Sustainability Section

Vision and Mission of the Section

VISION

The Sustainability Section of EFCE envisions a future where chemical engineering leads the transition to sustainable development through systemic and holistic approaches, enhancing circular economy and ensuring the well-being of present and future generations. It aims to promote the rebuilding of industries that prioritize environmental, economic and social responsibility, utilizing innovative business models and technologies to create a harmonious balance between human needs and planetary viability.

MISSION

The mission of Sustainability Section is:

• to reinforce European cooperation and professional activity within EFCE community on the use of sustainability as a guide in product and process development;
• to provide a discourse platform within EFCE on opportunities and challenges that sustainable development poses to the professional community of chemical engineers in Europe;
• to pool considerable knowledge within EFCE members with regard to the role of sustainability in the process industry and the role that chemical engineering can play to select sustainable feedstocks, design new processes and formulate sustainable product portfolios;
• to identify and co-operate with key actors and allies to support an holistic view of process development, also fostering interactions across industrial groups, and actively promoting the shift to circular economy;
• to promote the education of a new generation of chemical engineers as well as current engineers and decision makers to comprehend the wide range of tools and methods available to use, as well as means to evaluate and communicate the impact of their work toward sustainable development;
• to promote active cooperation of experts from different Working Parties and other Sections by means of joint collaborative initiatives to sustainable development;
• to provide decision makers in business, society and politics with reliable knowledge support based on scientific insight and industrial experience in all fields of interest so that decisions are effective, productive and lead the way to impactful solutions.

 

 

Section Structure

 
The Sustainability Section is organized into 4 subsections:

1 - Sustainable materials, products, and circular economy supply chains

Material evaluation and development, including renewable feedstocks,  ....see more

 

2 - Systems engineering and systems thinking for sustainable manufacturing 

Sustainability thinking for process design. Tools for process efficiencies, ....see more

 

3 - Education, training and early-stage career development

Education, training, and the need to promote sustainability to chemical engineering curricula. ....see more

 

4 - Environmental and Social Governance

Sustainability as a driver for social acceptance and techno-economic innovation. ....see more

 

Section members

 

Subsection 1 - Sustainable materials, products, and circular economy supply chains

Coordinator: Dr. Michael Short

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Deputy: Dr. Thomas Görgen

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Material evaluation and development, including renewable feedstocks, sustainable platform chemicals and products. Sustainable and safe materials by design (SSbD) including green solvents. Methods and tools to cope with physical and thermodynamic properties of non-conventional materials (biomass, waste, textiles, bio-based products and intermediates). Links to major projects and events in this area. Characterization of non-conventional chemicals.  Review and analysis of sustainability gaps in major supply chains (e.g. plastics, fuels, specialty chemicals). Promote circularity and the need to re-enter material flows in the supply chains by re-use, and regeneration.

Subsection 2 - Systems engineering and systems thinking for sustainable manufacturing

Coordinator: Prof. Seyed Mansouri

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Deputy: Dr. Nikos Tokanas

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Sustainability thinking for process design. Tools for process efficiencies, and raw material efficiencies (e.g. by means of process integration and process intensification). Ex-post and ex-ante LCA. The analysis of manufacturing footprints in process design. Advanced modelling, and digital applications for sustainability. Modelling technology and data engineering including the use of AI. Systems engineering and machine learning as a driver for sustainable supply chains and to incentive re-use and recycle.

Subsection 3 - Education, training and early-stage career development

Coordinator: Prof. Juraj Kosek

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Deputy: Dr. Kseniya Papchenko

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Education, training, and the need to promote sustainability to chemical engineering curricula. Discussion of new modules. Organization of workshops and seminars on sustainability assessment, methods and tools. Early-stage career development. Attract young researchers at an early stage of development and prepare them with skills required for the emerging needs on sustainability.

4 - Environmental and Social Governance

Coordinator: Dr. Stelios Bikos

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Deputy: to be confirmed

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Sustainability as a driver for social acceptance and techno-economic innovation. Legislation and protocols in ESG. Sustainability over greenwashing. Links to platforms to access information and data, and KPIs.