Design for Sustainability

This is the first module in a series of training content to prepare students for the upcoming ASME XRC Challenge: Sustainability Innovations for Ocean Cleanup, hosted by ASME and in partnership with and sponsored by Autodesk.

Sustainability is the practice of using a resource in a way that preserves the environment and supports society, while ensuring economic viability for generations to come. To advance sustainability in design and engineering, we must consider how we foster a sustainability mindset in our design and make process. Understanding a product’s lifecycle all the way from the designing to the making of your idea, including materials, resources, and manufacturing processes, is linked to ethics and the responsible criteria we set for our designs. 

In this module you will learn:

• What is sustainability and why it matters
• How to have a mindset for sustainability as an engineer
• What is the “Triple Bottom Line” 
• How value chain and supply chains impact our environment
• The impact of product lifecycle on design solutions
• How to use product lifecycle tools
• What is the “systems approach.” 
• Ethical considerations and ethical dilemmas
• What are microplastics and design factors to take into consideration

Who Should Attend?
This module is intended for participants of the ASME XRC Challenge: Sustainability Innovations for Ocean Cleanup, as well as undergraduate, graduate and early-career engineers who are interested in design for engineering.