Introducing sustainability into engineering design: A first year course

Abstract

Engineering Design is a project-based first-year student course that introduces systematic engineering design methods. Using the engineering design cycle, students are walked through each phase of the cycle using real world examples. Two faculty members introduced a sustainability theme into the existing project-based course to around 180 students (approximately one third of the incoming freshman). With the university's mission to become a more sustainably aware campus, this piloted theme synchronized well with long term goals. Thematic sustainability lessons that focused on water, materials, and alternative energy technologies were introduced throughout the course alongside traditional methods used to teach the engineering design cycle and culminated with a themed group final project to design a sustainable home in an assigned global location. Compared to past iterations of the course done in a traditional style, students produced stronger projects that were more technical and realistic. The improved quality of design projects was a result of the additional thematic lessons aimed at creating a more focused classroom experience. Pre and Post course assessments indicated that the thematic inclusion of sustainability resulted in both gained knowledge on sustainable designs and practices and more confidence in student's abilities to be successful engineers. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.