2025.01.22_CEE250_Module1_Intro

CEE 250: Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering

  • Instructor: Dr. Marie-Odile Fortier

  • Date: 1/22/2025

  • Course Focus: Introduction to sustainability in infrastructure

Today's Class

  • Introductions of Instructor and Teaching Assistants

  • Overview of course details

  • Introduction to infrastructure sustainability

Instructor Background

  • Dr. Marie-Odile Fortier:

    • Positions:

      • 2022-present: Assistant Professor, Sustainability in Arid Lands, UNLV

      • 2018-2022: Assistant Professor, UC Merced

      • 2015-2018: Assistant Professor, SUNY-ESF

    • Education:

      • Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering (2015), University of Kansas

      • B.S. in Environmental Engineering (2010), University of Florida

    • Contact: marie-odile.fortier@unlv.edu

Teaching Assistants

  • Santiago (Santi) Cisneros Castillo

  • Email: cisnes4@unlv.nevada.edu

  • Office Hours: Mon/Wed 10am-11am, AEB 215

  • Taposh Mohanto

  • Email: taposh.mohanto@unlv.edu

  • Office Hours: Tues/Wed 11am-12pm, AEB 315

Course Components

  • Syllabus: Found on Canvas; includes:

    • Office hours

    • Grade breakdown

    • Due dates and exam schedule

  • Canvas:

    • Course materials organized in modules

    • Regular login recommended

Course Organization

  • Modules organized by topic, including all assignments and project components

Infrastructure Sustainability

  • Learning Objectives:

    • Discuss definitions of sustainability, sustainable design, and development

    • Identify real-world infrastructure problems

    • Understand sustainability rating systems and metrics

    • Relate the Human Development Index (HDI) with lifespan, education, and income indices

    • Evaluate global population trends impacting sustainability

    • Discuss sustainability indicators like ecological footprint and IPAT equation

    • Explore ethical issues in sustainability

Infrastructure Definition

  • Infrastructure includes physical facilities and systems needed for effective functioning, such as:

    • Roads, bridges, railroads, airports

    • Power plants and electrical grids

    • Water supply and wastewater management systems

    • Telecommunications networks

Notable Infrastructure Problems

  • Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse (1981)- Kansas City:

    • 114 deaths, 216 injuries due to design flaw

  • Florida International University Bridge Collapse (2018):

    • 6 deaths, 10 injuries, design flaw detected prior to collapse

  • Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse (2022):

    • Structural failure led to injuries but no fatalities

  • Lac-Mégantic Train Derailment (2013):

    • 47 fatalities due to failure in safety protocols

US Infrastructure Report Card (2021)

  • Cumulative Infrastructure Grade: D

  • Key Areas Rated:

    • Aviation: D+

    • Bridges: C

    • Drinking Water: C-

    • Energy: C-

    • Roads: D

    • Solid Waste: C+

  • Reasons for Poor Grades:

    • Minimal funding and deferred maintenance

  • Solutions Proposed:

    • Advocate for funding, planning, investment, new technologies

Nevada Infrastructure Grade

  • C grade in 2018 (improved from C- in 2014)

  • Solid Waste management remains a concern

  • High costs due to poor infrastructure: motorist pays $558/year due to road conditions

  • Lack of adequate recycling and waste management facilities

Definition of Sustainability

  • Context-dependent

  • Merriam Webster: Resource use methods that do not deplete or damage resources

  • Key Aspects:

    • Sustainable methods and lifestyles

    • Longevity of resources

Sustainable Development

  • Brundtland Report (1987):

    • Development meeting present needs without compromising future generations

  • Intergenerational ethics and triple bottom line approach: Environment, Society, Economy

Importance of Sustainability

  • Overconsumption and resource scarcity

  • Increased environmental costs, health impacts

  • Urgency due to climate change

Sustainable Urban Development

  • Process of improving built environments and economic efficiency while conserving resources

  • Aiming for healthier communities and ecosystems

  • Sustainable Infrastructure: Designing and operating structures without compromising ecosystems and equity

Rating Systems for Sustainability

  • LEED: Multiple track ratings based on building type and sustainability goals

  • Envision: Framework developed by ISI for civil infrastructure projects focusing on sustainability aspects

Ecological Footprint and HDI

  • Measures consumption of Earth's resources and impact on biocapacity

  • HDI Calculation: Incorporating life expectancy, education, and income indices to assess human development and wellbeing

  • Trend demonstrated: Higher HDI typically correlates with increased ecological footprints

IPAT Equation

  • I = P x A x T

  • Links environmental impact to population, consumption levels, and technology usage

  • Applications in assessing national CO2 emissions and mitigation strategies

Homework and Class Resources

  • Upcoming assignments will be detailed in the last slide of each lecture

  • Lecture slides posted to Canvas after class

  • Homework #1: Due by 11:59 pm on 1/30 (soft) or 1/31 (hard deadline)