Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineering is the study of how environmental factors can affect life and the built environment. It is a multidisciplinary field that incorporates the engineering sciences (physics, chemistry, and mathematics) and the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, geology, and environmental science).

Definition of Environmental Engineering:

Environmental engineering is the science of understanding and managing physical processes to improve environmental quality and sustainability. In particular, it manages the generation, transmission, and use of energy and other forms of mass and heat, as well as the interactions of these processes with human activities.

History of Environmental Engineering: 

The term environmental engineering was first used by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in 1830 to describe the interdisciplinary nature of engineering applied to the environment. Today’s environmental engineers must be skilled in engineering, chemistry, biology, business, and politics.

Duties of Environmental Engineers: 

Environmental engineering involves designing and implementing solutions to environmental issues, such as pollution, waste disposal, noise, and other problems. The environmental engineering field addresses issues such as water pollution, energy consumption, waste disposal, and land conservation. However, environmental engineering goes beyond that — it is a field of study that examines how our systems interact with the natural world

An environmental engineer is an expert in the fields of natural resources, waste disposal, energy conservation, soil erosion, and water quality. They design and perform research to create and improve solutions to problems that affect people and places in the environment.

Environmental Science and Engineering: 

The purpose of environmental science is to develop a sustainable future. The environmental sciences encompass a wide range of topics, including biology, chemistry, physics, Earth and atmospheric sciences, energy, engineering, human health and nutrition, and social science. The environmental sciences are very diverse; however, certain core concepts are critical in developing a sustainable future.

The term ‘Environmental engineering’ is used in the field of technology to address how and why a certain environment is constructed in a specific way, as well as the impact of this environment on people and other elements of the natural world.

Environmental science and engineering is a broad discipline that considers the relationship between the natural environment and people. It focuses on using natural materials and energy for human consumption and the study of the interaction of chemicals and biological molecules with the environment (National Council for Science and Technology, 2011).

Use of Engineering to solve Environmental problems:

The use of engineering to solve environmental problems is an old practice, with many pioneers of this field. Engineers have been at the forefront of developing environmental awareness since at least the Industrial Revolution, when toxic pollution and waste became a problem for humans and the environment. These problems, however, are not limited to the past. With global climate change, the impact of industrialisation and resource consumption, and the rise of biofuel use, environmentalists are facing challenges.

The field of environmental engineering is concerned with the safe design and use of natural and physical systems. While the physical sciences are typically considered a major role in environmental engineering, environmental engineers work in many different fields. They must be able to consider a variety of influences on the environment.

Sustainability:

In the field of environmental sciences and engineering, we have a wide variety of choices in terms of how we define sustainability. The various types of sustainability are: Environmental, economic, energetic, political, and social. These concepts can be applied to any area of human activity and are used to measure a situation as being sustainable, unsustainable or marginal.

Conclusion:

Environmental engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with managing, controlling, and manipulating the environment. Environmental engineers work in tandem with society by protecting resources and protecting the living environment. Environmental engineering studies the interactions between human beings, their physical environment, and the materials and processes used to control nature. Environmental engineers seek to ensure that humans do not harm the natural environment and that the environmental consequences of human activities are taken into account.