Sustainable engineering involves taking care of the environment and living within the ecological limits. In the recent past, sustainability engineers have been working their way out to find and implement holistic solutions with an aim of protecting the vital life supporting systems on earth. In addition, they also try to meet the needs of the growing population on the planet by advising people to utilize energy sources including solar power, wind and water (Evans, Strezov, & Evans, 2009). There are numerous organizations advocating for sustainability between industrial systems and sustainable ecology. According to Patel (2005), sustainable consumption and production of energy prevent adverse climatic changes, excessive release of waste and …show more content…
Water in flowing rivers, oceans, and seas can be used to produce hydroelectric power. Falling water turns dynamos to convert water energy into electricity (Patel, 2005). Countries with big rivers in rugged terrains can easily make use of water to provide technology. In addition, countries with large reservoirs may not efficiently make use of hydropower in the future as areas with the required gravity will be exploited for other activities and also environmental considerations. However, there is a problem in supply of electricity harnessed from water because at times, it becomes scarce due to long periods of dry weather. Deforestation is a major threat to the existence of plenty flowing water (Patel, 2005). Sustainable engineering in water power involves the use of expensive equipment. However, once installed, this equipment produces a lot of electricity to meet the demand by both individuals and industries. Pumped storage hydro systems are the most efficient in producing hydroelectricity. Studies conducted by sustainability engineers indicate that water power can produce clean energy for long periods of time and thus a clean …show more content…
Economic development is brought about by efficient use of technology to provide cheaper means of harnessing electricity. In developing countries, sustainable engineering has enabled the utilization of renewable energy sources like solar power. Sustainability engineering of these resources ensure quality air with no carbon emissions. Sustainable engineering is important in countering the negative effects in climate and the environment that can harm individuals’ health, livelihood and lives as well as controlling the extent of pollution (Delucchi & Jacobson 2011). Therefore, sustainability will bring about a sound ecological system composed of air, land and sea. Due to the improvement in technology, it is possible to achieve a sustainable future where fossil fuels are no longer used. Increased energy demands are leading to the alternative use of the renewable resources, which are even more
Today, water usage is very high. One of the main reasons has been due to an increase in population. Human population is today on the rise. According to the CIA (2015), the birth rate of the human population stands at 1.86%. In the last 100 years, there has been tremendous growth in human population due to advances in medical technology as well as improvement in agriculture. This has led to an increase in water use over the years. In addition, the increase in industries over this period has also led to an increase in water use. Today, there are numerous industries that have come up, each requiring huge amounts of water to run smoothly. The increase in water usage today is partially responsible for the global water crisis. The huge demand for water means that there is less water available for each person and each industry.
Another use of hydropower is pumped storage. In pumped storage plants, water is pumped from low resevoirs to a higher reservoir during off peak times, using electricity from different types of generators. Operators release it back into the lower reservoir through turbines if power is needed. Some power is initially lost, but pumped storage systems can be about 80 percent efficient. Sometimes it's important to meet power demands where hydro plants have an advantage in their abilities when they also have reservoirs. Most plants may only produce hydro power all the time and can't be adjusted when it comes to wanting more power in times of need. Whereas hydro plants with dams save up the water and allow it to flow only during peak times. These peak times can be beneficial to whitewater enthusiasts, but can also inhibit fishing opportunities because of the increased water flow.
However, nuclear energy is not the only source of energy that can produce a plethora of energy. There are not only cheaper options, but safer ones as well. Nuclear disaster are devastating events and will have massive implications on the environment. Also, the long term storage of nuclear waste is a problem that still exists and has not been solved for sixty years. Hydroelectric energy is not only che...
The market for sustainable energy has been growing over the last couple of years. The reason the energy market continues to grow is because there is a global need for energy security, which is due climate changes that has been caused by the actual energy method that most c...
Sustainability has extended to our field; people have begun to understand the importance and necessity to introduce this practice into their life. All of this not
Sustainability is among the top crucial global issues that the world faces today. Technology has increased dramatically which is creating ecological sustainability issues with the increased consumption of natural resources. The results are products that are increasing our carbon footprint as a whole through pollution and destroying ecosystems. It is important for people to emphasize sustainability in their lives now before these changes are irreversible and the world cannot survive. Many cities around the world are trying to change the impacts that civilization has had on the environment in the past with initiatives in ecological sustainability.
The first type of renewable energy is hydroelectric energy or well known as hydropower. In greek word, hydro means water and thus hydroelectric energy refers to electricity generated using flowing water at high velocity. Lutgens and Tarbuck (1992, p. 163) stated that “running water is of great importance to people as we depend upon rivers for energy, travel and irrigation”. Continuous availability of water in universe made water to be the main source of hydroelectric energy. Water has been widely utilized by mankind since the beginning of civilization and wate...
Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objects of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimal waste, and create healthy, productive environments (“Sustainable Design”). Focusing primarily on the sustainable design principles, there are five, including: low-impact materials, energy efficiency, quality and durability, design for reuse and recycling, and renewability. As sustainability appears to become the necessary trend in architecture, the question concerning the cost versus outcome of “going green” really an investment or a waste of time and money comes to mind. With our research provided below, we believe the expenses may truly be with the investment in the end.
Sustainability is a concept with a diverse array of meanings and definitions – a widely used glamorous, ambiguous, ambivalent and vague concept that is used by different stakeholder groups in various ways. Presumably to avoid noodling over a terminology or to avoid the confrontation with a definition, most widely the concept is broken down a planning process (c.f. e.g. Döring & Muraca, 2010). That is why most common sustainability is understood as sustainable development.1
One efficient way to acquire energy is Hydropower. Hydropower is power derived from the energy of falling water or fast running water. This energy converter is harmless to the environment. Other ways will affect the atmosphere and the environment in a negative way. The most common device for hydropower is a dam. It relies on the water cycle. This is one of the oldest sources of energy.
Next, hydro-electricity is electricity produced by moving water, flowing past a turbine connected to a generator (“Hydropower”). According to Nationalgeographic.c...
Hydropower, the use of water to power machinery or produce electricity, provides the most renewable energy in the United States, and uses alternating current in most modern plants ("Hydropower…”). Hydropower relies on the water cycle and is a clean fuel source; it doesn’t pollute the environment like plants that burn fossil fuels. It is by far the most efficient way to generate electricity, being half the cost of using nuclear power, two-fifths the cost of using fossil fuels, and a quarter the cost of using natural gas ("Wind and Water…”). Also, hydropower is not subject to market fluctuations of embargos, and the average lifespan of a facility is 100 years. Hydropower also has many non-energy benefits such as water supply, flood control, navigation, irrigation, and recreation. However, it does face many environmental challenges such as impacts to aquatic habitats, aesthetic alterations of landscapes, changes to water quality, and interruptions of marine life ("Hydropower…”).
Sustainable development in civil engineering is another challenge that they face today. According to an Engineering Times survey conducted by the national society of professional engineers it is believed that the civil engineers are not involved in sustainable design as they should be. Even though sustainability was a minor consideration in civil engineering in the past, today civil engineers have learned and applied new skills to implement sustainability into projects.
Hydroelectricity is a known renewable energy resource that provides substantial benefits for our wealth, our health, and for our global economy. There are five types of renewable energy we can use on a daily basis throughout our lives, but the most widely installed form of renewable energy is hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity is electricity created by converting the kinetic energy of flowing water. Best thing about this source of energy is that it’s timeless and renewable, which means it will never run out, however we had to figure ways to store this energy. In order for them to harness this energy for other people, they had to build generators that convert all the potential energy of rapid moving water into electrical energy. (http://www.ems.psu.edu/~elsworth/courses/cause2003/finalprojects/vikingpaper.pdf)
Over the past decades, geologists and scientists alike have determined that the Earth is running out of non-renewable resources, particularly those resources that provide us with energy that fuels our world’s economies, jobs, and most importantly our daily lives. Without this energy, whole countries can collapse, and the human race would struggle to survive. Therefore, it is safe to assume that we as a nation are entirely dependent on energy, or the ability to do work (Gale Science in Context). Consequently, we are now actively searching for more cost efficient and useful forms of energy to replace those we currently use. By doing this we will be helping the earth by reducing carbon emissions and cutting down on air and water pollutants. This may ultimately prolong the life of our planet, and save money and resources while doing so.