Running head: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

Sustainable Design in Civil Engineering

IMRAD Essay

Courtney Barrett
ENGL 211C
Kole Matheson
June 23, 2016

Abstract
This essay explores the objective of sustainable design in civil engineering and the beneficial
effects is has on societys structures through the research of multiple articles. Its purpose was to
determine if there were options available to minimize material waste and be environmentally
adaptable while still producing quality structures. The operations and construction during the
planning and designing processes needed to be explored in order to develop new and innovative
methods that could reach beyond the limitations of original civil engineering standards. The
information discovered from the articles varied in their definitions and effects of sustainable
design but correlated together to explore the topic in a variety of lights. Sources credited a range
of reasons to the effects of sustainable design and why it is beneficial. The idea of green design,
incorporating ecological standards and environmentally friendly materials, and the reuse of
existing structures and other materials are only some only some of the methods used to reach the
goal of sustainable design. Research concluded that sustainable design is an important factor in
the field of civil engineering and it needs to be integrated into design elements in order to reach a
more efficient level of structures in society. Sustainable design can optimize the construction of
structures and enhance their quality in order to make them last longer. Implementing sustainable
design strategies results in an optimal balance of cost and environmental and societal benefits
while still meeting the mission and function of intended facilities and businesses. Exploring and
incorporating options such as recycled materials and ecological energy systems can produce
more efficient structures while having less of a harmful environmental impact. This research has
changed the way engineers look at the future of civil engineering and has developed many new
and innovative ways in which our society can benefit.

Introduction
My name is Courtney Barrett and Im a junior at Old Dominion University pursuing a
civil engineering degree. Engineering alone is the science, skill, and profession of researching
and applying scientific and practical knowledge to develop structures, machines, systems,
materials and processes. Simply, it is the act of using knowledge to conceive, model and scale a
solution to a certain problem. More specifically, civil engineering is the method of designing,
constructing, and maintaining the infrastructure and public works of society and the
environment. This encompasses most of modern civilization, from roads, bridges and airports to
water treatment, plumbing, and energy systems.
Issues within the environment are what drive the necessity of civil engineering jobs.
When something breaks or malfunctions or when something new needs to be developed, civil
engineers are there to support, fix, and continuously develop the structural framework of society.
Public works of the nation, including buildings, roadways, ports, and waterways, are all part of
societys framework and fall under the care and consideration of civil engineers. Therefore,
considerable focus is placed on the sustainability of the environment around us, the resources
needed to continuously grow and the materials required to build our infrastructure. The emphasis
on sustainability within engineering drives the idea to support long lasting improvement of
society and the environments condition. This way of thinking transforms traditional designs and
construction methods of complex systems to include the influence of the surrounding population,
environmental assessments, and risk and uncertainty analysis. It is the combination of the idea of
sustainability and structural design that will project a new stronger wave of developments.
Sustainable engineering has become a standard ethical practice for civil engineers. It
requires the incorporation of many other disciplines and that certain requirements must be met.

Todays standards involve many permits and certifications that state when and where things can
be constructed as well as the incorporation of many environmentally efficient options. An
engineers profession is publicly observable and therefore mistakes can be very evident. This
results in many examinations, models, and revisions before construction begins. Engineering is
ever-growing and ever-changing with the modern times thus there are constantly new
developments and theories to take into consideration which each new project. New arguments
can be brought to the table of one project and if it the argument proves its worth to the
development it the new standard will slowly integrate itself into companies. An argument can
become a new standard of the profession if its found to have substantial reason and evidence.
This is the common methodology of the standards that are developed today.
The field of civil engineering obtains its guidelines and standards from the American
Association of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The journals of ASCE are the media through which civil
engineers exchange technical and professional knowledge. The journals form an archival record
of the technical advances of the engineering profession. Papers, technical notes, discussions of
papers, and editorials are published within the journals. They do not provide the standards of the
profession but rather accompanying information. The study of knowledge within the civil
engineering field comes from both books and a deeper understanding. There is a side that
requires the knowledge of specifically stated information and then there is a side where
information comes from an understanding of the job itself. Within the profession one must keep
an open mind to think, observe and understand the field from a visual perspective. This provides
the ability to not only relay information but to develop the ability to think critically and
improvise. The field of civil engineering is very broad, and therefore not one person is able to
learn every single aspect of every specific individual topic. Continually growing to develop land

and existing areas, civil engineering is ever changing to incorporate better and new ideas, like
sustainability.
Methods
Writing almost any text involves developing a thought process and prewriting. This stage
helps me discover the topic I want to discuss and the individual ideas I that should be covered.
Majority of my prewriting was done as I started to construct this essay and discover the topic of
sustainable design within the civil engineering field. I demonstrated organization skills in
preparation for writing the synthesis by separating and outlining the topics I wanted to discuss.
Dissecting each concept and establishing a clear and coherent plan of writing made connecting
the topics easier and helped avoid clarity issues. Although not always seen, there is a distinct
difference between revising and editing a document. Revising a document involves fixing
sentence structure and elaborating on subjects in order to clear up misconceptions. Editing
however requires tending to small errors that are easily fixed. I exemplified revising techniques
by rewriting sentences to provide better phrase and pronoun clarity. As advised, I composed
clearer ideas to elaborate on topics and shaved off sentences that were redundant. Editing
occurred through fixing grammatical errors such as comma splices, replacing a semicolon with a
colon when beginning a list, and ensuring that subjects and verbs agreed.
Not all of the content analyzed in the class pertained to our individual majors; we
reviewed a range of disciplines through in-class synthesis assignments including subjects such as
English, liberal arts, science, and history. Synthesizing required us to analyze and narrow
information in order to determine a relative subtopic and summarize the topics relation within the
provided field. As we complete each and every assignment, we review it before submitting to
ensure the highest quality. This system of scrutinization was likewise executed on the writing of

others. Peer reviewing assignments lets us analyze the texts of others in order to provide critical
qualitative feedback. A provided outline, had us evaluate other students texts on the basis of
word choice, relevance, flow, and a clear theme, message, and main idea. This method of peer
review not only let us interpret other students work but also provided us with insight on our own
work and what could be changed to make it more effective.
This class has required a high level of critical thinking to review, analyze, and summarize
many different topics over various fields. I have learned to recognize academically reasonable
content and understand the preference of reasoned arguments over biased ones. Arguments that
are defined with reason take priority because they are proven more valuable and logical. Biased
information that is based upon personal beliefs is not reliable or academic; it's considered
contaminated by the opinion of the author. This can also be known as propaganda. When
collecting research, it was important to delve into the source and information it provided to
determine its credibility within the field. This knowledge of reasoned vs. biased information has
helped me to collect, analyze, and refine research from reputable sources.
In demonstrating the goal of understanding different sources and their uses, I learned the
distinction and application of personal, primary, and secondary sources as I researched and cited
sources. Personal sources are authors that are defining their exclusive experiences and
knowledge to the public. Primary sources are examples of history that are written not about the
particular subject but during the time in question, providing an inside view of the time period.
And secondary sources are written accounts of a certain topic that offer an analysis and
conclusions of the subject. This knowledge of the variety of sources has lead me to understand
where information comes from and how it links itself together. Often times, academic material
reaches a conclusion with viable information that comes from a range of sources.

When researching sources, it was required to include 3 popular and 3 scholarly articles.
Through this research process the distinction between the two could easily be determined.
Popular articles are often found in magazines written by professional authors for a general
audience. Additionally this type could be an informational website that offers knowledge on the
premise of a more basic topic. Scholarly articles are mostly known to be academic journals
which report on a conducted study or research. Mostly written by and for scholars and
researchers, information is much more specific as they invent and propose ideas within the field.
Recognition of this difference, occurred through a variety of web and online library research for
article summaries and synthesizes.
Through this class we should be able to learn through careful analysis, evaluation, and
synthesis of information in order to formulate adequate theses. This course goal means that
students should be able to investigate and summarize information and then assess it. The biggest
example of this process is the formulation of the discussion and critique of this essay. The
purpose of the discussion was to answer the introduced arguments and critique the researched
articles from the results section. I accomplished this by analyzing the methodology, theoretical
framework, and articles main purpose and idea.
Results
Sustainable design is the method of designing objects, the environment, and services to
comply with the principles of economic and ecological sustainability. It has grown to become a
powerful influence in the engineering field within the past few years. Its impact on structural
design and construction has begun to change the way professionals look at the future of
engineering. Stephen H. Lucy, a professional engineer at JQ Civil Engineering firm, found that
there is an increased demand by industries and society to create greater efficiencies in

construction. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable

resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments (General Services
Administration). According to Danatzko and Sezen, civil engineering researchers at Ohio State
University, sustainable design techniques should produce a structural system that meets the needs
of the owner and user while minimizing its impact on the environment and conserving resources.
Sustainable design reduces the negative effects of construction in society, thereby improving
overall building performance. In order to ensure efficient sustainability within the design and
building processes, a structural engineer needs to consider every aspect of a structures design
and the sustainable processes and materials that are possible.
In an effort to establish a greater magnitude of sustainable design in today's society, the
operations and construction during the planning and designing processes needs to be explored.
New methods and innovations are the key factors to developing a more viable society. According
to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), implementing sustainable design strategies
results in an optimal balance of cost and environmental and societal benefits while meeting the
mission and function of intended facilities and businesses. Utilizing a sustainable design
philosophy encourages decisions at each phase of the design process that will reduce negative
impacts on the environment and the health of the occupants, without compromising the bottom
line (General Services Administration). Changing the methods used to build and design
structures is one of the most significant way to reduce gas emissions and thus make a greater
positive impact towards climate change.
Current ways of thinking and designing dont incorporate the conditions necessary to be
sustainable. Structural engineers must lead in order to progress in the field with new ideas. From
minimizing materials and waste to incorporating environmentally friendly alternatives in design

plans, structural engineers are influencing the subject now more than ever. Professionals are
working to develop the innovative methods needed to address the environmental impact, energy
and material use, and other sustainability issues faced during the planning and design of
buildings. The buildings that structural engineers are involved in designing have a major impact
in the areas of water consumption, waste generation, energy use, and environmental emissions
(146, Weisenberger). Enhancing the structural resilience of building is the most significant
contribution of structural engineers to sustainability. There are a variety of methods used to reach
the goal of sustainable design. Studies suggest that the relationship between the conditions of
sustainability and the ultimate sustainable design is vague due to the fact that it cannot entirely
be measured. The application of any method or material depends on the specific designs
objective and limitations to which it is applied. Sustainable design is more than just the materials
that are used; the collaborative design process in the field between engineers and contractors
determines the sustainable success of each project.
A vast amount of focus is placed on the idea of green design. Sustainable and green
building design work together to develop effective ways of reusing energy and materials to
produce environmentally efficient buildings. Building with green resources is a way to produce
sustainable design and since there is an ever increasing demand for green building, the need to
build green is steadily increasing. Incorporating ecological standards within the design process
integrates the utilization of solar power, reusable water, and recycled building materials. Green
design reduces cost, energy expenditure, material consumption, and natural resource exhaustion
(Engineering Your Future). The biggest issue structural engineers face is determining what role
to play as green building evolves into a collective design and construction consciousness. Geoff
Weisenberger, the Director of Sustainability at AISC, states that structural engineers need to

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emphasize the contributions that good design decisions can make to the sustainability of a
structure.
New programs within the engineering realm, such as Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), credit companies for using sustainable processes and materials.
Special awards are given to best in-class buildings that reach the environmental standards and
prerequisites necessary to achieve various levels of certification. The LEED building program
certification is used a tool to evaluate and measure achievements in sustainable design. LEED
consists of a set of prerequisites and credits with specific requirements for obtaining points in
order for a building to become LEED certified (General Services Administration). The LEED
accreditation process focuses on three main areas of construction materials: recycled content and
reuse of materials, regional materials, and biodegradable content (146, Weisenberger). These
materials construct buildings that are energy and environmentally friendly.
However, focus in constructing certifiable structures can often influence engineers to be
very shortsighted when looking at sustainability as a whole. A sustainable structure is not a
structure that has the most sustainable materials used in it, but rather it is a structure in which use
of the selected materials is optimized in the design process for maximum sustainable benefit
(147, Weisenberger). LEED has been a key factor to bringing the environmental impact of
buildings to focus, thus encouraging more ecological design and construction practices, and
pushing the green buildings movement forward. Studies conducted by Tariq Chaudhary and
Awais Piracha have determined that the level of LEED certification a building earns is
proportional to the cost of the structural elements it contains. Embodied and total energy
requirements of typical buildings were examined and it was determined that the embodied energy
in the structural components has a share ranging from 2% to 25% (97, Chaudhary & Piracha).

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Embodied in this case signifies the economic cost of the construction and materials needed to
build the structure. Like anything else, buildings that have certifications are trusted more and are
thought to be more dependable.
Discussion
The majority of the studies of sustainable design focused on how the civil engineering
field would be strengthened with the use of more sustainable features. Very little could be
determined on the negative side of the spectrum. One drawback that was found was the costs that
are produced with the incorporation of more efficient materials and resources into construction.
The results of this study can be applied to any circumstance in which better resources can be
integrated. Its skeptical to say that it can be applied to any other setting because there is always
a difference in the effectiveness of products and the purpose in which they are being used. But
more often than not greater sustainable materials can and should be incorporated to provide more
reliable products and lengthen the estimated time of use.
This study was ultimately conducted to discover more efficient ways to plan and build
structures. Its purpose was to determine if there were options available to minimize material
waste and be environmentally adaptable while still producing quality structures. Most of the
articles researched shared the same conclusion; sustainable design is an important factor in the
field of civil engineering and it needs to be integrated into design elements in order to reach a
more efficient level of structures in society. The articles were interesting due to the similarities
they shared that further assure that sustainable design is relevant and necessary. The only
difference between articles that could be seen was the variety of fully reported effects of
sustainable design. Sources may only list and provide evidence for a few advantages to
sustainable design which may not include every solution possible. Many times effects can be

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generalized from the evidence that a source provides on the abilities and applications of
sustainable design, such as the environmental benefits and how it affects our society. I wish more
articles could have touched base on the importance of the subject and how it could benefit the
engineering world. The topic of structural and green engineering is something I have always
thought should be incorporated together and this new wave of intertwining the fields is bound to
develop a strong and more efficient structural society.
Civil engineering is a demanding field both physically and intellectually. It is important
for site engineers to be able to have good vision, hearing, and mobility. Every engineer is
expected to have proper communication and teamwork skills in order to work collectively in an
engaged environment. Engineers are expected to use math, science, and reason to understand,
foresee, and solve problems while innovating new methods. Civil engineers must have the ability
to analyze and compare methods, materials, and plans to develop the most effective way to solve
the problem on hand. Civil engineering writing assignments include lab reports, site visit reports,
plan sheet notes, technical memoranda, proposals, project-related emails, and when in the
classroom, essays on an engineering topic. Writing in the civil engineering field also includes the
technical illustrations and plans that are drawn for the layout of projects.
The style of writing in the civil engineering field is similar to almost any other subject.
However there are specific words and technicalities that pertain to the field of engineering that
other subjects may not use. Writing in the engineering field is designed to be concise and clear
when relaying information. It's used to strictly get a point across or display specific information.
Engineers develop the ability to use as few words as possible to convey the main message of
their writing piece. Language is used purposely and effectively but rhetoric devices are not often
found. Specific moves or figures of speech are too complex and lavish to include in writing that

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is used to display knowledge from a study or project reports. Within the field of engineering,
there is a certain jargon that includes technical words which connect with the audience of other
engineers. When directed towards a more general audience, writing is stated in a universal
manner in order for the message to be understandable.
Writing has never been something I fully excelled in but this class has lead me to develop
and improve my skills. I am able to better convey my ideas and structure them in a way that
makes sense on paper. I can skillfully incorporate keys quotes from sources, as exemplified in
the synthesis section of this essay, and summarize the source. I feel more confident in getting my
point across when writing and connecting topics together. This improvement in writing in this
manner will be beneficial when analyzing certain topics with the field and in my continued
studies.
References
Danatzko, J. M., & Sezen, H. (2011). Sustainable Structural Design Methodologies. Practice Periodical
On Structural Design & Construction, 16(4), 186-190. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)SC.19435576.0000095
Lucy, S. H. (2009, September). Sustainable design trends. Retrieved May 25, 2016, from
http://cenews.com/article/7568/sustainable-design-trends.
Engineering Your Future. Sustainability Green Design Engineers. Retrieved June 8, 2016, from
http://futuresinengineering.org/what.php?id=16.
U.S. General Services Administration. Sustainable Design. (2015, June 1). Retrieved June 15, 2016, from
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104462.
Weisenberger, G. (2011). Sustainability and the Structural Engineer. Practice Periodical On Structural
Design & Construction, 16(4), 146-150. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000110

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Chaudhary, T., & Piracha, A. (2013). Effective contribution of structural engineers to green buildings and
sustainability. Canadian Journal Of Civil Engineering, 40(1), 97-100. doi:10.1139/cjce-20120154