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5
January, 2005
Dear
Reader
On behalf of Engineers Australia, the College of Environmental
Engineers is pleased to announce the first of a number
of educational modules on sustainability and engineering
to be supported by the College over the coming years.
The College is proud to have supported the development
of the Engineering Sustainable Solutions Program being
developed by young engineers and scientists from The
Natural Edge Project (TNEP). TNEP was established
in 2002 as a special project within Engineers Australia,
as a form of in-kind support along with seed funding
and mentoring. This has since grown into a partnership
where the team has been mentored and guided by leaders
within the engineering profession. The support for
this initiative demonstrates Engineers Australia’s
commitment to sustainable development. In particular
it demonstrates the College’s objective of ensuring
that the sustainability imperative in engineering
practice commences with education of all university
engineering students and is incorporated into Engineering
professional development.
The introductory module will provide an understanding
of the 'critical literacies' relating to sustainability
supported by a range of operational case studies.
This introductory module will then be used as the
basis for other modules to be developed by TNEP through
the Engineering Sustainable Solutions Program. The
program has been accepted as an official initiative
of the United Nations Decade for Education in Sustainable
Development (2005-14).
This
introductory module will prepare the reader for the
six detailed modules comprising Level 1 and 2 under
development in partnership with UNESCO and the Society
for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering.
Support for this module also represents a further
milestone in the development by the College of Environmental
Engineers and the Environmental Engineering Society,
of a series of documents with the intent of informing
and directing engineering practice. They have included:
The Environmental Principles for Engineers in 1992,
The Policy on Sustainability in 1994 and Towards Sustainable
Engineering Practice, Engineering Frameworks for Sustainability
in 1997.
Continuing Professional Development is nowadays mandatory
for all professionals, including engineers. The College
will continue to assist members in maintaining their
professional competency throughout their careers by
the development of training modules across the sustainability
agenda and in other related areas. The College is
particularly anxious to ensure that all university
engineering students are not only exposed to sustainability
issues during their undergraduate learning, but that
sustainability becomes an embedded feature in their
practice as professional engineers.
As
National President of Engineers Australia, Doug Jones,
stated in 2005, "It is up to engineers to
consider sustainability in every project they design
and construct, and every product that is made. Sustainability
is now a fundamental responsibility that all engineers
must carry every day." We are proud to provide
the foundation stone to this program and look forward
to the further publication of CPD modules in the coming
years.
Yours sincerely
Tim Macoun FIEAust CPEng
Chair, College of Environmental Engineers
The Institution of Engineers
Australia
September
2004
11
National Circuit, BARTON ACT 2600
www.engineersaustralia.org.au
Tel:
02 6270 6555 Fax: 02 6273 1488
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