MEC4400 Environmental Engineering PDF

MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Dr. Je...

MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 1 News in recent years… 2 www.theguardian.com Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 1 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Şebnem Coşkun, Turkey ‘Covid-19 wastes’ - a new danger to aquatic life. According to a World Wildlife Fund report, an equivalent to 33,880 plastic bottles is being mixed into the 3 Mediterranean Sea per minute, with waste washing up on the shores of Italy and Turkey In the news this year… www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/24/record-hottest-day-earth-temperature-july 4 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 2 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Definition of “Environment” 5 Definition of “Environment” 1. The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. “survival in an often hostile environment” - the setting or conditions in which a particular activity is carried on “a good learning environment” 2. The natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area, especially as affected by human activity. "the impact of pesticides on the environment" Source: OxfordLanguages 6 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 3 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Definition of “Environment” (2) 1. The circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded. 2. a) The complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (such as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival. b) The aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community. Source: Merriam-Webster 7 Natural Environment Naturally occurring living and non-living things; not artificial; complex relationships of weather, climate, living species, and natural resources Sources: fjordtravel.no, planetware.com, cosmopoliclan.com 8 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 4 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Natural Environment The major components and sub-components of the natural environment: Biotic: Living organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants, animals) Dead organic matter (dead organisms, natural waste products) Abiotic: Atmosphere (air) Hydrosphere (oceans, lakes, rivers, shallow ground waters) Lithosphere (solid earth, soils) 9 Built Environment Human intervention/conversion to any degree; not natural, artificial; urban settings or agriculture conversions Sources: Shutterstock, hotels.com, europa.eu, 10 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 5 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Built Environment Also built environment… Sources: e-architect.com, shutterstock.com, UglyMalta 11 12 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 6 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Natural or built (or very built) environment? Marsalforn in Gozo in 1888. Photo: Richard Ellis, digitised by Charles Azzopardi. Marsalforn in 2022. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli 13 timesofmalta.com/articles/view/now-malta-changed-150-years 14 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 7 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Natural, built, or very built environment? Sliema peninsula as it was in 1888, below, and above with the added Tigne Point and Fort Cambridge in 2022. PHOTOS: Richard Ellis/Jonathan Borg 15 timesofmalta.com/articles/view/now-malta-changed-150-years The Environment and Geopolitics In the news a couple of years ago… 16 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 8 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment The Environment and Geopolitics bbc.com, reuters.com 17 What is Environmental Engineering? 18 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 9 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment What is Environmental Engineering? Environmental Engineering is “that branch of engineering that is concerned with protecting the environment from the potentially deleterious effects of human activity, protecting human populations from the effects of adverse environmental factors and improving environmental quality for human health and well being.” (Peavy, H.S., Rowe D.R. & Tchobanoglous, Environmental Engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1985.) 19 Protecting the Environment The problem with the “Environment” is not only that we are polluting it but that we are polluting it too much, so much that “Nature” alone cannot get rid of it. This was clearly shown during the pandemic lockdown. Keyword: “sustainability” (also energy efficiency) Meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs First coined by the World Commission on Environment and Development, which became known as the Brundtland Commission in the report, “Our Common Future” (1987) 20 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 10 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Sustainability Definition: The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. "the sustainability of economic growth" Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. "the pursuit of global environmental sustainability” Sustainable Development: Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources. "international policies should support sustainable development" Source: OxfordLanguages 21 Sustainable Development un.org, Ademovic (2018), wikipedia 22 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 11 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment The Urban Environment and Engineering Class Exercise: 1) Draw an urban environment (possibly extend to rural) including the buildings, infrastructure, systems, etc. you may find in it. 2) For each of buildings, infrastructure, systems, etc. state if and how engineering is involved. 23 Exercise Possible Answer (1): 24 www.theiet.org Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 12 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Exercise Possible Answers (2): Structural engineering in building design Noise pollution control solutions in urban and construction areas HVAC systems in buildings for temperature Green building design and sustainable and air quality control materials Energy-efficient systems in urban buildings Telecommunication network infrastructure Power distribution and electrical systems in Smart city systems (IoT integration) buildings HVAC systems for urban heat management Water treatment plants for urban water Green roofs and urban landscaping for heat supply reduction Pumping systems for water distribution Electric vehicle charging infrastructure Wastewater management systems design Design and construction of roads, bridges, Airport and port mechanical systems and tunnels Solar panel arrays in urban spaces Public transportation system design (trains, Wind turbine integration in urban buses, trams) infrastructure Traffic management and intelligent Geothermal heating and cooling systems transport systems Fire suppression systems in buildings Power plant design and operation (coal, Evacuation and smoke control systems gas, nuclear, solar, wind) Urban drainage and flood management Energy distribution through electrical grids systems Battery energy storage systems Sustainable urban planning with green Waste collection and disposal systems spaces and transport Waste-to-energy plants Recycling facility design and operation 25 Air quality monitoring and control systems Environmental “Challenges” Energy and Renewable Energy Air Climate Change Water Waste Noise Flooding / Desertification Urban sprawl Biodiversity environment.ec.europa.eu Health and well-being Sustainability: meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs National and International cooperation, management and politics 26 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 13 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment What makes politicians legislate in favour of the environment? What drives managers of enterprises to take action to reduce the environmental impact of their enterprise? 27 What makes politicians legislate in favour of the environment? Legislation Social responsibility Pressure from civil society NGOs Pressure from Green parties What drives managers of enterprises to take action to reduce the environmental impact of their enterprise? Legislation Corporate Social Responsibility Unions NGOs, Civil Society Suppliers / Customers 28 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 14 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Corporate Social Responsibility Previous definition: A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. New definition: The responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society. (A Renewed EU Strategy 2011-14 for Corporate Social Responsibility, published by the EU Commission in 25.10.2011) Following the law. Integrating social, environmental, ethical, consumer, and human rights concerns into their business strategy and operations. 29 Engineering Ethics and Legislation Engineers cannot ignore environmental issues (legislation and because of ethics) Extracts from the recently revised and authorised Code of Ethics of Engineers: b) Safeguard of Human Life, Welfare and the Environment A warrant holder shall:- hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public; take reasonable steps to avoid waste of natural resources, damage to the environment and ill-treatment of animals; not approve plans and/or specifications that are not of a safe design or that are not environmentally friendly, or waste or destroy products of human skill and industry; 30 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 15 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Tools for environmental protection, mitigation and remediation: 33 Environmental protection, mitigation and remediation: 1. Legislation 2. Management tools 3. Engineering tools 4. Technology 34 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 16 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Legislation International treaties EU Directives (objective for national legislation in a timeframe) and EU Regulations (binding, immediate, overrules national laws) National legislation Note: standards are not mandatory unless referred to in legislation as a sole means of abiding by the law. An EU Directive is a proposal by the EU Commission, which must be approved at the EU Council (of heads of Government) and the European Parliament, to achieve a stated objective, say to increase the use of renewables. 35 Management Tools Environmental Auditing Environment Impact Assessment Life Cycle Assessment Energy rating (products and buildings) Regulations and permits (they also help to ensure level playing fields) EMAS (Environmental Management and Audit Schemes): management instrument developed by the European Commission for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance Environment Awards Environmental Standards 36 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 17 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Engineering Tools Some design and engineering tools: Computer simulations (CAE: FEA, CFD etc.) Life Cycle Assessment (software) Green Design (including design for disassembly) Software (e.g. Energy Efficiency rating of Buildings) Standards “Mechanics” 37 simscale.com Engineering Mechanics Example eumetsat.int In environmental engineering, we are interested in knowing how far and how fast emissions and pollutants will disperse in the atmosphere or in waters. These dispersions are controlled by two mechanisms: 1. Bulk fluid motion, due to convection, wind and other currents 2. Mass Transfer - mass in transit as a result of a species concentration difference in a mixture. 38 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 18 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Technologies 1. Alternative technologies, e.g. photovoltaics, solar water heaters, solar cooling, new materials. 2. Upstream solutions, e.g. the use of clean fuel. 3. Mitigating technologies (end-of-pipe solutions) e.g. catalytic converters, carbon capture and storage, cyclone separators, sewage treatment plants. 4. Preventive technologies, e.g. booms to contain oil spills. 5. Remediation technologies, e.g. bio-slurping, used to suck up the oil that spills/seeps. 40 Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) http://eippcb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reference/ BREFs are very useful documents issued by the European Commission with the latest technological information (BATs, best available techniques) about a particular issue. 851 pages long 41 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 19 MEC4400 Environmental Engineering The Environment Some Sources of Information Related to the Environment ERA and PA websites (www.era.org.mt and www.pa.org.mt) for: State of the Environment Reports EIA regulations and reports Other environmental regulations and reports Water Services Corporation (www.wsc.com.mt) WasteServ Malta (www.wsm.com.mt) Malta Resources Authority (www.mra.org.mt) Reports and regulations on energy, water and mineral resources 42 Some Sources of Information The Energy and Water Agency (EWA, https://energywateragency.gov.mt/) United Nations (https://www.un.org/en/) Website of Ministry of Justice (www.justice.gov.mt) All local legislation, including all legal notices by which EU directives have been transposed into local legislation EU website on Environment http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ 43 Dr. Jean-Paul Mollicone 20