Skip to main content

Injecting Sustainability into Engineering Design Projects

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
  • 972 Accesses

Part of the book series: World Sustainability Series ((WSUSE))

Abstract

Ideal engineering graduates are able to think critically, produce solutions that satisfy multiple stakeholders, protect the interest of the public, and assess their ethical, social, economic, and environmental obligations, based upon their knowledge of engineering principles. Project-based learning is an appropriate forum for students to develop these skills while focused on authentic design problems. In structuring an effective learning environment, intentional effort must be made by educators in all program areas—ranging from the choice of client to the information requested in the final report—to highlight students’ greater responsibility within society. The decisions that an educator makes to the framework, deliverables, and exercises for a design project impact the degree to which students will engage in higher level decision making. This paper will discuss the strategies that have been employed in the first and second year projects that encourage students to use higher-level thinking and will introduce how sustainability will be an integral focus of the new Sustainable Design Engineering degree.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Libby Osgood .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Osgood, L., Peters, W., Champion, S. (2016). Injecting Sustainability into Engineering Design Projects. In: Leal Filho, W., Nesbit, S. (eds) New Developments in Engineering Education for Sustainable Development. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32933-8_21

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics