(587be) The Role of the Engineering Firm in Incorporating Established Sustainability Frameworks Within New Projects

The
Role of The Consulting Engineer in Incorporating Established Sustainability
Frameworks Within New Projects
Originating Concept

Sustainability is generally
defined as "meeting today's needs without compromising our ability to do
so tomorrow."  As the global population approaches 9 billion by 2050 the
ability to satisfy those consumer needs with the resources of one planet
compels producer-driven emphasis upon Resource and Energy Reduction, Re-Use,
Recycling and Recovery.

Sustainability is increasingly mandated
for material- and energy-consuming commercial activities (including both
Construction and Operations-Maintenance) either by Clients or Authorities
Having Jurisdiction through Statute, Regulation or Corporate Compliance. 

Voluntary rating systems, such as
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Green Globes, the GRI
(Global Reporting Initiative), and the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), et.al.
are morphing into regulatory requirements.  Separate from these,
Client-originated sustainability frameworks are increasingly driving decision
making efforts internally and within and without their supply chain networks.

 
Presentation Content
Clients increasingly require the
ability from their service providers to identify and/or satisfy profit-maximizing
(revenue-growing, cost-reducing) opportunities; frequently within established
Sustainability frameworks. Depending on the market sector, aptitude, awareness,
and motivation, the consulting engineer (or firm) is compelled to adapt to a
client's "slot" in this spectrum in order to be responsive and
productive. It is thus incumbent upon the firm to develop strong technical
competence in sustainability matters to deliver both technically-compliant and
framework-compliant product(s). Matters of Good Engineering Practice continue
to be a driving force in development of the engineering aspects of a project,
but the ability to espouse these to a Sustainability framework is a new skillset
requiring time, dedication, and ongoing development.
We will discuss our learning path and
share our experiences as they relate to matters of Sustainability and their
impact on and influence over engineering efforts. Elements of this path include
the effort required and challenges to:
·        
Identify of market sector-based needs and specific frameworks
having merit and influence
·        
Source authoritative and objective education on selected
frameworks
·        
Develop the ability to recognize client needs as they pertain to
a given framework
·        
Develop metrics to enable clients to make informed, correct, and
wise decisions
·        
We will also discuss our efforts to internalize Sustainability
principles to apply in our daily work environment and administration.
·        
Finally, we will outline case studies illustrative of the
implementation of these learnings
o       Alternative
Fuels - conversion of landfill waste to fuel gas, offsetting use of coal and
natural gas
o       Industrial
Chiller Ice Storage - use of ice as a source of stored energy to minimize peak
loads
o       Animal
Waste Handling - use of anaerobic bioreactor to generate biogas and minimize
environmental risk
Closing
Public (consumer and otherwise) and
Jurisdictional demands upon Producers to demonstrate Sustainability will
continue to increase, justifying incremental or breakthrough capital spending
to deliver long-term benefits including reduced operating costs [Total Cost of
Ownership (TCO)] and | or improved Life Cycle Assessments.
About the Author:
Mike Berkshire, PE - Process Engineer
Mike is presently employed with Process Plus, a
full-service engineering firm in Cincinnati, OH and he has over 13 years of process
engineering experience as a consultant in a variety of industries including
specialty chemicals, ethanol, foods, grain milling, fuels, waste water, and automotive
manufacturing.  He has experience with major design efforts for large-scale
facilities involving various unit operations, including dewatering, drying,
heat exchange, size reduction, evaporation and membrane separation, reactions,
material transport and piping, mixing, storage, and more.  Mike is also
familiar with a wide variety of project requirements, including project
workflows, code compliance, and process construction.
Mike is a graduate of the University of Dayton with a
Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, is a registered Professional Engineer in the
State of Ohio, and he is a Certified Project Manager (CPM) from Xavier
University.