Introduction to Environmental Engineering

By : Amr Ahmed El-Adly Spring 2014

Doctoral Degree in Public Health Sciences (Majoring Environmental Engineering)

Environmental Engineering Updates

(15062806)

Environment?
Everything Around US..!
Includes all of living and nonliving things which we interact. Includes complex web of relationship that connect us with one another and with the world we live in.

Biotic environment
From

life We can also say that a biotic environment is a living environment It compose of plants, animals, microorganisms and human beings

the Greek word bios, which means

Abiotic environment
The

opposite of biotic environment, in which constituted by land, water and air These biotic and abiotic components are interrelated/interdependent to each other

Ecology-Definition

Ecology
Is the study of how organisms interact with one another and their physical environment of matter and energy.

Ecosystem
A community of different species interacting with one another and with their nonliving environment of matter and energy.

ECOSYSTEMS

Major Components:
Living (Biotic)-Plants, animals, microbes. Non Living (Abiotic)- Water, air, nutrients, rock, heat, solar energy. Some organisms produce the nutrients they need, others get their nutrients by consuming their organisms, and some recycle nutrients back to producers by decomposing the wastes and remains of organisms.

 Everyone

Who plants does it affect?

insects animals humans ecosystems our planet

& Everything!

What are environmental issues?

Three

areas:

air quality land quality water quality

Air Quality
Why is air quality such a problem?
Poor air quality can lead to: smog respiratory & other illnesses acid rain global warming

Air Quality
Air

pollutant: A known substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment.

nitrogen oxides (NOx) sulfur oxides (SOx) carbon monoxide (CO) carbon dioxide (CO2)

Effects of acid rain on plants

Greenhouse Gases & Global Warming

Global

warming: An increase in the average air temperature of the Earth. Greenhouse effect: Heat from the sun gets trapped inside the glass of a greenhouse and heats up its air. More carbon dioxide (CO2) being released in the atmosphere traps more heat.

Land Quality
Land

pollution: Destruction of the Earths surface caused by human activities and the misuse of natural resources. Natural resources: Land and raw materials that exist naturally in the environment undisturbed by humans. Renewable resource: A natural resource that can be replaced by a natural process. Non-renewable resource: A natural resource that cannot be produced or re-grown or reused.

What problems arise from land pollution?

Acid mine drainage Pesticides and herbicides Landfills

Inputs and Outputs of a System

17

Energy Resources
Non Renewable
Fossil fuel Nuclear Coal Natural gas

Renewable
Direct Sun Wind Biomass Flowing water

NON RENEWABLE RESOURCE A non- renewable resource (also known as a finite resource) is a resource that does not renew itself at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in meaningful humanframes. Example are Fossil Fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas.

RENEWABLE RESOURCE A renewable sources of energy can be used over and over again. Renewable resources include solar energy, wind, geothermal energy, biomass and hydropower. They generate much less pollution, both in gathering and production, than nonrenewable sources.

LIST OF RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY 1. 2. 3. Wind Power Solar Energy Geothermal Energy

4.
5. 6. 7.

Hydroelectric Power
Biofuels Natural Gas Nuclear Energy

Environmental Problems?
We run more and more earths natural resources for economy caused:
Shrinking forest, expanding deserts, eroding soils, deteriorating the agricultural lands, lower atmosphere is warming, melting glaciers, increasing sea levels, more destructive storms, failing water tables, disappearing of sea corals, drying rivers, fisheries are collapsing, extinction of many species.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Environmental Problems: Cause?

Major causes are: Population growth Wasteful and unsustainable resource use Poverty Exclusion of environmental cost of resource use Attempts to manage nature with insufficient knowledge

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

POPULATION GROWTH

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

UNSUSTAINABLE RESOURCES

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

POVERTY

Sustainability:
Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun (sun capita) and on natural resources (natural capita) provided by the earth. Living sustainably means living off the earths natural income without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it.

Four Scientific Principles Of Sustainability

The Sustainability Portfolio

29

Building Sustainable Business Strategies

Megacities

31

Sustainable Design Approach:

A combined architectural, engineering, site planning and landscaping (multidisciplinary) approach to design and energy conscious building should optimize the energy efficiency of a building especially in employing combined passive and active devices.

Passive Design Factors Affecting Energy Use In Buildings

The building layout, planning, design, shape, fabric and construction cover a wide number of variables that affect building energy requirements. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Size and Shape Building Orientation Planning & Layout Thermo Physical Properties Window System Construction Details

What is Environmental Engineering?

Environment,

the surroundings in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates Engineering, application of scientific principles for the planning, design, operation and maintenance of structures, equipment or systems for the development and benefit of society

What is Environmental Engineering?

Thus.. Environment + Engineering = Application of scientific principles to improve the natural environment for the development and benefit of the society

What is Environmental Engineering?

Definition: The application of science and engineering knowledge and concepts to care for and/or restore our natural environment and/or solve environmental problems.

Environment + Engineering

Knowledge and education is important in preserving our environment. Young generation should be educated with this understanding in order to have environmental-awareness community. Awareness and encouragement from government and authorities is utmost and the only way to materialized this mission towards sustainable earth.
Thank you.