Sustainability

The engineering profession takes sustainability very seriously and is increasingly required to play a leadership role in overcoming global challenges such as depletion of resources, environmental pollution, rapid population growth and damage to ecosystems.

Engineering Council Guidance on Sustainability

The Engineering Council's Guidance on Sustainability clarifies the role of engineers in relation to sustainability and lists six principles to guide professional engineers in their work. It should be read alongside sustainability related information produced by Professional Engineering Institutions, such as codes, policy statements or guidance of a technical nature.

The Guidance on Sustainability also acts to demonstrate to society the profession's commitment to sustainability through engineering.

Issued by the Engineering Council's Registration Standards Committee, the guidance replaces and updates the code of practice Engineers and the Environment published in 1993.

Background information

The following materials were referred to in the preparation of the Guidance on Sustainability. This is not an exhaustive list but will assist users of the guidance who would like further details about sustainability and related issues.

Guidelines for institution codes of conduct can be found in UK-SPEC.

The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy: Securing the future - delivering the UK sustainable development strategy. March 2005.

Sustainability in building construction - general principles. BS ISO 15392:2008. British Standards.

Sustainable Development Position Statement. Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Engineering for Sustainable Development: Guiding Principles. Dodds and Venables. Royal Academy of Engineering. 2005.

Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) Practice Guidelines - Section 16. 1988.

The 12 Principles of Green Engineering. Anastas and Zimmerman. 2003.