The purpose of this seminar is to cut through the current fog of ideologies and agendas, and present a clear and compelling story of why sustainable development is becoming an important issue for civil engineers, indeed for everyone, for decades to come. It will provide attendees with a new perspective on sustainable development: the trends and market forces that are shaping this emerging issue, and its impacts on the way civil engineers will work in the future. The seminar will also provide information about the knowledge and skills that civil engineers will need to take advantage of the resulting new opportunities. Sustainable development is a goal, not an ideology. It is based on the premise that society’s current approach to economic development cannot be sustained much longer at the present rate of consumption. That is, the rate at which we extract and harvest our natural resources, and the methods and extent to which we produce, deliver and consume goods and services are pushing or exceeding the limits of the world’s resources and carrying capacity.
Furthermore, this is happening at all scales, from local pollution of streams and lakes, to poor air quality, to lack of access to fresh water in the underdeveloped nations, to the spread of endocrine disruptors, to global climate change. The consequences are enormous. If we continue on this current course, conditions will worsen to such a degree that we will be jeopardizing the chances of future generations to enhance or even maintain their quality of life. The effort required to make our development sustainable presents an incredible opportunity for civil engineers. Moving toward conditions of sustainability will be a long journey, spanning many decades. It will require, more or less, a complete overhaul of society’s existing infrastructure, replacing it with structures, processes, systems and technologies that are less energy and resource intensive, use less toxic materials, produce less waste, and otherwise protect the environment and society. Absent some unprecedented multi-national agreements and huge investments, progress toward sustainability will be made incrementally, project by project, driven by the goals and aspirations of individual project owners, and implemented through the special skills and knowledge of engineers. Progress will occur only as new and more sustainable designs and technologies are invented, tested and applied on individual projects. |
"It is a great format. It allows many of us to gather in the conference room during lunch hour to attend the seminar in a very efficient and limited timeframe. The hour length is fantastic. It fits into our brown bag lunch seminar plan."
"In an environment where time management is so crucial, it is wonderful to be able to attend a meaningful seminar with such little ancillary time commitments such as travel and coordination. My compliments. ASCE has found the perfect seminar format for today's busy professional." |
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Course Description
Develop your technical and management skills and earn PDHs/CEUs. By participating in ASCE Continuing Education, you can rest assured that the goals and objectives of your organization and staff will be met.
