In recent years, the push for sustainability has become stronger and the focus has turned to the role of civil engineers – who are seen as both the problem and solution to creating a more sustainable world.
This issue of Civil Engineering aims to encourage civil engineers to reduce the new infrastructure they build, the materials they use, the greenhouse gases they emit, the damage to the environment they cause and the waste they produce. It also encourages them to consider reusing and repurposing the infrastructure and materials they have already built or used.
The paper in this issue tackle the biggest problem facing the profession today: how to create and manage cities and structures responsibly when there are fewer natural resources and growing climate problems. The idea of sustainability, often discussed in the context of a ‘circular economy’, is the central idea guiding the need to reduce, reuse and repurpose.
The issue starts with a brief guide on why civil engineers can no longer ignore the call to reduce, reuse and repurpose. Norman et al. (2023) issue a stark warning that civil engineers who fail to act now could well face legal action in the future.
The first paper (Sivashanmugam et al., 2023), focuses on reducing construction waste by moving from a linear to a circular approach. The authors employ a multi-dimensional framework, suggesting that the inclusion of digital innovations and life-cycle assessments can make waste reduction not merely an environmental obligation but a competitive advantage.
Collings (2023) then reviews the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of two older motorway bridges in England and Wales. He makes a strong case that civil engineers should focus on reducing emissions from everyday use, not just the building process. This shows that everyday activities like driving over a bridge add to the life-cycle environmental impact of that structure.
Transitioning to the realm of adaptive reuse, Pappas (2023) provides a case study from Scotland of how older structures can be revitalised for modern functions. She shows that older buildings can, with clever engineering, be updated for new uses, helping society make the most of what it already has. This points to a smarter way to think about construction and living in cities.
Roberts et al. (2023) provide a case study on how innovative temporary works enabled an 80% reuse of an existing structure in London, UK. They too highlight that the most sustainable engineering solution can often be rethinking and repurposing what is already there.
The next paper discusses the close connection between buying practices, digital technology and meeting climate goals. Friel et al. (2023) push the profession to learn how to make the most out of digital technology. Arguing that if civil engineers are going to make their projects more sustainable, technological progress needs to be a key part of the effort.
MacDonald and Gowler (2023) highlight the potential of infrastructure projects, especially those with multiple demolition phases, to pioneer a second-hand materials market. Civil engineers can take the helm in driving towards a circular economy by implementing ‘pre-redevelopment audits’. This approach focuses on assessing the potential for reuse and recovery of materials from the outset. In doing so, it ensures resource conservation and a marked reduction in the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Finally, Shanmuganathan and Coleman (2023) highlight the solutions adopted in extending the lifespan of existing bridges in New Zealand. This adds an international layer to the discourse, signalling that the call to reduce, reuse and repurpose is being heard around the world.
In summary, the papers in this issue make it clear that civil engineers need to think about new ways of working, viewing everything they do through the lens of sustainability. This means considering not to build, reusing or repurposing whenever possible, conserving and protecting the environment, building efficiently, and incorporating technological innovations into everyday activities.
I hope our readers find these papers serve as a useful roadmap for their journeys towards creating a more sustainable future. My thanks go to all the authors for sharing their work and insights with us, and to the referees for reviewing the many papers submitted.
