Sustainability Education

2005–2015 Decade of Education in Sustainable Development

2005-2015 is the official United Nations Decade of Education in Sustainable Development. As part of Engineers Australia's contribution to this initiative, a group of leaders from the Young Engineers Australia ranks were embraced in 2001 as a special project to form The Natural Edge Project (TNEP). Hosting the project for three years, before handing over to Griffith University and the Australian National University, Engineers Australia provided the platform for the team to develop the flagship international publication, The Natural Advantage of Nations: Business Opportunities, Innovation and Governance in the 21st Century, that later won a 2005 Banksia Award, and a series of online education for sustainable development course materials. Particular support and mentoring was received from the Environmental College and the Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering .

Thanks to the support from Engineers Australia together with a number of grants and donations from groups such as UNESCO, DEWR, DELL, NFEE and CSIRO, the team has developed a wide range of free access online course materials in sustainable development relevant for both student and professional engineers. Each course contains a number of base lectures that have been extensively peer reviewed and trialled, by both universities, government agencies and engineering firms, to assist in the acceleration of such sustainable development materials into the education system and industry practice. Reproduction of these course materials is permitted with the source of the material clearly acknowledged.

This material is intended to assist the profession to reach a high standard of sustainability engineering education and practice.

Introduction to Sustainable Development for the Engineering and Built Environment Professions

(First Year University/Introductory Professional Development)

The course is the introductory course in the Critical Literacies Portfolio of the Engineering Sustainable Solutions Program. The course focuses on the context for incorporating sustainable development into the engineering profession, describing the terms, barriers, opportunities and existing tools that define and explain a whole systems approach to Sustainable Development. TNEP received grants from UNESCO (Natural Science Sector) and The Institution of Engineers Australia (College of Environmental Engineering and Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering) to develop this course.

Principles and Practices in Sustainable Development for the Engineering and Built Environment Professions

(Second Year University/Intermediate Professional Development)

The course is the second, intermediate course in the Critical Literacies Portfolio of the Engineering Sustainable Solutions Program. The course builds on from the introductory course and provides a focus on principles and practices involved in incorporating sustainable development into the engineering profession. TNEP received grants from UNESCO (Natural Science Sector) and The Institution of Engineers Australia (College of Environmental Engineering and Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering) to develop this course.

Whole Systems Design Suite

(Second – Fourth Year University/Advanced Professional Development)

The purpose of the Whole System Design Suite is to provide introductory technical design based teaching material to demonstrate how advances in energy, materials and water efficiency can be achieved through applying a Whole System Approach to Sustainable Design. Whole System Approaches for designing buildings, cars, cities, industry plants, motors, farming and agriculture, and lighting systems are increasingly being seen as the key to the most cost effective reduction in negative environmental impacts. TNEP received a grant from the Australian Federal Department of the Environment and Water Resources under the Education for Sustainable Development Grants Programme.

Energy Transformed: Sustainable Energy Solutions - Australian Edition

(Third/Fourth Year University/Advanced Professional Development)

This portfolio provides a freely available online education and training package to bring together the knowledge of how Australia can achieve at least 60 percent cuts to greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This training package provides engineers with the knowledge they need to assist industry, business and households realise energy efficiency savings in the short term while providing a strong basis for further improvement. TNEP received grants from CSIRO, as part of the Energy Transformed Flagship, and the National Framework for Energy Efficiency (NFEE).

E-Waste Curriculum Development Project

(Senior High School/ First Year University)

TNEP worked in collaboration with Griffith University to develop the E-Waste Curriculum Development Project with funding from DELL. The team from TNEP worked with Malcolm Wolski, Associate Director, Research Computing Services Information and Communication Technology Services at Griffith University. These courses are designed to engage with our most influential age bracket, that of youth, through both a high school and an undergraduate focus. These courses endeavour to facilitate learning to help bring about changes in perspectives and values regarding Australia's e-waste issues, and highlight the opportunities available to make a positive difference.

Water Transformed: Sustainable Water Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation

(Advanced Professional Development)

Built Environment, Industry Professionals and Planners have a critical role to play in developing planned adaptive responses to Climate Change. This project seeks to create a suite of freely available online training resources to support and assist education and training of students and professionals. This project will bring together leading research and practice in urban and industrial water resource management and supply to address key knowledge and professional skills training gaps. It will also bring together an up-to-date resource to provide professionals in the field with easy access to latest innovations and proven technologies in these areas.