My commitment to sustainability in construction began in 2004—long before the word became a global priority. At the time, my concern was a straightforward yet pressing one: the relentless depletion of natural resources used in producing construction materials. What began as a narrow focus soon evolved into a much broader mission—one that now encompasses reducing pollution, minimising waste, and rethinking the way we design, build, and ultimately live.
The UN SDGs as a Guiding Framework
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global blueprint for addressing humanity’s most urgent challenges by 2030, and engineering sits at the heart of that vision. Civil engineering in particular plays a decisive role in shaping a sustainable world:
- SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): by creating resilient urban infrastructure, efficient water systems, and sustainable waste management practices.
- SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): by promoting reuse, recycling, and circular economy models that break the cycle of overconsumption.
- SDG 14 (Life Below Water): by addressing sources of plastic pollution before they reach our oceans.
As civil engineers, we hold the tools to turn these goals from aspirations into tangible outcomes.
Turning Ideas into Action
As awareness grows around the environmental cost of unchecked consumption, a fundamental question emerges: How can we build and live without exhausting the resources we depend on?
One project that stands out in my journey explored exactly this challenge. Together with a group of civil and chemical engineering students, we investigated ways to repurpose plastic waste in concrete production. By blending polymers into an alternative fine aggregate, we produced a concrete mix that, while 60% lower in compressive strength than traditional mixes, still met the requirements for non-structural applications. Interestingly, the density of the mix was reduced by 16%, making it lighter and well-suited for prefabricated elements. This innovation not only diverted plastic from landfills and waterways but also reframed waste as a valuable resource.
Collaboration with academics at other universities has reinforced my commitment to eco-friendly construction materials. Recent projects have examined the use of recycled aggregates from demolition sites, as well as industrial by-products such as fly ash and slag, in concrete production. These approaches reduce the strain on natural resources while lowering the carbon footprint of cement manufacturing—one of the world’s largest contributors to emissions.
In parallel, research into life cycle assessments (LCAs) of buildings has deepened my focus on sustainability. LCAs encourage us to evaluate every stage of the construction process, from design through demolition, and make more informed choices along the way. At EIT, we are currently supervising doctoral students investigating the use of Bayer bauxite waste (red mud) as a potential cement replacement—another step toward turning environmental liabilities into assets.
Engineering has always been about solving problems. But today, it must also be about creating opportunities—opportunities to rethink materials, systems, and the very models that underpin our industries. Moving away from a linear “take–make–dispose” approach and embracing a circular economy allows us to transform waste into value, reduce environmental impacts, and align economic growth with ecological resilience.
The real challenge now is to inspire the next generation of engineers to see sustainability not as an add-on, but as a guiding principle. Every material, process, and design decision must be viewed through the lens of long-term environmental stewardship. The solutions we need already exist; our task is to apply them, refine them, and scale them up.
Ultimately, we can always choose to be kinder to the planet. As engineers, we have both the privilege and the responsibility to make that choice matter—and to ensure that our work contributes not just to the built environment, but to the health and future of the natural world.
Dr. Ana Evangelista is a Civil Engineer with over 20 years of academic and industry experience. She is currently a Course Coordinator and Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT), where she also contributes to the Academic Board and coordinates the Work Integrated Learning program. Her research, including a PhD on non-destructive testing of concrete, has been published internationally, and she has extensive experience in teaching, consultancy, and research in civil engineering.
