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Ecological Engineering: Criteria for Engineers

ecoEng Limited
63 Bowenvale Avenue
Christchurch, New Zealand
(member of IEES)

URL: http://www.ecoeng.co.nz/

There have been a number of definitions of ecological engineering offered.  The definition I have chosen is:

Ecological engineering is the design of sustainable systems consistent with ecological principles that integrate human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both (University of Washington)

As a practicing professional engineer, and grandfather, my keen interest is that the outcomes of my work and the work of other professional engineering colleagues, will place our communities on the pathway to authentically sustainable lifestyles.

Many professional engineers are primarily responsible for designing and implementing physical (and in some cases biological) infrastructures and technologies that will serve civil and/or military objectives. Societies and ecosystems have both benefited and suffered as a consequence of such engineering. 

Practicing professional engineers, with a desire to implement ecological engineering principles, don't have the luxury to theorize and philosophize about principles of sustainability.  They are required to implement pragmatic designs that will move us from our current mostly unsustainable lifestyles to a more sustainable way of living.  There are many strong influences (social, cultural, political, economic, limited knowledge and skills) that make implementation of these principles difficult. Sometimes, for pragmatic reasons, the practicing engineer has to compromise and depart from the ideal, in order to negotiate such obstacles and move forward.

My ecological engineering principles are for practicing engineers who may have no specialized training in the discipline of ecological engineering.  They are:

1. Recognise and understand:

• that all engineering projects are embedded within ecological systems:
• that ecological systems can be very small (a teaspoon of top soil is a vibrant and essential living micro-ecosystem) to very large - the earth we live on;
• the role and importance of ecosystem services;
• that all engineering projects are embedded within human systems with unique social and cultural attributes:
• that human wellbeing, now and in the future, is entirely dependent on healthy ecosystems and stable and healthy human systems;
• one's limits in understanding ecosystems and know when to engage expert advice from a systems ecologist;
• one's limits in understanding human social and cultural systems and know when to engage an appropriate expert to advise.

2. For the engineering project, adopt an integrated system that:

• eliminates, or mitigates, or compensates for, emission (gas, liquid and/or solids) impacts on the ecosystem;
• eliminates, or mitigates, or compensates for, habitat fragmentation and/or destruction;
• eliminates, or mitigates, or compensates for use of non renewable resources;
• eliminates or mitigates risks from natural hazards;
• avoids or minimizes the use of non-renewable material and energy resources
• provides for sustainable use of renewable material resources and energy;
• provides for closed material cycles.

3. When necessary adopt relative risk management assessment for determining priorities and where appropriate engage the affected community in this assessment.