Sustainable Development in Practice : Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists

by Editor: Adisa Azapagic (University of Surrey, UK); Editor: Roland Clift (University of Surrey, UK); Editor: Slobodan Perdan (University of Surrey, UK)

• ISBN13: 9780470856093
• ISBN10: 0470856092
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-01
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

This ground-breaking text looks at the ways of integrating sustainability aspects into science and engineering. In providing an all-round sustainability education, it teaches students within engineering and environmental science the implications of their decisions on the environment. Taking a life cycle approach to address economic, environmental and social issues, the book presents a series of practical case studies drawn from a range of industrial sectors, including water, energy, waste, chemicals, glass and mining and minerals. The key features of the book include: Case studies that provide real-world and practical examples for readers to work through Coverage of various sustainability issues in both developed and developing countries Exploration of the scientific and technical aspects of each issue together with consideration of the economic, environmental and social ramifications Sustainable Development in Practice: Case Studies for Engineers and Scientists is essential reading for all engineers and scientists concerned with sustainable development. In particular, it provides key reading and learning materials for undergraduate and postgraduate students reading environmental, chemical, civil or mechanical engineering, manufacturing and design, environmental science, green chemistry and environmental management. This book's accessible style also makes it of interest to the general reader who is engaged with the sustainability debate. Visit the NEW Companion Website, offering comprehensive tutor2s notes for each case study: http://www.wileyeurope.com/go/azapagic

Author Biography

<b>Adisa Azapagic</b> is Professor of Sustainable Engineering. Her research interests and expertise include life cycle modeling and optimization, life cycle assessment, industrial ecology, sustainability indicators, multiple criteria decision analysis and corporate social responsibility. Azapagic is the author of over 130 publications in these areas, including a book on Polymers, the Environment and Sustainable Development also published by Wiley. She is also interested in sustainability education and is a member of the European Federation of Chemical engineering (EFCE) Working Party on Education. She is a UNESCO/TWAIS/ICSU Visiting Scientist at the Instituto Technol&#243;gico Aut&#243;nomo de M&#233;xico (ITAM), Mexico City. <p> <b>Slobodan Perdan</b> is a philosopher with expertise and professional interests in the areas of sustainable development, moral philosophy and sustainability education. He has written on a variety of issues concerning sustainable development, and has taught and researched a wide range of subjects including environmental philosophy, business and engineering ethics, corporate sustainability and social and political theory. Perdan is currently working as a freelance consultant having previously worked at the University of Surrey for several years. <p> <b>Roland Clift</b> is a Distinguished Professor in Environmental Technology and founding Director of the Centre for Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey; previously Head of the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Surrey. He is a member of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, of the International Expert Group on application of Life Cycle Assessment to waste management and of the Rolls-Royce Environmental Advisory Board, and a past member of the UK Ecolabelling Board. Clift is a Visiting Professor in Environmental System Analysis at Chalmers University, G&#246;teborg, Sweden. He has recently been awarded the Sir Frank Whittle medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering for his leading role in developing the holistic life cycle assessment of products and its use as a systematic way of incorporating environmental and social issues in engineering decisions.

Table of Contents

About the Editors

About the Contributors

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Part I Sustainable Development, Engineers and Scientists

1 Introduction to Sustainable Development

2 The Role of Engineers and Scientists in Sustainable Development

Part II Case Studies

1 Waste Water Treatment: Identifying Sustainable Processes

2 Integrated Prevention and Control of Air Pollution: The Case of Nitrogen Oxides

3 Municipal Solid Waste Management: Can Thermodynamics Influence People’s Opinions about Incineration

4 Process Design for Sustainability: The Case of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM)

5 Towards Sustainable Chemical Manufacturing: Polylactic Acid – A Sustainable Polymer?

6 An Industrial Ecology: Material Flows and Engineering Design

7 Scenario Building and Uncertainties: Options for Energy Sources

8 Fuel cells in Stationary Applications: Energy for the Future?

9 Towards Sustainable Process Contracting: The Case of the Glass Industry

10 Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: The Case of Power Generation in South Africa

11 Social and Ethical Dimensions of Sustainable Development: Mining in Kakadu National Park

Appendix: Life Cycle Thinking and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)