Emphasis in Environmental Engineering Consulting

Overview

Environmental consulting engineers are in high demand. Environmental-related projects to monitor contaminants, and mitigate their effects on the ecosystems, mean that engineers with this training are highly sought after. Hence, this specialized field requires formal training, as this career path cannot quickly pivot.

Through this emphasis, students will have opportunities to gain essential knowledge in monitoring, sustainable treatment technologies, modelling, environmental regulations, project management, and risk assessment. The new emphasis will guide students in the MEng program, help them build knowledge, and develop expertise relevant to society.

Currently, the Environmental Engineering Consulting emphasis is only available for MEng students at the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry.

MEng students must successfully complete four half courses (2.0 FCE), including at least one core (0.5 FCE) course in the following list

This Emphasis was effective on May 1, 2023.

Core Courses

CHE1151H - Engineering Systems Sustainability

CHE1431H - Environmental Auditing

CHE1432H - Technical Aspects of Environmental Regulations

CME549H - Groundwater Flow and Contamination

CIV1319H - Chemistry and Analysis of Water and Waste

The remaining coursework may be taken from the elective courses list

Elective Courses

CHE 561H - Risk Based Safety Management

CHE1150H - Industrial Water Treatment

CHE1433H - Air Dispersion Modelling

CIV536H - Urban Activity, Air Pollution, and Health

CIV541H - Environmental Biotechnology

CIV1308H - Physical and Chemical Treatment Processes

CIV1321H - Large Scale Infrastructure and Sustainability

CME500 - Fundamentals of Acid Rock Drainage

JCC1313H - Environmental Microbiology

JNC2503H - Environmental Pathways

Background

Human activities, including industrial, commercial, and agricultural, are the main factor contributing to environmental contamination, threatening the human well-being and health of the entire planet. The most imminent consequence of these activities is climate change, which has triggered the current climate crisis: extreme weather events have caused floods, landslides, drought, wildfires, and damage to man-made structures and animal habits. Human activity also poses significant risks to all countries' financial systems and economies.

Governments have designed, adopted, and regularly updated environmental policies and regulations to minimize the harmful effects of human activities on ecosystems. However, several challenges arise from their implementation, including technical challenges such as the design, operation, and optimization of cost-effective technologies for monitoring, mitigating, and remediating the impact of contaminants. Multi-disciplinary teams and stand-alone consultants join efforts during project life cycles to create solutions aligned to these regulations, addressing opportunities to tackle these challenges. Environmental engineering consultants are key participants in planning and executing these projects. Environmental engineering services ensure that systems, plans, and monitoring strategies are developed, implemented, and maintained to meet project objectives.