October 2020 President's Report

It’s there for all to see – heat, drought, fire, rising sea levels, eroding beaches, hurricanes, and intense storms.  The impacts of climate change are knocking at the door.  A weak response that is not equal to the threat will result in escalating impacts imposed on our children and succeeding generations.  This is our planet.  There’s nowhere else to go.  We need no less than to rethink how we move people and goods, how we heat and cool our buildings, and how we build and design structures and infrastructure, all while shifting energy generation to renewable sources.  This is truly the societal challenge of our generation.

We as civil engineers have a central role in shaping our nation’s response, as we occupy a position of being the arbiters for our clients as to what constitutes acceptable engineering practices.  Those practices must embrace the sustainable design elements advocated by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) Envision program and the US Green Building Council LEED program and other pioneering new methods that will help to turn the tide.  Sustainability needs to be part of everything we do.  Some of these practices may carry a cost, but we have an ethical obligation as engineering professionals to advocate for the long-term health of our planet and our children’s future.

I was heartened to see the many contributions of the Committee on Sustainability to last month’s BSCESNews.  I recommend in particular the discussion on Supporting Infrastructure Owners with Sustainable Goals in last month’s issue.  The BSCES Committee on Sustainability has a role to play in in our response to the challenge of climate change.  I extend my thanks to Melissa Carter from Stantec for her years of service in chairing this committee.  She succeeded year after year in soliciting nominations and recommending recipients for the annual BSCES Sustainability in Civil Engineering Award, which highlights innovative, sustainable designs from the most creative and forward-thinking members of our profession.  This year, under the leadership of Arianna Paul of Green International Affiliates, Inc., the Committee on Sustainability has taken on additional responsibilities in planning engaging programs to disseminate information on emerging technologies and proven sustainable design practices. 

The ability of the Committee on Sustainability to raise its visibility and have a profound impact on how we do business is dependent on the presence of active volunteers willing to lend a hand.  I strongly encourage members to take the time to volunteer to support this essential group.  If you would like to extend your support, email Arianna Paul at Sustain.Comm@bsces.org and let her know how you want to help.