What is sustainable engineering?The short answer to this question is simple: sustainable engineering is making engineering decisions with environmental impact in mind. Engineering is a broad field, so there are countless ways that designs, processes, and initiatives can be made sustainable. These include, but are not limited to: water supply (including water recapture and recycling), waste management, transportation, energy, using technology, and wildlife restoration. All of these components are considered to some extent in building projects, so there are many opportunities to engineer sustainably.
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Sustainable Engineering and the LoftsSustainable engineering decisions were encouraged during the construction and management plans for the Capewell Lofts. One of the main ways that environmental consciousness was integrated into the Lofts was the choice of heating and cooling systems. The system uses both heat pumps and a heat recovery system, allowing residents to have control over the heat in their living space while gaining efficiency by combining ventilation loads. It was determined that for maximum efficiency, electric and gas based heat recovery systems should both be used depending on the area of the building, so both types of systems were installed.
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