8 Sustainability in Engineering Free Online FlashCards

What is the goal of sustainable engineering?

Sustainable engineering reduces environmental harm and resource use while meeting practical needs for safety, performance, reliability, and cost.

What does resource efficiency mean in engineering?

Resource efficiency means delivering the required function with less material, energy, water, or waste.

Name environmental impacts that engineering projects can cause.

Impacts can include greenhouse-gas emissions, air and water pollution, habitat disruption, toxic substances, and waste.

What stages can a product’s life cycle include?

The stages are raw-material acquisition; processing and manufacturing; transportation and distribution; use and maintenance; and end of life.

What is a life-cycle assessment (LCA)?

A life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a structured method for estimating potential environmental impacts across a product, process, or activity’s life cycle.

How can engineers make an LCA comparison fair?

Define the purpose and scope, use consistent assumptions, and compare alternatives on a common basis, such as impacts per 1,000 liters of water pumped.

Why do LCA results not remove all uncertainty?

LCA results depend on the data and assumptions used, so they inform decisions but do not eliminate uncertainty.

What does life-cycle thinking help engineers avoid?

Life-cycle thinking considers impacts across every stage so a design does not simply shift a problem from one stage to another.

What determines whether a more efficient pump is the better choice?

The better choice depends on total life-cycle impacts, including electricity source, pump lifetime, maintenance, and end-of-life options.

What is the first priority in sustainable design?

Prevent impacts first by avoiding unnecessary material, packaging, energy use, and waste.

How can engineers extend a product’s useful life?

Reliable, repairable, upgradeable products that are easy to maintain can remain useful for longer.

How can design support responsible end-of-life options?

Plan for components to be disassembled, reused, remanufactured, or recycled where practical.