Engineers Canada – Sustainability in practice

Target audience

This course is designed for all practising engineers in Canada, regardless of their discipline or their position, whether as employees, employers, researchers, academics, consultants, regulators or manager. The course has no prerequisites.

Course structure

Module 1: Sustainable Development, Environmental Stewardship, and Engineering

Introduction to the notions of sustainable development (SD) and environmental stewardship (ES). Environmental, social and economic challenges of SD. Overview of EC’s 10 guidelines.

Module 2: Improving Competencies: Available Tools for Engineers

Three case studies showing the importance of SD and ES, and illustrating the practical application of the guidelines. Tools and resources: social impact assessment, Global Reporting Initiative, life cycle assessment, environmental impact assessment, laws and regulations.

Module 3: Planning and Managing Risk in a Changing World

Three case studies showing the importance of SD and ES, and illustrating the practical application of the guidelines. Tools and resources: risk assessment and mitigation, biodiversity indicators, climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Module 4: The National Guideline: 10 Principles to Integrate SD and ES in Engineering

Summary review of the 10 guidelines and the importance of their implementation in the previously presented case studies. Recap matrix and complementary material, including links to relevant tools.

Course workload

The course requires approximately two hours’ work per week. This is required in order to follow the course material, complete the learning activities and take part in the debates and exchanges.

Course sequence and evaluation

The course will be given over a period of four (4) weeks, at a rate of one module weekly.

For each module, you will generally have:

• An introductory video for the module;
• A series of video vignettes introducing the concepts or guidelines presented in the module;
• Links to external resources and material, for those who wish to further explore some of the concepts beyond what is required to meet the course objectives;
• A quiz or exam.

Modules 1, 2 and 3 are each followed by a quiz. These quizzes account for 30% of the course evaluation. At the end of module 4, there is a final exam, which accounts for the remaining 70% of the evaluation.

Modules will become available on the course site following the calendar below. However, you may follow the course at your own rate and leisure, as long as you respect the overall course deadline at the bottom of the table in submitting the evaluations and requesting your certificate of achievement.

Certificate of completion

At the end of the course, participants who have obtained the 65% passing grade will have the option to purchase a certificate of completion, which can be downloaded from the EDUlib web site for a $75 fee. Please note that no university course credits are attributed to this certificate.