Engineering Solutions for Sustainability: Materials and Resources

Natural resources are the lifeblood of agricultural and industrial endeavors that contribute to our social and economic well-being. Yet, even as these resources dwindle from mismanagement, there is still no clear consensus in the engineering community of what actually defines "sustainable engineering."

This publication offers the engineering profession a multi-disciplinary blueprint for action by presenting topics of discussion from the Engineering Solutions for Sustainability: Materials and Resources workshop held at the école Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, July 22–24, 2009. It includes an extensive bibliography and recommended readings section, and a summary of key, cross-cutting initiatives recommended as priorities because of their potential to create common principles for advancing societal sustainability through technological, educational, and public policy solutions.

The resources, tools, and concepts delivered in this report draw from the unique perspectives and expertise of an array of engineering disciplines, represented by delegates from the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The intent of this publication is to forge a better understanding of the role and responsibility of engineering in achieving global sustainability, while also laying the foundation for an ongoing and productive interdisciplinary dialogue in other forums.