1. SDU – Sustainability in Engineering Educations
Henrik Wenzel
SDU – Life Cycle Engineering
ETALEE 2017
Exploring Teaching for Active Learning in Engineering Education
Videnbyen, SDU, Odense 23 & 24 May 2017

2. Sustainability in engineering educations at SDU
Environmental engineering (M. Sc.)
Energy Technology (B.Sc. + M.Sc.) – will probbaly soon change name to Green Energy (B.Sc.) and Energ Systems (M.Sc.)
Integrated Design (B.Sc.) and Product Design and Innovation (M.Sc.) – with a specific profile on Sustainable Product Development
Chemical Engineering – with a special profile on Environmental aspects
Det Tekniske Fakultet, Institut for Kemi-, Bio- og Miljøteknologi

3. Core courses & disciplines taught
Global Sustainability (built on the platform of the IPAT equation).
Life Cycle Assessment (the consequential approach).
Process Integration (optimizing the network of processes at company level)
Eco-Efficient Engineering (incl. Cleaner Production and more)
Material Flow Analysis
Waste & Ressource Management
Waste Processing Technology
Energy System Analysis & Design
Industrial Ecology (Urban Metabolism, Industrial Symbiosis)
Techno-economic Assessment, socio-economic assessment
LCA & biosystems
Water Management Systems
Urban Water Management
Det Tekniske Fakultet, Institut for Kemi-, Bio- og Miljøteknologi

4. Defining sustainability can be a challenge
The concept of sustainability
is like an accordion,
you can twist and turn it
in any direction
- to make it play the tune, you like
…Jens Kampmann, first director of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, in the 1980’s
Det Tekniske Fakultet, Institut for Kemi-, Bio- og Miljøteknologi

5. Our approach to sustainability assessment
We understand sustainability as long term viability, i.e.
… within planetary boundaries and quality standards
… and competitive under future framework conditions…

6. We have a holistic approach and apply a systems perspective…

7. We study the world…
… especially technical systems

8. We study the world… … especially technical systems
… through a ‘macroscope’

9. We study the world… … especially technical systems
… through a ‘macroscope’

10. We study the world… … especially technical systems
… through a ‘macroscope’

11. We study the world… … especially technical systems
… through a ‘macroscope’
… in order to understand them

12. We study the world… … especially technical systems
… through a ‘macroscope’
… in a holistic perspective

13. We study the world… … especially technical systems
… through a ‘macroscope’
… in a holistic perspective
… to get the big picture right

14. In order to do this…

15. In order to do this…
… we need to understand the world

16. In order to do this… … we need to understand the world
… and the ways in which it can develop

17. Our approach to sustainability assessment
Environmental effects
Bio-sphere: Resources, nature
Markets, reserves, natural cycles
Fossil resources, mineral resources, biomass, land, water, phosphorus, biodiversity, …
Techno-sphere: Background system
Crops
Infrastructure, markets, material cycles
Materials
Transport
Waste management
Electricity
Heat
Technical system: Foreground system
System 1
System 2
Comparative studies of technical systems under prevailing and future contextual conditions of techno-sphere and bio-sphere