Engineers Have a Role to Play in Minimizing Climate Change
Michael Li, an environmentally sustainable development engineer based in Melbourne, Australia, explains why he strongly believes that engineers play a role in minimizing climate change.
Engineers play an integral role in shaping our interaction with the world. The decisions we make on a day-to-day basis through our work can have a range of environmental, social and economic impacts. The construction of buildings, for example, consumes natural resources outside of the boundaries of what happens on-site, including the energy, water and raw materials that go into the manufacturing of construction materials. The urban heat island effect in major cities, meanwhile, can cause undue stress to inhabitants during heat waves — particularly the homeless — and new jobs and revenue streams can flow from major infrastructure projects or innovative manufacturing.
The work of engineers also significantly influences, both positively and negatively, our human contribution to climate change. Climate change does not just present environmental risks; it is also a risk to global political stability, infrastructure and food security. Given that climate change is one of humanity’s biggest challenges of the 21st century, and its effects are already starting to be felt around the world, it is imperative that the engineering profession commits to playing its part in reducing its impacts. For society to develop solutions that minimise climate change, engineers must play a fundamental and active role.
There are many opportunities for engineers to work directly in the field of sustainability and contribute to climate change solutions. In my role with integrated infrastructure firm AECOM, I advise project teams and clients on reducing the environmental impact of buildings, while creating a healthy and positive environment for building tenants. I also use analytical skills to provide strategic direction on sustainability initiatives at a precinct or community-wide level, such as low-carbon energy generation or sustainable transport. Many engineers develop new technologies that reduce our environmental footprint — such as solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells — or that are involved in the efficient manufacturing of these technologies. Environmental engineers, meanwhile, make their contribution to sustainability through the use of engineering principles that reduce the impact of major industrial activities.
However, the contribution engineers can make in sustainability isn’t limited to these so-called “traditional" fields of engineering. The strength of the engineering profession is the combination of analytical abilities with strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively inspire change in the way people do business or live their lives. For example, AECOM has developed a Total Carbon Metric methodology for office developments that assesses the carbon impacts of a building across a range of emissions sources. The metric looks at carbon emissions from on-site demolition and construction, the embodied carbon in the materials, the carbon emitted during the operation of the building from electricity and gas consumption, staff transport to and from work, and waste sent to the landfill. The tenants in the building then commit to purchasing carbon offsets annually to account for operational emissions from that year, as well as a portion of the fixed-embodied carbon impact.
The total carbon impact isn’t the only output of this tool. The tool also assists tenants in tracking and offsetting their environmental impacts over the course of each year. Our role in implementing this tool is not just to inform the tenants of what they need to offset, but also to support the tenants in using and understanding the results in a meaningful way so they can reduce their carbon emissions. This approach shows how engineers can use their skills to not only “crunch the numbers” and influence designs, but also to engage with people to understand environmental impacts and drive the behavioural change required to minimise the impacts of climate change.
This ability to influence isn’t limited to engineers working directly in the field of sustainability. Engineering professionals from all backgrounds and industries have the unique combination of technical and interpersonal skills that can be utilised to contribute to climate change solutions.
So my challenge to you is this: How can you, in your professional career, use your engineering skills to influence your clients, colleagues, peers and suppliers to make choices that work towards a more sustainable future?
Check out more blog posts about sustainability and resiliency on the AECOM Impact blog!
About AECOM
AECOM is a premier, fully integrated professional and technical services firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients. With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in over 150 countries around the world, AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings, and has been recognized by Fortune magazine as a World’s Most Admired Company. The firm is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering customized and creative solutions that meet the needs of clients’ projects. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM companies, including URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group, had revenue of approximately $19 billion during the 12 months ended March 31, 2015. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com
Media Contact:
Ed Mayer
Vice President, Corporate Communications
732.564.3380
Ed.Mayer@aecom.com
