ID1200

ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT

Tuesday: 4:45 – 5:35 PM

Friday: 4:45 – 5:35 PM

August – November, 2016

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Chennai – 600 036

Indo-German Center for Sustainability (IGCS)

Dept. of Chemical Engineering

Dept. of Civil Engineering

Dept. of Humanities & Social Sciences

 B. S. Murty (Civil / IGCS)
EWRE - 33 # 4262
bsm@iitm.ac.in 0-98400-79587

Abhijit Deshpande (Chem)

HSB-151 # 4169
abhijit@iitm.ac.in

R. Ravikrishna (Chem)
MSB-352 # 4175
rrk@iitm.ac.in

A Large Team of Teaching Assistants

 Ecology – Definition (Webster's)

“a branch of science concerned

with the interrelationship of
organisms and their environments”

“the totality or pattern of relations

between organisms and their
environment”
 Ecology – Definition (Oxford)

“the branch of biology that deals with the

relations of organisms to one another and to
their physical surroundings”

“the political movement concerned with

protection of the environment”
 Ecology – Definition (Oxford)

“the branch of biology that deals with the

relations of organisms to one another and to
their physical surroundings”

“the political movement concerned with

protection of the environment”
 Ecologists

Ecological Engineers

or

“Ecological” Scientists and

Engineers
 Science and Engineering
with
ecological constraints
Not just only well known
design/implementation constraints
Thermodyanic laws
Economic constraints
Social justice
...
Sustainability incorporated in all the
plans / implementations
“Sustainable development is development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
(Brundtland UN-Commission, 1987)

“Sustainability is an evolving paradigm for planning and

decision-making. Sustainability is a promise. It is a dynamic
condition, which requires a basic understanding of the
interconnections and interdependency among ecological,
economic, and social systems.”
(The Sustainability Education Center, 2002)
(Adams 2006)
(Adams 2006)
“…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs….”

UN Millennium Goals

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Context of sustainability
UN Millennium Goals

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Context of sustainability
UN Millennium Goals

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Context of sustainability

- Secure water supply for irrigation and food production

- Prevent (ground-)water overuse
- Prevent ground and surface water contamination
- ……..

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Context of sustainability
UN Millennium Goals

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals
 Science and Engineering
with
ecological constraints
Not just only well known
design/implementation constraints
Thermodyanic laws
Economic constraints
Social justice
...
Sustainability incorporated in all the
plans / implementations
The main objective of this course:
Sensitize the students towards ecology and environment

Orient them towards systems thinking

Motivate them to embed sustainability into whatever

profession they get into.

Demonstrate how sustainable development is inherently

linked to preserving ecological and environmental balance

“sustainable engineering” is an inter-disciplinary subject

Professionals from varied backgrounds are needed for

planning of sustainable development.

Recognize that any branch of engineering practice will

involve strong sustainability elements.
 IT IS A MEANT TO BE A
MOTIVATIONAL COURSE

•We seek Your cooperation and interest is paramount

•Neither you nor we can afford to withdraw from this course

•Attendance through moodle (we trust you!)

•We do not believe in policing during lectures

•All presentations will be available on the moodle

 Marks Distribution
Mid-term examination: 25 (September 17th, 2016)
Saturday – Details will be announced
later

Group Poster: 10 (Moodle)

Assignments: 10 (Moodle)

On-Line Quizzes: 15 (on Moodle)

Final examination: 40 (November 12th, 2016)

Saturday - Details to be announced later

PASS/FAIL: Pass Marks – 40/100 (Minimum 12/40 in Final)

ALL STUDENTS MUST MAKE SURE THEY ARE ON WORKFLOW/

MOODLE
:https://courses.iitm.ac.in
 Module - I
3 Lectures

Murty (Civil)
Civil / IGCS
Motivational (Stories!!)

Case studies from different domains to get you

interested in the course.

May talk a little bit on history of concern for ecology &

environment
 Module - II
3 Lectures

Sudhir Chella Rajan

Sustainability
(HSS & IGCS)

Basics of sustainability; Importance of social sciences

Sustainability Assessment; Sustainability indices

1 Lecture
Discussion on group projects

Abhijit (CH) Ravikrishna (CH)

Murty (CH)
Devised to:
Thinking about specific case studies; getting hands on experience;
Relating to professional development
 Module - III

4 Lectures
Dr. Jayshree Vencatesan
Care Earth Foundation

Ecological balance; Sustainability of species

Socio-ecological systems; network of things

Systems thinking
 Module - IV

3 Lectures
Dr. Sreenivas Jayanti
Chemical Engineering
IIT Madras

Sustainable Energy Management

 Module - V

2 Lectures
Ravikrishna

Life Cycle Assessment; Sustainability Ratings

Importance of domain knowledge from different areas

 Module - VI

6 Lectures

Ligy Philip / Murty Ligy (Civil / IGCS)

Water & Waste management

Case Study based lectures on sustainable river basin

management, water supply, solid waste management,
sanitation and hygiene
 Module - VII

3 Lectures

Christoph Woiwode

Urban Development IGCS / HSS

Case Study based lectures on sustainable urban

development (land use / infrastructure / urban
ecology / conflict resolution / air pollution / climate
change resilience / smart cities)
Thank You
Very Much