Engineering and the

Environment
Bryan Willson, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado
State University (CSU), is the founder and director of the Engines
and Energy Conservation Laboratory (EECL), the Clean Energy
Supercluster, and the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory.
He is also cofounder of Envirofit International and a cofounder and
chief technology strategist of Solix Biofuels, a developer of large-
scale production systems for algae-based biofuels. He has funded
several hundred graduate students and is on the Scientific American
10 list of ten individuals who have made significant contributions to
guiding science to serve humanity. According to Scientific
American, his laboratories have developed an indoor stove for
families in India and the Philippines that reduces deadly emissions
such as carbon monoxide and benzene by 80 percent, uses less fuel,
heats faster, and costs $10 to $40.
His students have developed a bolt-on kit for motorcycle taxis in
Africa, India, and the Philippines that increases fuel efficiency by
35 percent. Envirofit, a nonprofit spinoff of Willson’s lab, sells
the conversion kits in the Philippines for about $200. Other
projects include developing fuels derived from solid biomass
(including algae derived fuels), improving efficiency and
reducing emissions of engines from 1 hp to 2,500 hp, and
developing a large-scale demonstration of Smart Grid
technology.
The mission of Willson’s laboratories is to create innovative
energy solutions and entrepreneurial models that benefit the
human condition and achieve global impact.
 Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
• LCA is a cradle-to-grave analysis of the
environmental impact of a product or a process.
• It covers the life history of a product or process
from the extraction of raw materials from the earth,
through manufacture and use, to its final disposal.
• An essential tool in comparing environmental
impacts of various products and processes, such as
carpet tile versus vinyl tile, or polystyrene versus
paper coffee cups.
 Phase of Life Cycle Analysis
1. Goal and Scope. Defining the product or
process, the context of the assessment, the
boundaries of the analysis, and the
environmental effects.
2. Inventory Analysis. Relevant inputs and
outputs of a product or process in terms of the
energy, water, and materials used and
identification and quantification of releases.
 Phase of Life Cycle Analysis
3. Impact Assessment. Identification and
quantification of the most significant environmental
impacts associated with the product, including
resource use, human health and ecological
consequences, and greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Interpretation. Evaluation of the results of the first
three phases, along with evaluations of the
assumptions made and the degree of uncertainty
assumed. The best product or process is then
selected.
 SUSTAINABILITY
• The report of World Commission on Environment and
Development (WCED), defines “sustainable development” as
“ the development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.”
• The code of the National Society of Professional Engineers
(NSPE) says that “Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the
principles of sustainable development in order to protect the
environment for future generations (III, 2, d).
• The first canon of the code of the American Society of Civil
Engineers (ASCE) says that “engineers shall strive to comply
with the principles of sustainable development in the
performance of their professional duties.”
 Five Goals for Sustainable
Development
1. Economic growth
2. Fair distribution of resources to sustain
economic development
3. More democratic political systems
4. Adoption of lifestyles that are more compatible
with living within the planet’s ecological
means
5. Population levels that are more compatible
with the planet s ecological means.
 The Moral Case for Sustainable
Development
Utilitarian Theory
• Future generations of humans (and even
animals) should be included with the present
generation in the audience over which utility is
maximized.
• What does this argument imply about the use of
nonrenewable resources?
• How can we know the needs of future
generations?
 The Moral Case for Sustainable
Development
Respect for Persons Theory
• We have an obligation, insofar as it is possible,
to respect equally the rights of all people,
including the rights of both present and future
generations.
• If developed countries have achieved their
present state of material prosperity by
exploiting the resources of the earth, don’t
underdeveloped countries have the same right?
 The Moral Case for Sustainable
Development
Virtue Ethics
• The virtues of care and respect for nature
come into special prominence.
• Care should extend to all members of the
present generation as well as future
generations, especially care for the poor and
disadvantaged.
 The Moral Case for Sustainable
Development
Environmental or Social Collapse?
• What will happen if the human community fails to adopt some
form of sustainable development?

• An early prophet of collapse was Thomas Malthus. His 1798 An

Essay on the Principle of Population argued that populations
grow geometrically, whereas food increases arithmetically or
even linearly. The early Malthus believed that the population-
food trap was inevitable and would produce horrible suffering,
especially for the poor. The later Malthus believed that some
factors, such as marrying later and death by disease or war
might forestall the inevitable disaster, but only for a time.
 The Moral Case for Sustainable
Development
Tragedy of Commons
• Consider a village that has a “commons” area not owned by
any individual, which any farmer can use for grazing his
cattle. Acting in his own economic self-interest, each farmer
puts as many animals on the commons as he can, in order to
maximize profit. Eventually, the number of cattle exceeds
the carrying capacity of the commons (the optimum number
of animals the commons can support) and the animals fail to
gain as much weight as before. The farmers respond by
putting still more animals on the commons, so that
eventually no animals can be supported, and everyone loses.
 Three Industry Attitudes Towards
Environment
1. The Subminimal Attitude
• Minimal compliance with environmental
regulations
• No full-time personnel assigned to
environmental issues
• Devote minimal financial resources to
environmental matters
• The primary goal of business is to make money
 Three Industry Attitudes Towards
Environment
2. The Minimalist Attitude
• Calls for compliance with governmental
regulation, but without enthusiasm or
commitment.
• Managers often have a great deal of skepticism
about the value of environmental regulations.
• Nevertheless, these companies usually have
established policies that regulate environment-
related projects.
 Three Industry Attitudes Towards
Environment
3. The Progressive Attitude
• Calls for responsiveness to environmental concerns, usually
reflecting the personal commitment of the CEO
• Have well-staffed environmental divisions
• Use state-of-the-art equipment
• Generally have good relationships with governmental
regulators.
• Managers believe that it is in the firm’s long-term interest to
go beyond legal requirements,
• May be genuinely committed to environmental protection
and even sustainability
 Stages in the Development of
an Environment-Friendly Firm
1. Viewing compliance as a challenge to innovate and complying
with the most stringent rules (Replacement of lead solder at
Hewlett Packard)
2. Designing the firm’s own products and services to be more
sustainable. (fuel-efficient fleet of trucks and planes at FedEx)
3. Requiring suppliers to make their operations more sustainable by
methods such as developing more fuel-efficient vehicles and
machines.
4. Turning waste and pollutants into valuable products that can be
sold for profit. (Recycling of returned items at Cisco)
5. Questioning the implicit assumptions behind products and
services and thereby thinking outside the box. (Can we develop
waterless detergents?)