On-demand Webinar

View Important Policies and System Requirements for this course.

Instructor:  Dave K. Adams, P.E., S.E., M.ASCE

Course Length: 90 minutes

Purpose and Background

The focus of engineering efforts on reducing the impact of manufacturing and construction on the environment is a relatively new development. Oftentimes, the images of river pollution and air quality degradation come to mind when considering the impact of societal progress on the environment, but continual research is presenting a larger picture. Commonly used building codes narrowly address an engineer's responsibility to society regarding the environment, so engineering societies (ASCE, NSPE, etc.) have been filling the gap. The resiliency of cities in terms of rebound after a major disaster is also a relatively new focus and engineers are still trying to understand their part. This webinar will explore the expectations of society regarding sustainability and ethical theory regarding engineering practice.

Primary Discussion Topics

  • What is considered "sustainable development"
  • What are the core elements of engineering ethics with regard to responsibility
  • What technical and ethical responsibilities does an engineer have for sustainable design
  • How can an engineer promote or address sustainability in design

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Recognize society's expectations for engineers on sustainability
  • Discover related issues in engineering ethics
  • Describe a responsible approach to sustainability in engineering practice
  • Review practical examples and cases

Webinar Benefits

  • Apply principles of ethics to sustainability in design
  • Understand requirements from the 2018 International Green Construction Code
  • Sharpen skills in judging the suitability of sustainable building requirements
  • Learn from past cases in ethics regarding sustainability in design
  • Clarify key definitions regarding an engineer's legal responsibilities
  • Determine applicable parts of ASCE and NSPE codes of ethics regarding sustainability
  • Evaluate solutions to example issues

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

  • Civil engineers
  • Structural engineers
  • Architects
  • Building officials
  • Public policy makers

Webinar Outline

  • Introduction to engineering ethics
  • Introduction to sustainability construction codes
  • Professional responsibility & societal expectations
  • What is resilience
  • Passive solutions to sustainability in design
  • Active participation in project sustainability
  • Case studies
  • Examples for illustration

How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion

To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 1 year of purchasing the course.

How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?

1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]