Sustainable Development in Practice: Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists

Sustainable Development in Practice: Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists, is a completely revised and updated second edition of this successful text. The book explores the concept of sustainable development and its implications for science and engineering practice and looks at how sustainability criteria can be combined with traditional scientific and engineering considerations to design and operate industrial systems in a more sustainable manner. Taking a life cycle approach to address economic, environmental and social issues, the book will present a series of new practical case studies drawn from a range of sectors, including mining, energy, food, buildings, transport, waste, and health.

Most of the existing books on sustainable development are aimed at the social sciences and humanities. This book uniquely, is aimed at engineers and scientists and it successfully combines technical, economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development in the case studies. Clearly structured throughout, the book opens with a general introduction to the issues surrounding sustainable development and explores the concept of sustainable development and its implications for technical experts. Recognising that practical interpretation of sustainable development depends on the context, the second part of the book is devoted to a set of case studies drawn from a range of industrial sectors including mining, energy, food, buildings, transport, waste and health. Each case study sets out real practical problems and explores the scientific and technical aspects of each problem whilst also taking into consideration its economic, environmental and social ramifications to position the expert analysis in the context of sustainable development.

This book is essential reading for all engineers and scientists concerned with sustainable development. In particular, it provides key reading and learning materials for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses in environmental, chemical, civil or mechanical engineering, manufacturing and design, environmental science, green chemistry and environmental management.

Completely revised and updated throughout, the Second Edition now covers twelve new sectors/applications. These new applications are particularly pertinent to sustainable development with each case study including a section on communicating ideas/processes with the non-engineering and non-scientific audience to draw out the importance of this subject for engineers and scientists. The book now includes a supplementary website that includes further case study material not included in the book.