Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TABLE 6.19
The Sandestin Declaration of Green Engineering Principles
Green engineering transforms existing engineering disciplines and practices to those that promote sus-
tainability. Green engineering incorporates the development and implementation of technologically and
economically viable products, processes, and systems to promote human welfare while protecting human
health and elevating the protection of the biosphere as a criterion in engineering solutions
To fully implement green engineering solutions, engineers use the following principles:
1. Engineer processes and products holistically use systems analysis, and integrate environmental
impact assessment tools
2. Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health and well-being
3. Use life cycle thinking in all engineering activities
4. Ensure that material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe and benign as possible
5. Minimize depletion of natural resources
6. Strive to prevent waste
7. Develop and apply engineering solutions, being cognizant of local geography, aspirations, and
cultures
8. Create engineering solutions beyond current or dominant technologies; improve, innovate, and
invent (technologies) to achieve sustainability
9. Actively engage communities and stakeholders in the development of engineering solutions
Source: Adapted with permission from Gonzalez, M.A. and Smith, R.L. 2003.A methodology to evaluate
process sustainability. Environmental Progress 22, 269-276.
(EIA) (Allen and Shonnard, 2002):
Tier 1: Identify toxicity potential and costs when the problem or process is
defined.
Tier 2: Identify material/energy intensity, emissions, and costs when the recy-
cle/separation system is being considered.
Tier 3: Identify emissions, environmental fate, and risk when the overall system
design is being considered.
In Tier 1, we make extensive use of the concepts derived from chemical thermody-
namics and kinetics.This includes estimating thermodynamics properties of reactants
and products, fugacity models for F&T, kinetic rate constants, and mass transfer
coefficients for species. These are then used in Tier 3 relative risk assessments. This
approach is a stepwise, hierarchical one and involves the following tasks:
Step 1: Identify reactions and processes.
Step 2: Identify inputs/outputs rates of various species—use EPA or other
emission factors, use process flow sheet data.
Step 3: Estimate the physicochemical parameters for each species—use thermo-
dynamic correlations, use databases (e.g., EPIWIN).
Step 4: Obtain concentrations in various compartments using a multimedia
environmental model (e.g., fugacity model).
 
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