Foundations of Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineering intersects with the quality and health of human life in many everyday ways. For instance, consider the technical aspects of the water we drink. Bacteria, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and other pollutants are some measures of water quality; so, how does a drinking water treatment plant make lake and river water drinkable? After that water is used in toilets, sinks, and drains, how does a wastewater treatment plant make that water exiting our homes suitable for safe return to lakes and rivers? Consider the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. What are the technical aspects of air quality measurement and control? How about the buildings we live in and the consumer products we enjoy—how can we think about technical aspects of construction and product use through a sustainability lens of minimal material use and environmental impact (that is, life cycle assessment and circular economy)? This course also considers extractive resources, like mining rare earth metals used in telephones and computers, and the technical aspects of extraction and re-use (for example, lithium-ion battery recycling). We examine the technical aspects of agriculture and food production in cross-section with environmental engineering (for example, fertilizer use, soil structure, bioaccumulation, and nutrient cycles). We also explore industry 4.0 and the start-up companies offering new technologies, such as the technical aspects of the possibilities of steel, iron, and cement production without carbon.