Introduction to Environmental Engineering

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Cycles of Study/Courses

Last updated on 2024-09-20.

Fields changed: Calculation formula of final grade, Avaliação especial, Componentes de Avaliação e Ocupação, Programa, Obtenção de frequência

Teaching language

Objectives

The environmental engineer is required to have multiple skills associated with good management of natural resources and the identification and implementation of pollution mitigation technologies for soil, air and water. Recognizing these skills and distinguishing the specificities associated with pollution mitigation technologies are essential during the professional life of an environmental engineer.

The Introduction to Environmental Engineering course aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of principles, concepts and practices. The specific objectives aim to prepare students to understand the challenges and solutions associated with caring for the environment and sustainability. and include the following:



1. Environmental Awareness: Promote awareness of environmental issues and the challenges faced by the planet in terms of pollution, environmental degradation, climate change and scarcity of natural resources.



2. Sustainability: Explore the principles of sustainability and how they apply to the planning and development of environmental projects.


3. Professional Ethics: Discuss ethical issues and social responsibility related to the practice of environmental engineering



4. Visit nstitutions of national relevance in the field of the Environment: learn about the treatment processes that integrate the systems for managing urban solid waste, capturing water for supply and treating domestic wastewater


5. Teamwork and Communication: Develop teamwork and communication skills so that future environmental engineers can collaborate effectively with other disciplines and stakeholders.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course the students shall be able to: Recognize and understand the concepts behind different pollution themes and the distinct technological approaches to mitigate pollution. Students acquire knowledge in the technical terminology used in environmental engineering.

After this course the student must be able to: - Understand process flowsheet and the working principles of the most important process units; - Formulate and solve material balance problems, including the counting of variables, equations and the required specifications in order to a single solution exists. 

Working method

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

There are no requirements regarding specific knowledge.

Program

This course is divided into three parts:



Part I: Introduction to Environmental Engineering



Teaching relevant environmental topics (air, water, waste): analysis and discussion of relevant current environmental news.



Part II: Lectures on various environmental topics



Speakers are invited to give lectures on various environmental topics, eg energy, urban water cycle, urban solid waste, atmospheric pollution, microplastics, environmental noise. In these sessions, students are presented with basic concepts about environmental management, awakening their motivation and critical sense, clarifying them about aspects of future professional activity. Develop interpersonal skills: group work and communication.



Part III: Material Balance



Understand chemical processes, procedural diagrams, procedural units. Formulate and solve material balance problems.



A study visit is carried out to two relevant installations on the national scene.

Mandatory literature

Teaching methods and learning activities

Part I (Introduction to Environmental Engineering) is expository, giving way to discussion and reflection. For the lectures (Part II) external speakers are invited from other Faculties and Universities, Municipal Councils, Companies active in the environmental area, Professional Associations, Central and Regional Administration Bodies. Former students of the Environmental Engineering Course at FEUP are also invited to testify, together with future colleagues, their professional careers.



In part III (Material Balances) there are theoretical-practical classes to explain the material and practical classes to solve problems.

keywords

Evaluation Type

Assessment Components

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Eligibility for exams

FEUP rules for students absence to classes applies;
In the case of failure in the examination, it is considered however that the student keep frequency to those components which he eventually obtained a positive mark. For these modules, but only valid for the very next lective year, he is relieved to repeat frequency and examination, unless he wants to better is marks.

Calculation formula of final grade

Examinations or Special Assignments

The evaluation of special cases is done by examination (75%) and relating to components M1 and M3 and a presentation (25%) as a result of research work on a treatment process, including, for example, solid waste management systems urban areas, water capture for supply and domestic wastewater treatment

Internship work/project

Not applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Classification improvement

The improvement of the grade of the exams can only be carried out at the time of appeal and only for the evaluation components M1 and M3. These can be performed individually or together.

Observations