Incorporating green engineering in the chemical engineering curriculum

Introducing green engineering concepts to undergraduate students is recognized as increasingly important by industry and the general populace. Implementing green engineering principles at the start of the design process can lead to substantial environmental benefits and cost savings in the pursuit of more sustainable processes and products. The most common method to introduce environmental engineering is through a senior/graduate level elective course on environmental engineering; however, green engineering concepts can be incorporated in core engineering courses. In 1998 the Environmental Protection Agency initiated a program to develop a text book on green engineering, disseminate these materials, and assist professors in using these materials through national and regional workshops. The textbook, "Green Engineering: Environmentally Conscious Design of Chemical Processes," by David Allen and David Shonnard, is designed for a senior/graduate chemical engineering course. Through this program, material from this text can be incorporated throughout the curriculum. Teaching aids have been developed that include: presentation materials, lecture notes, example and homework problems, case studies, and experiments. These are tailored to fit general freshmen and sophomore engineering, as well as core chemical engineering courses.