Introduction
What is sustainability? It can be easily defined as co-operate with the ecological system of the world. But when we look at the co-operation which modern humans are having with the beloved nature we have to think twice. In sustainability, we need to be concerned about the main areas which affects mostly. There are three interconnected field (mostly spheres) of sustainability that describes the relationships/connections between the environmental, economic, and social aspects in this world.
Social sustainability is based on the concept that a decision or project or etc. which promotes and improve the benefits of society. Economic sustainability involves creating economic value out of whatever project or decision which any one can undertake or evolve. It means that decisions are made in the most dispassionate and fiscally sound way possible while considering the other aspects of sustainability. Environmental sustainability can be shows as a responsible iteration with the environment to avoid non-renewable resource.
Hence when it comes to the sustainability in engineering, simply it means, taking environmental engineering concepts to the next level by looking at the iterations between technical, ecological, social and economic systems and by avoiding shifting problems from one area to another.
Why we have to improve the level of engineering in environmental sustainability now. Because the pollution of environment is going bigger and the damage which happens is bigger than the past. The industrial revolution which started in western in 19th century caused the pollution to get much bigger. And also World War 2 caused in many way to increase the pollution.
But now we are seeing that ancient people in Sri Lanka had maintained well-mannered concepts of sustainability in Engineering by looking at the engineering creations which were created by them. They have managed to continue their engineering with nature, not going against her.
In the present some countries started to go with green concept but it is very less percentage with comparing the other countries. Lots of implications have founded for the green concept but the number of ones who have focused on this is less. There are lots of beautiful creations are in the world which were build according to the green concepts of engineering.
The value of that creation will take by the future generation in future.
Creations of in Engineering in Ancient Sri Lanka
“Let not even a drop of rain water go to the sea without benefiting human kind”. This is a great saying which was addressed by an ancient great king Parakramabahu who ruled Sri Lanka. In his reign lots of engineering creations were created which were eco-friendly .The great skills of our ancient engineers showed by those fortress, large Reservoirs, Canals etc. were created in the reign of the kings including King Parakramabahu. All of them are created to compatible with the environment.
Some of them are Yodha Ala, Kuttam Pokuna, Biso Kotuwa and the world famous fortress Sigiriya.
Yodha Ala (Yodha Canal)
This canal takes water from Kala Wewa to Thissa Wewa in Anuradhapura for 54 miles. On the way of it supplies water to number of cultivations of villages from the small canals. Ancient Engineers had maintained the slope about 6 to 12 inches per mile in taking water from one to other by not even harming the shape of the land. Even today every engineer exites how those engineers maintain this magnificent slope and it’s still unknown.
Kuttam Pokuna
Kuttam Pokuna is the best specimen for show our bathing tanks belongs to Abhayagiri Aramic Complex in ancient Sri Lanka. This is a marvelous example that shows the ancient Hydrological Engineering knowledge & Artistic Engraving knowledge the ancient Sinhalese had. Some of those pipes and filters which were in the pool can still be seen. That shows another way that economizing the water by using more than one works.
The secret of Bisokotuwa (Sluice)
Bisokotuwa is a creation which was created for reduce the pressure of water that flows through the dam of reservoirs and it reduces the damage which was done by the water pressure to the Dam.
This was a very famous engineering creation which was created by ancients without harming the environment.
Sigiriya – The rock Fortress
King Kashyapa chose Sigiriya rock and developed it. Pleasure Gardens, Water Gardens, fountain structures, Boulder designs and also palaces of Sigiriya show the hydraulic and civil engineering knowledge of the ancient Sinhalese engineers had. The water economizing system in that hydraulic system is a good example for the modern engineers. The technology of fountain structures, boulder designs water supply system and elevation system to the summit of the rock is still unknown.
Finally we can see that the ancient people had the technology which was eco-friendly too. But when it comes to the modern days, engineers have failed to continue the techniques which were done by their ancients.
Why Eco-Friendly Engineering was needed
Because of the industrial revolution which was started in late 18th century in Western people went for non-renewable energies like fossil fuels and coal. They were used to generate the energy of the engines of the machines and also they were used for generate the electricity. Still in the present most of the countries uses fuel and coal to generate the power.
Because of that the environment pollution was get higher and also the population also increased. Because of that the requirements of food was increased and the environmental pollution got even bigger.
When the World War 1, 2 came, the pollution was higher than previous conditions and after the World War 2 powerful and developed countries gathered and started to talk about the
Environment pollution which was becoming a global problem. At that time they went for ecosystems because which was the best option for it.
Solutions & Implications with Engineering
Looking at the Solutions and Implications they categorized them for few categories.
• Energy Conservation
• Water Conservation
• Reduces and maintain Waste
Energy Conversion
Developed countries started to reduce the usage of non-renewable for engines, make electricity etc. Because of that the environmental pollution was started to decrease, but not very hastily. Because the most of the countries are still depending on the non-renewable energies. In the Energy Conversion there are few examples for it.
Solar Energy:
Use the energy of the sun and store it as the electricity is the technology in here. This is completely free and that is a huge advantage and it haven’t any limit too. There are no any interim results so the
Environmental pollution is Zero and also the cost is very low. So exchanging this solar energy to a non-renewable source in a very good investment for the future.
Wind Energy:
Wind energy is another very useful and limitless energy. The rotter which is placed in windmills starts to rotate when wind barge; then the turbines which were under the windmill starts to rotate. At that time the kinetic energy converts in to electricity. The disadvantage of this one is the cost is very high and also this power plants can be placed in specific areas only.
Crop Rotation
From crop rotation, the land’s growth potential can maximized without any disease or any insects in the soil. This is very important for the farmers and also gardeners too.
Waste Conservation
Creating recyclable materials will reduce the inorganic wastage which put in to the environment .There are few waste which were put in to environment.
• Waste-to-energy technologies
• Avoidance of marine litter
• Electronic waste
• Economic instruments
Entrepreneurship and Design
Solar power is very important and also economic and limitless source of energy. But in these days the demand for the solar panels in the world is increasing but the supply is very low. Entrepreneurs can take the chance of this as join this campaign to reduce the pollution and be rich. But the investment is little bit high but the profit is high too.
Sustainable Projects in Sri Lanka
There are many beautiful and creative and ecological engineering designs in Sri Lanka. Few of them are Heritance Kandalama and the Green University NSBM which was opened recently.
• Heritance Kandalama
This is a one of the beautiful
creations of the great architecture Jefry Bawa.The hotel is built a side of the kandalama lake and between two rocks. The hotel has 7 floors and in this picture you can see how ecological is this hotel. The beautiful view of the lake and also birds and animals ,butterflies etc. increases the interaction the hotel. The greatest achievement that this hotel achieved can seen in the other picture. Elephants are very sensitive animals and if they walks in front of the
hotel means that there are no any threaten to them by the humans. The lakeside land is very common to them to come near to the hotel. Not even elephants but also the other animals too behave near the hotel without any threaten .
So Heritance Kandalama achieved the best ecological creation of the world few times because of this.
• Green University NSBM
NSBM is the first green university which build in Sri Lanka in the recent. The whole concept of the university is friendly with the environment and the recycle system and the waste Management also very ecologic.