Sustainable Design for Engineers
Understanding Sustainability. Shaping the Future.
Sustainability is no longer a marginal issue. For future engineers, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to evaluate technical solutions not only in terms of functionality and economic viability, but also from ecological, social, and ethical perspectives.
To this end, the Sustainable Design for Engineers project is developing a practice- and project-oriented teaching concept at Hochschule Offenburg. The goal is to systematically integrate the topic of sustainability into engineering degree programs and to equip students with concrete methods and tools for sustainable product and process development, the circular economy, and life cycle assessment.
What's it about?
Students should be equipped to develop technical solutions that meet the environmental, economic, and social requirements of a modern, sustainable society. To this end, various course modules are being developed that build on one another.
A central component of these modules is hands-on training in the circular economy and the conduct of robust life cycle assessments (LCAs). Together with the students, a university-wide database containing self-generated primary data will be developed. This database enables students to integrate real-world product data into LCAs and create digital product passports. In addition, students specialize in theoretical and practical knowledge through use cases in real-world application scenarios.
Who is this offer intended for?
The course offerings are aimed at students in engineering programs at Hochschule Offenburg. They are particularly geared toward students who wish to combine technical development, production, energy, buildings, the environment, or product design with issues of sustainability.
Depending on the degree program, these course modules can be incorporated as a required elective. Whether and in what form credit can be granted depends on the specific degree program.
What do students learn?
Ethical Awareness and Reflection: Students develop a deep understanding of sustainability and social responsibility in the context of global challenges such as climate change, social justice, and technological change.
Critical Thinking and Independent Solution Development: Students learn to critically analyze problems and independently devise sustainable solutions, enabling them to routinely incorporate sustainability into future projects.
Sustainable Technical Design: Students gain practical, project-based experience in designing technical solutions that successfully combine three factors: functionality, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness.
Use of digital tools: Students understand digitalization as an essential tool for sustainable product development and learn, for example, how to make targeted use of databases on the environmental impacts of materials or energy sources.
Practical Application and Teamwork: Using real-world use cases—including those in collaboration with industry—students apply their theoretical knowledge in practice. In doing so, they specifically develop their teamwork and communication skills, as well as their creativity and innovative thinking.
The Instructional Modules
Module 1: Introduction to the Dimensions of Sustainability
ECTS: 4; SWS: 3; Exam: Presentation
The first module covers the fundamentals of sustainability from ecological, economic, social, and ethical perspectives. It also addresses topics such as sustainable product development, sustainability management, reporting, production, and environmental laws and standards.
A central element is a case study conducted throughout the semester as a group project. Students analyze a specific product from a company and, working together, develop a well-founded strategic recommendation for action.
Click here for the Moodle course
Module 2: Field Trip
ECTS: 2 SWS: 2 Exam: Presentation
The field trip connects the content of Course Module 1, “Introduction to the Dimensions of Sustainability,” with real-world companies and applications. Students gain insights into sustainability-related issues in industry, production, and product development.
Module 3: Circular Economy
ECTS: 2 SWS: 2 Exam: Written exam (60 min.)
This module covers concepts and strategies related to the circular economy. It focuses on material cycles, resource efficiency, recycling, reuse, and the question of how products can be designed to be more circular right from the development stage.
Module 4: Life Cycle Assessment
ECTS: 2 SWS: 2 Exam: Written exam (60 min.)
The Life Cycle Assessment module teaches methodologies for evaluating environmental impacts throughout a product’s entire life cycle. Students learn to organize and interpret life cycle data and to work with tools such as openLCA.
Module 5: Use Cases
ECTS: 3; SWS: 2; Exam: Project
In the use cases, students apply the methodologies they have learned to specific technical problems. In doing so, they can analyze real-world product data, manufacturing processes, or industrial use cases.
The goal is to identify improvement measures and make technical decisions based on transparent sustainability assessments.
Project Funding
"Sustainable Design for Engineers" is funded by the Carl Zeiss Foundation as part of the CZS-Rethink initiative.
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