Incorporation of Non-Technical Design Constraints in Senior Design Projects

Senior design projects for environmental engineering students are uniquely suited to incorporate deign criteria such as sustainability and social aspects. Projects that involve innovative designs can be applied to specific needs of a community. For example, at Roger Williams University, several senior design projects have addressed specific problems in nearby communities where there are septic problems and limited fresh water resources. The students designed a pressurized wastewater collection system to minimize the pollutant level in nearby estuaries. In addition, the students designed a groundwater recharge system for the collected wastewater to help mitigate water resource limitations. These projects, as well as others, allowed students not only to learn the technical aspects of design but also to examine social acceptance and sustainability of wastewater reclamation and water reuse. In addition, by designing a solution for real problems and customers, other constraints such as budget can be applied. This paper discusses these design projects and describes how non-technical design criteria were incorporated in a meaningful way.