Natural resources, such as water, mineral resources, land, and biodiversity, are under increasing pressure globally due to over-consumption and pollution. The Civil Engineering & Management department develops multi-disciplinary solution to measure, manage, and reduce the use of natural resources along global supply chains of engineering structures and society.
Research
To enable a use of natural resources within the planetary boundaries, the Civil Engineering & Management department collaborates with stakeholders from academia, industry, and politics in a multi-disciplinary way. For example, we develop ways to manage the use of water resources in local contexts (EU Horizon We-Act) and along global agricultural supply chains (Water Footprint of Global Crop Production). In research projects with public and private funders we explore solutions for sustainable sand mining (OR ELSE) and asphalt production (ASPARI). Further, we develop harmonized methods for carbon footprinting and life cycle assessment in the global mining and metal industry. By working with nature-based solution (NL2120) and circular economy principles (Rijkswaterstaat Infrastructure Agency), we facilitate a sustainable management of resources along the life cycles of natural and engineering systems.
Education
Sustainable resource management is well integrated into the BSc Civil Engineering, for example, in the 2nd year module Sustainable Civil Engineering or in minor modules like Smart Solutions for Sustainable Cities. In our MSc Civil Engineering & Management, this research theme is anchored in a dedicated track on Sustainability and Resilience in which students can chose from a variety of course like Sustainable Transport, Integrated Water Management, Circular Design and Deconstruction, or Sustainable Engineering.
Collaboration
Achieving a sustainable resource management requires a multidisciplinary approach and the involvement of various stakeholders. That’s why we work together with policy makers in the European Commission and ministries such as Rijkswaterstaat, financial institutions like World Bank, engineering companies such as Dura Vermeer, or industry associations like the international Council on Mining and Metals.
Impact
By working towards sustainable resource management, we contribute to the United Nation’s 6th, 11th, and 12th Sustainable Development Goals on ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’, ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities” and “Responsible Consumption and Production”.