GPS/GIS Technology to Provide Sustainable Solutions

CEE 2814, Measurements, is a four credit hour required course of all Civil and Environmental Engineering, Building Construction, and Construction Engineering Management students. During the summer of 2009 a teaching module was developed to introduce the concept of sustainable design from a land surveying perspective. The authors selected the use of global positioning systems (GPS) to illustrate the concept of sustainability through increased efficiencies. This paper will highlight specific examples of the use of GPS in industry to increase efficiency, and thereby provide traditional services in a more sustainable manner. Specifically, the authors will look at the waste management industry and how a 10% savings in truck travel and fuel was achieved by using GPS in conjunction with route optimization software. Also investigated is the doubling of productivity by using GPS to assist in grading operations at land development sites. Lastly, the paper looks forward to the potential use of GPS by the Federal Aviation Administration to more effectively route planes through the United States air traffic system. This is in a system where a single airline estimated that landing each of their planes one minute sooner could result in fuel savings of $25 million in a year.