Environmental Engineering for Non-Environmental Engineers

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Apply a systems-based approach to evaluate environmental factors affecting engineering projects
• Assess environmental risks related to air, water, waste, and land use within regulated contexts
• Select and implement appropriate mitigation and control strategies for emissions and contamination
• Interpret environmental data, assessments, and regulatory requirements to support decision-making
• Support compliance and environmental performance through structured monitoring, reporting, and management practices

Description

Engineering projects increasingly operate within complex environmental and regulatory constraints. Whether managing infrastructure, industrial operations, or development projects, decisions must consider impacts to air, water, land, and ecosystems, often with incomplete data and evolving regulatory expectations. Without a working understanding of environmental systems and risk factors, it becomes difficult to assess trade-offs, engage technical specialists effectively, or ensure compliance.

This course provides a structured, practical foundation in environmental engineering for professionals who are not environmental specialists but are responsible for projects with environmental implications. Key topics include environmental assessment, climate risk, water and wastewater systems, air quality, noise, waste management, contaminated sites, and environmental management systems. Emphasis is placed on interpreting technical information, understanding regulatory frameworks, and evaluating mitigation strategies in real-world contexts.

Through applied examples and structured frameworks, this course equips participants to confidently identify environmental risks, contribute to informed decision-making, and support sustainable, compliant project outcomes.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for:

• Engineers and engineering technologists working outside environmental specializations
• Project managers and technical professionals responsible for project delivery in regulated environments
• Facilities, operations, and plant personnel managing environmental impacts of systems and processes
• Environmental health and safety (EHS) professionals supporting compliance and risk management
• Early-career through senior practitioners seeking practical environmental awareness and decision-making capability

Day I

Introduction, Workshop Preview, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Method

Introduction

• Environment - a systems approach
• Population and energy
• Ecosystems
• Development impact
• Public awareness
• The regulatory system
• Regulatory approaches and standards

Climate and Climate Change

• Climate and meteorology
• Climate change - fact or fiction
• Issues and potential impacts
• Managing risk - mitigation and adaptation
• Vulnerability assessment

Quantification - Methods and Methodologies

• Environmental Assessment
• Study requirements
• Baseline data
• Measurement and estimation
• Sampling and analysis methodologies
• Instrumentation and communications
• Dealing with uncertainty

Day II

Water

• Water resources and supply management
• Planning for water quality
• Wellhead protection
• Stormwater
• Fish and wildlife habitat
• Potable water treatment

Wastewater

• Municipal and industrial effluent
• Wastewater characterization
• Industrial pre-treatment
• Wastewater treatment process and design
• Ongoing management

Air Quality

• Air quality trends
• Types of sources
• Pollutants and their characteristics
• Emissions inventory and impact assessment
• Greenhouse gases
• Mitigation and control systems
• Nuisance issues

Noise

• Fundamentals of acoustics
• Types of sources
• Relationship between noise and air quality
• Mitigation and control systems
• Nuisance issues

Day III

Waste & Waste Management

• Characterization of wastes
• Waste management
• Waste diversion
• Hazardous wastes
• Landfill and incineration
• Future challenges

Land Use and Remediation

• Soil quality
• Contaminated sites
• Risk assessment
• Natural attenuation
• Remediation
• Opportunity and liability

Environmental Management

• Project development and permitting
• Information management
• Management systems - ISO
• Audits
• Managing compliance
• Reports

Web-based Systems