. Sure, some know more about the science, others more about people’s lived experiences and others can feel they don’t know enough. But we all have a right to participate in conversations about our collective humanity. For example, conversations you could have with students about sustainability could cover:Ā
Views on a particular podcast, TED talk or news article.Ā Ā
Think of a community you love. What would you like life there to be like in 2050?Ā
What sustainability-related questions or topics would you like to explore?Ā Ā
What do the Sustainable Development Goals mean to you? How might they connect to community-driven initiatives?Ā Ā
What does the future of work look like for engineering?Ā
How do we all acknowledge the burden of shifting the norm in engineering to address sustainability challenges?Ā Ā
Is there an extra pressure on future engineering generations? How does that feel?Ā
How might we recognise that those who are most impacted by the climate crisis may not be the ones whose actions are responsible for it?Ā
After all, sustainability is about imagining our future: One where we have less impact on our safe climate and biodiversity and less inequality. But we may see that future world differently. We may worry about the impact any change might have on our lives and the things we value most. Some may struggle with the idea of repurposing golf courses to address our housing crisis, others may struggle with the idea of policies stopping people from flying frequently (but they might be okay with this being imposed on those with private jets). Others may despair at the slow levels of change, where we don’t move from our default trajectory and risk climate breakdown.Ā Ā
On our current trajectory, we are looking at living in a world where our climate exceeds 1.5 degrees of warming, where there is mass migration, sea level rise, etc. This world may be worse, where more people suffer. But would you change how we engineer to make it better or play a role in another way to shift our trajectory?Ā
How to initiate conversations about sustainability in engineering education:Ā
To not have these important conversations means we don’t see any role for ourselves or the organisations we work for in creating change – and that’s not true, since sustainability requires systemic change to how we engineer AND to how we educate. For example, we asked hundreds of engineering educators and educationalists what they hope to see as the future of engineering education. Their responses are visualised below:Ā
Discussing your opinions about these responses could be one way to start a conversation with a colleague.Ā
It is also really important to engage in regular conversations about sustainability with students as a feature of their university education. Be a role model for how to participate in constructive conversations respectfully. Help them practise how to hold and present themselves in these spaces.Ā Ā
So, with this in mind, what can you do?Ā Ā
Ā Initiate the conversation. Prepare to do so. Here are some tips and tricks.Ā Ā
Open questions are generally your friend; avoid yes/no questions that donāt allow the responder to share their insights.Ā
Have clarity on what you will do if you don’t know the answer. Could a person in the room go away, research and come back with a more informed response?Ā
Create a space for people to open up.Ā Ā
Bring in people who can facilitate this type of environment and learn from them. It is not incumbent on individual educators to create all learning content and deliver that to students.Ā Ā
Be humble! Learning from others is key. Degrees can be designed so that students can frequently hear and learn about different perspectives and develop the ability to speak with economists, social scientists, scientists, humanities experts, ecologists, and those with expertise gained through lived experience. Be willing to learn from others and acknowledge that itās okay they donāt have all the answers either. In our experience, students usually respect this attitude of humility.Ā Ā
It can be helpful to work with those with experience. Recognise who is leading changes and creating ways for educators to feel safe in leading and making change. Sometimes all it takes is the offer of a coffee with a colleague to form a connection and get a shared understanding of how to move forward.Ā
Seek (and give) advice and share your experience. Share resources, barriers, insights and position initiatives to support in an organised and collaborative way.Ā Ā
Work in partnership with students. Students also have a critical role to play in this shift, not just because they are increasingly demanding to see more sustainability in the curriculum. For many emerging students, sustainability is the topic of their lifetime. Listen to the perspectives of international students, who can bring more diverse perspectives on global responsibility.Ā Ā
āSustainability is more than a word or concept, it is actually a culture, and if we aim to see it mirrored in the near future, what better way exists than that of planting it in the young hearts of today knowing they are the leaders of the tomorrow we are not guaranteed of? It is possible.ā 2021 South African university student (after participating in the Engineering for People Design Challenge during their degree course)Ā
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Useful resources to get talking:Ā
There are some excellent resources out there that can help us get started framing and having conversations about sustainability with others:Ā
1. The Talk Climate Changecampaign tracks climate discussions to share messages and inspire others around the world. It provides advice, conversation starters and allows you to add your discussions with family, friends, and communities about sustainability to their interactive map and explore conversations submitted by others.Ā
2. Listen to podcasts such as the Liberating Sustainabilitypodcast by Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOSUK) who bring together leaders from student liberation movements and academia to deconstruct the exclusivity of sustainability activism and education, orAn Idiotās Guide to Saving the World which dives into each of the Sustainable Development Goals and focuses in on āwho is affected?ā, āWhat are solutions on a global scale?ā, and āwhat can I as an individual do?ā.Ā
3. Watch the presentation on āImagining 2050ā from James Norman, a current educator (who will be 72 years old in 2050) and Cleo Parker, an engineering student (who will be 49 in 2050) during the Institution of Structural Engineers Annual Academics Conference 2022. You can also read the main learning points from the conference in this blog post.Ā Ā
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