Engineers for a Sustainable World is an international organization that seeks to drive sustainable development in an interdisciplinary, holistic fashion. Consisting of a strong network of passionate students and professional engineers, we are committed to a vision of a truly sustainable future. Current areas of focus revolve around clean air and water, as well as reducing reliance on fossil fuels and fostering the growth of strong alternative energy solutions. We invite people from any discipline, not only engineers, to engage with us in our bi-weekly meetings and discuss important topics related to sustainable development in Canada and around the world.
For the UBC chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World, 2019 has been about renewal and growth. This year we have grown the club from less than ten members into a robust group of enthusiastic students nearly 40 people strong. As a project-oriented club with a savvy eye toward networking, we are actively seeking to engage the community at UBC and around the province to support sustainable growth in every sector. We put a lot of emphasis on empowering students to execute their vision. We are seeking to connect students with resources and interest groups that will help them to achieve their goals. This year we have more active projects than ever before, and we are looking for passionate people of all skill levels to help us work towards our goals.
Here’s a little bit about each of the projects we’re taking on this year:
Biodiesel Lab
In past years, ESW UBC has supported an undergraduate laboratory space in the chemical engineering building for producing biodiesel from restaurant waste oils. The lab is in need of upgrading and repairs. Our goal for this year is to restore the lab to operational capacity and to give undergraduate students the chance to receive hands on experience with small-scale chemical processes, lab experiment design, and sustainable energy production.
Nitrile Glove Recycling
ESW UBC has partnered with SEEDS Sustainability Program to produce a recommendation report on the possible development of a lab glove recycling program on campus. We will be investigating recycling methods, existing infrastructure, project constraints and budgeting.
Build Day
Build day is a community initiative which challenges its participants to construct a sustainable installation in one day. This year, ESW UBC is designing and building a living wall which will be located in a high traffic area of the UBC campus. This installation will not only be a method of reducing pollutants present in the air, but also serve as a reminder of how student initiatives can make an impact on sustainability and carbon negativity on campus.
Water Treatment
We will be designing and installing a water treatment process for a small community on Denman Island. This project is designed to not only improve the water quality of this community, but also do it in a sustainable manner, utilizing solar energy to power the pumps and water purification system.
ESW will be at the APSC Open House 2019 in the Chemical and Biological Building atrium from 10-4 on Saturday, November 2nd. Come drop by our booth and ask about our projects!
Follow