Faculty of Engineering

Management of water, soil, and air systems are three of the important services provided by engineers. This is an historic responsibility that includes, for example, the provision of a safe supply of potable water for domestic use; reliable delivery to support agricultural production or industrial activity; and control of floodwaters to ensure the safety of developed land. For soil and other earth materials it includes the control of the degradation that can result from human activity, and the development of clean-up strategies for soils that have become contaminated. For air systems, the engineer's responsibility includes the reduction and management of contamination.

The requirements of such work are undergoing dramatic changes. There is awareness that, as an example, in order to protect water systems for future use, projects can no longer be conducted in isolation. It is widely recognized that it is necessary to ensure the sustainability of all water-related activity, which means that designs must work within the natural capability of the surrounding aquatic systems. This requires broadening the scope of traditional approaches. For example, solid waste management is no longer just waste disposal – it is waste reduction, energy recover, and disposal of the residual with minimal impact on the groundwater system. Resource development, urbanization and agricultural practices can significantly change both the quality and quantity of water in a watershed, affecting the quality of drinking water derived from it. Thus, managing a watershed has become more than just monitoring pollutant levels or estimating flood levels – it involves comprehensive planning, including control of land use, reduction of pollutant discharges, remediation of historical disposal practices, and the use of appropriate treatment processes.

Environmental Engineering is a unique program designed to produce graduates who can respond to these needs. The program introduces the best available practices into the planning, design, and operation of natural and engineered water systems, and the management of our air and earth resources. The curriculum has much in common with the Civil Engineering curriculum, building particularly on its sustainable development philosophy. The first year of both programs is virtually identical, allowing students to transfer between them. In other years, the Environmental Engineering program emphasizes the principles of water management and treatment, remediation of surface water, groundwater and soils, biotechnology, and contaminant transport.

Environmental issues are interdisciplinary in nature. Thus, students receive background in the principles of public and private enterprise, of responsible risk management, and of environmental impact assessment. The curriculum includes courses from other departments in Engineering as well as from the faculties of Environmental Studies and Science.

The program is aimed at preparing professionals to work in consulting firms, treatment plants, manufacturing plants, regulatory agencies, and government offices. Graduates are familiar with treatment process design, environmental assessment, and remediation techniques. They have access to a facilities with a broad range of tools such as remote sensing, geographic information systems, and data acquisition systems, as well as mathematical models, statistical models, and optimization techniques in a decision-making framework. They have strong numerical skills, well-developed communication skills, and a social awareness that will suit them to many tasks. Graduates have a breadth that also prepares them for a variety of careers in fields beyond Environmental Engineering.