Sustainable Engineering and what it has to offer

Sustainable engineering and environmentally friendly projects include the use of resources in a way that does not endanger the environment and destroy materials which are going to be used by future generations (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2021).

Sustainability needs to become part of the practice of all fields of engineering in order to improve the future quality of life. However, sustainability is not a one-dimensional factor. It is a solution of interdisciplinary approach and is not the sole responsibility of environmental engineering.

The role of engineers in combating climate change is crucial, as the creation and promotion of environmentally friendly technologies is more necessary than ever.

Expertise, unique knowledge and skills are essential components not only for the existence of such technologies, but also for ensuring the continuous emergence of innovative solutions that work proactively to the challenges arising from climate change.

But what does sustainable engineering mean, and how does it practically contribute to the life of a city or a community?

The forms that sustainable engineering can take are:

• the use of methods that minimize the destruction of the environment in order to provide adequate food, water, shelter and means of transport for the population
• the application of methods that allow us to reuse the waste, in new similar or completely different processes
• the combination of the socio-economic dimension and the technical knowledge in the solutions we provide

The solutions provided by each engineer, need to comply with all standards of quality and know-how and also be synchronized with environmental regulations. The challenge here is to combine and implement them in such a way that each project is effective and improves the quality of life, at the same time.

Infrastructure projects improve the quality of life and create opportunities within communities. How innovative these projects are, as well as the extent to which we include sustainability in them, is a direct reflection of a society's values.

The growing interest in environmental and socially sustainable results not only has the potential to improve lives but also to facilitate the ability to raise the capital needed to fill the infrastructure investment gap. Thus, it is society's responsibility to turn investors' attention to "environment-focused goals", emphasizing the advantages in each one of them.