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A study by the Institution of Engineering and Technology indicates a perilous skills shortage: only 7% of engineering companies in the UK with a sustainability strategy say they have the skills needed to fulfil it. This paper presents the work of Engineers Without Borders UK in tackling the skills gap in the engineering sector, through the global responsibility competency compass. Developed with the support of the Royal Academy of Engineering and endorsed by the Engineering Council, the compass aims to support practitioners from multiple disciplines working in engineering towards the capabilities they will need to stay relevant in the context of today's challenges. It provides users with practical ways to develop themselves so that they can respond effectively to this age's complexity, uncertainty and challenges. Engineers are uniquely placed to tackle global challenges, improve quality of life, protect the environment and increase resilience to risk. Furthermore, the sector is being called on to develop and apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours that reflect the broader impacts that its decisions have on society and the environment. This paper also discusses the role and relevance of global responsibility and the compass to the application of coastal defence as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is resulting in higher temperatures and the problem of heat stress, which significantly affects urban population. Poor households living within low-income urban communities are disproportionately affected by these problems. This paper reports an investigation of coping strategies among residents in a low-income community within Lagos, Nigeria. The study utilised a mixed-method approach – community survey (sample size = 300 residents) and semi-structured interviews with 15 purposively selected residents. The survey data were analysed statistically, whereas content analysis was carried out on the interview transcripts. The findings indicate a range of personal/behavioural preventive and reactive strategies and building-related measures were utilised to address the challenge of increasing heat within the community. Notably, greening-related practices (for planting trees, cultivating gardens) did not rank high among the residents. They are willing to pay a modest amount towards greening and environmental features but not as much as housing modifications to enhance thermal comfort in the face of extreme heat. The study contributes to evidence of local coping strategies for heat exposure among disadvantaged urban residents, providing a pedestal on which heat adaptation initiatives can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of frequent extreme hot weather conditions, high-dense urban areas posed more life-threatening challenges. Such as university dormitories, as important residential spaces, have received very little attention. Moreover, how building arrangements can simultaneously impact internal and external environments remain poorly understood. To bridge this gap, student residential areas of Jiangsu University in Zhenjiang, China were considered as a case study, with the aim of optimal building arrangements that can simultaneously improve the outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) and indoor sunlight (ISL). A combination of on-site measurement and numerical models were employed to simulate various scenarios with different building orientations, building heights and layouts. The result revealed that: first, the building orientation emerged as a dominant factor influencing both OTC and ISL, with the optimal value identified as SE-30°. Second, in the context of extremely hot weather conditions, increasing building height or floor-area ratio contributed to improved OTC. Finally, the building arrangement with inconsistent heights of north-to-south descending order, exhibited a notable reduction in hot outdoor spaces by 18.6%, and attributed to enhanced airflow. The findings provide clear guidelines for improved strategies at the detailed urban design scale, and can further contribute to the development of sustainable cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the one hand, calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) eco-cements release about 40% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than Portland cement during fabrication; on the other hand, phase change materials dispersed in a cementitious matrix can help to optimise the indoor temperature of buildings, reducing carbon dioxide emissions related to heating/air conditioning. However, this is only economically viable if it is used as a thin layer (a coating). In addition, the combination of both materials supposes a double environmental benefit. Consequently, the main objective of this work is the preparation of a suitable homogeneous and well-adhered bilayer sample, composed of CSA and CSA-MPCM. To achieve this, in the first step, the effect of pH, temperature and stirring was studied for microencapsulated phase change material (MPCM) aqueous suspensions (47.3 wt%); second, the MPCM (45 wt% with respect to dry cement) was dispersed in a CSA paste; then, in a third step, a homogeneous well-adhered coating of CSA-MPCM, with undamaged MPCM, was obtained on a CSA matrix. This was achieved through rheological measurements and checked by microscopy. Finally, the corresponding CSA and CSA-MPCM mortars were characterised through their mechanical properties (compression) (70 and 13 MPa at 7 days, respectively) and thermal conductivity (2.06 and 1.19 W/mK, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanisation intensifies worldwide, the associated increase in travel demand poses significant challenges to mitigate climate change. This study examines the implementation of travel demand management (TDM) strategies within the context of urban development, focusing on the case study of Seoul's green transport zone. Through a comprehensive analysis of transportation, environmental, health, spatial reorganisation and economic aspects, this research study demonstrates the effectiveness of TDM in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable urban growth. The findings highlight the importance of integrating TDM measures into urban planning efforts to achieve resilient and environmental-friendly transportation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of scour around bridge elements due to the transportation of bed material during flood events can cause serious structural damage and loss of life. Increased uncertainties in precipitation and runoff predictions due to climate change make this phenomenon more complex and dangerous. Bridge scour countermeasures should thus be more focused on decreasing scour formation around bridge elements. In this study, abutment scour under clear-water conditions with constant flow intensity was conducted and collars were tested as scour countermeasures around semi-circular end bridge abutments. The experimental study was performed in a rectangular channel with an almost uniform cohesionless bed material for 3 h with and without collars. Collars of various lengths located at different elevations around the abutments were tested to investigate the effect of collars on scour development. The results of the study showed that the scour depth decreased with increasing collar width and when the collar was placed below the bed level for a given abutment length. The results were compared with those of similar earlier studies to show the effect of abutment shape, size of the bed sediment and test durations on the development of scour depth around abutments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]