sustainability

Industrial sustainability involves the “need to better understand how to respond to environmental, social and economic challenges and transform industrial behaviour,” as cited from http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/industrial-sustainability/

It’s fair to assume that any qualified engineer could produce a product, but a better engineer will thrive to be more innovative and produce the same thing with greater efficiency. If resources are used carefully, the future generations’ share would not be compromised, especially with regard to non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels. Engineers are a cornerstone to most of the big industries such as energy, transport, medicine; where efficiency at the forefront and almost a necessity to maintain economic sustainability.

Almost every industry has some form of externalities. Transport and energy industries have an enormous challenge of reducing or more directly, preventing toxic products to the atmosphere. The work of engineers has played a big role in ensuring environmental sustainability by providing both direct and indirect solutions to the current problem of global warming.

The research carried on nanomaterial and composites has had a substantial impact on reducing the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. For example, the aircraft industry has started a gradual switch to composites. Composites do not only make the vehicle light and strong, but also increases fuel efficiency, meaning less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere per distance travelled. These materials also provide economic sustainability as composites are comparatively cheaper. This shows how engineers are versatile, and could transfer their skills to other sectors of the industry. For an example an Aer...

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...charging systems and battery exchange systems, would ensure that customers spend the same amount of time, of not less, at the filling stations. I personally believe that this industry would be an absolute success if nuclear fusion energy could materialize.

Engineers should use their knowledge to do things which perhaps an ordinary citizen, business-people or politicians cannot do. Such knowledge can be used to make end products revel to customers and simultaneously offer industrial sustainability, whether being environmental, economic or social. Their ability to scrutinise things and look at finer details, as well as making careful consideration to factors safety prove to be very significant in most industries. It is vital that engineers are trained to be versatile team workers; they could work with other professionals effortlessly to make the world a better place.