GEA4102-SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

QUESTION BANK
1. Define sustainability
2. State any five efficiencies of energy conservation process and technologies
3. State lagging and leading metrics with examples
4. Give two examples for the application of biomimicry.
5. Explain the human vitality principle of sustainable design.
6. List out the six principles of sustainable design.
7. Justify “overdesign is a flaw”.
8. Review the impact of balancing and reinforcing loops.
9. List out the stages in technology adaptation?
10. Define efficiency.
11. Enumerate "cradle-to-grave" concept in LCA.
12. State the components of Technology Readiness Levels 1 & 2.
13. List the three categories of technical metrics.
14. Define sustainable development
15. Sketch the three pillars of sustainable development
16. List out sustainable design principles.
17. State the main role of technology and its by-products.
18. Brief any one of 12 sustainability principles
19. List out any four anthropogenic impacts on the environment.
20. What is meant by conversion efficiency of a technology?
21. Illustrate technology in terms of input and output with a simple sketch.
22. Discuss the need for Life Cycle Assessment.
23. Which technology has driven from manpower-intensive to technology-centric
explain.
24. Sketch the three spheres of sustainability.
25. Explain the “Seven Generations” principle of sustainable design.
26. Discuss the need for sustainability.
27. Mention why “minimize material diversity” is an important principle of
sustainable engineering.
28. What is system stock and flow?
29. Define Technology.
30. List the stages in technology adaptation.
31. State an example of lagging and leading metrics w.r.t deforestation and global
warming.
32. Sketch “Life Cycle Assessment” process.
33. Explain sustaining technology in contrast to disruptive technology.
34. A pump consumes 100KW energy to pump a fluid. It loses 50 KW as heat during
the process. Determine conversion efficiency of the process
35. Fill in the blank

36. List few criteria used to assess green chemistry alternatives to existing
processes.
37. What is meant by “reduction of risk” by” reduction of hazard”?
38. Define recycling efficiency.
39. Describe multi-functional materials
40. What are the benefits of recycling?
41. Find recycling efficiency if mass of waste placed in recycling bin in 6Kg and mass
of material sent to landfill after recycling is 2Kg
42. List few key principles of green chemistry.
43. Recall risk in green engineering
44. Identify the chosen alternatives for sustainable green engineering.
45. List out the examples of green engineering
46. Define green engineering
47. List some examples of green chemistry
48. How to choose an alternative for chemical manufacturing process?
49. List the areas of impact on sustainability of multifunctional materials
50. List the control keys for green chemistry
51. Differentiate Chemistry and Green Chemistry.
52. Suggest any two methods to reduce the risk in chemical field.
53. Consider an industry comprises of tanks filled with methanol and accidently, the
tanks are ruptured. How do you revise the Risk management plan to avoid any
harm in the future?
54. Green buildings cost more than traditional buildings. Do you agree with this
statement or not? Justify your answer.
55. Justify the statement: “Choosing the best alternative requires careful
investigation!”
56. Discuss any one method of ranking alternatives.
57. Identify the methods that decide the selection of weighing factors.
58. Write the use of MCA tool.
59. Define multifunctional materials
60. Write the five levels of waste management hierarchy
61. Define recycling efficiency
62. What process in the water cycle are responsible for depletion of continental
water storage
63. Define water cycle
64. Mention the usage of waste water when it is extracted from natural water cycle
65. Mention the any 5 advantages of sustainability
66. Briefly explain sustainable design
67. Explain Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)
68. Define technology
69. Explain Life Cycle Analysis
70. Give 4 disciplines included in green engineering
71. Explain recycling
72. Briefly explain open-loop recycling
73. Explain Water recycle
74. Give a brief account of social networking
75. The concepts of the 3Es of Sustainability are
(a) Economic, Etiquette and Environmental
(b) Environmental, Economic and Etiquette
(c) Ecological, Equitable and Economic
76. Define Conversion Efficiency
77. List the 3 stages of LCA
78. Define Green Chemistry
79. Explain in detail the framework for assessment of alternatives.
80. Examine the areas multifunctional materials can impact the technological
systems.
81. Explain the principles of Green Engineering
82. Describe the significance of weighing factors in assessment of alternatives.
83. Discuss how risk is mitigated in green engineering as compared to traditional
methods.
84. Define Multifunctional Materials and give examples
85. Give examples and define E-Waste
86. Infer “Open loop and Closed loop” thinking in Sustainable design principles
87. Illustrate Water Cycle with a sketch
88. Indicate what do you understand by Collaborative Decision Making
89. “It is better to prevent waste rather than to treat the waste or cleanup after it is
formed” - Comment.

90. State the main levels in the technology readiness level (TRL) for technology
assessment and explain any four methods
91. Explain the emerging converging and disruptive technologies
92. Draw the flow diagram of main stages of inflows and outflows consider in life
cycle assessment
93. Explain characteristics of indicators (in sustainability indicators 101)
94. Explain any four criteria and the measures use to assess green chemistry
alternatives to existing processes
95. Explain reduce, reuse and recycle. How it supports sustainable development
through various stages?
96. Draw the flow diagram matching the natural human control water cycle, also list
the examples to keep combined water system sustainable
97. Explain the intuitive approaches to conserve water and mention the three levels
of measures for water conservation
98. Explain drinking water treatment
99. Explain waste water treatment
 100. Explain the Principles of Sustainable Design
101. Explain the system and its components in Sustainable Engineering
Systems
102. Sketch and explain your understanding of Sustainable Development
103. Explain in detail the benefits and limits of a Life Cycle Analysis
104. In future, the sources of fossil fuels become rare and extinct. Suggest some
methods to overcome this crisis.
105. Explain the 12 key principles of Green Chemistry
106. List any three methods for increasing energy efficiency of buildings.
107. Judge the characteristics that an chosen alternative must have in an
alternative solutions
108. Explain with a neat sketch the stages in LCA for a Water treatment Project
In your locality
109. Brief the purpose and strategies of Waste Management.
110. Two industries A and B emit same amount of CO2. Industry A uses filter to
purify the smoke generated from the chimney, but industry B plant more trees
near the industry. Which is more sustainable? Why.
111. Classify the various Conservation and Protection technologies for Water
112. Point out the role played by the Community and Social Net working in
Sustainability Paradigm.
113. List down the frame works Applying Sustainable Principles
114. Discuss sustainable designs and engineering
115. Explain Technology as a part of anthropogenic environment
116. Write about the conversion efficiency
117. Suggest two ways to create awareness about the importance “Energy
conservation among Public”.
118. Explain Green engineering - Give examples
119. Write about waste reduction
120. Explain recycling of e-waste
121. Discuss open-loop recycling and its merits and de-merits
122. Differentiate closed loop versus open loop thinking in recycling.
123. The temperature at the core of the earth is very high. Is there any method
available to utilize this energy for generating electricity?
124. If industrial energy use is the dominant consumer of energy. Give any three
suggestions for reducing the energy consumption in industries.

125. Give your comment on this conversation:

Aneesh: Pranav, the article in this magazine says that coal reservoirs are
sufficient to meet the growing energy demands. I wonder, then why all are taking
too much about alternative energy resources.
Pranav: its because it is our responsibility to keep the available resources for
our future generations too.
126. What are the main problems and risks associated with waste?
127. What is the waste hierarchy? How is it related to sustainable thinking?
128. What is zero waste concept?
129. Define recycling efficiency. Write the formula.
130. Suggest any two methods to reduce CO2 gases in atmosphere.
131. Organize the possible sustainable solutions to address the root of the e-waste
problem.
132. How is the problem of waste disposal currently handled?
133. Suggest two water conserving methods that can be adopted in Green buildings.
134. Mention the two major stages of recycling strategy.
135. What are the main types of solid waste, and what are the major ways to treat it?
136. Write down the benefits of the composting process.
137. List the reasons for separating the electronic waste stream.
138. Identify the basic principles of solid waste management
139. Suggest any two sustainable methods for waste water treatment.
140. Explain the significance of carbon footprint.Suggest two methods for reducing
carbon footprint in your village.
141. Identify the factor which is important for the success of recollection of a
recyclable material.
142. Give a neat example for down-cycling.
143. Discuss resource conservation and pollution prevention in resource
management
144. Discuss whether open loop recycling speed up or slow down the process of
extraction?
145. Explain the various of water conservation
146. Discuss the Human factor in sustainable paradigm

Part B Questions

1. Explain with diagram of the three pillars of social economic and environmental
aspects of sustainable development
2. How social sustainability occurs. Explain any five dimensions identified in the
social context with respect social metrics
3. Explain the visual representation of categories of sustainability metrics
4. Explain how multifunctional materials impact sustainability.
5. Give a short note on any one method used for weighing factors.
6. Describe how the traditional method of risk reduction through exposure
reduction is different from green chemistry approach?
7. Describe multi-criteria analysis model for ranking different alternatives.
8. Explain green chemistry. List and explain key principles of green chemistry.
9. Write about the reasons that contribute to separation of e-waste stream? Why is
e-waste stream management necessary?
10. Going green can reduce the overall energy use. Mention any one strategy that
you could adopt to meet the sustainability benchmarks
11. Describe multi-criteria analysis model for ranking different alternatives.
12. Discuss the two approaches used in multi-criteria analysis to rank alternatives
based on assessment criteria
13. Summarize closed loop recycling.
14. Explain biomimicry with an example
15. Give a short note on sustainable design principles
16. Write about the stages in technology adaptation?
17. Summarize life cycle assessment analysis.
18. The diagram shows the stages in technology adaptation. Summarize
19. There is a remote village on top of a hill. Explain any two methods that can be
adopted there to generate electricity.
20. State green chemistry. Explain the twelve key principles of green chemistry
21. “We can create a more Sustainable, cleaner and safer world by making wiser
energy choices.” Evaluate the importance of the quote and discuss on the various Non-
Conventional Energy Sources.
22. How are green buildings differ from conventional buildings? Compare in any five
aspects.
23. Draw the open loop, closed loop recycling and explain the processes
24. Write the benefits of composting process and describe with flow diagram to
produce marketable compost products
25. Why should we adopt collaborative decision making? Explain the steps involved
in collaborative decision making
26. Explain with neat sketch the recycling of plastic material and mention its uses
27. What is social networking and its features? Explain the type of social networks
and its sites. Mention the weakness, threats, opportunities and strengths
28. Draw the frame work and explain how Sustainability Principles can be applied
29. Differentiate Open loop recycling and closed loop recycling in detail, with
suitable illustrations and examples.
30. Explain with examples the concept of reuse and redistribution programs.
31. Describe the stages to produce marketable compost product with the help of
flow diagram.
32. Discuss the impact and management of e-waste.
33. Apply life cycle thinking to waste management systems and demonstrate some
ways to measure the technical performance of waste management processes
34. Explain the concepts of Technology Adaptation and its 5 stages with examples
35. Using the block diagram describe in detail, the 4 stages of LCA methodology
36. Explain in detail any two sustainable engineering principles.
37. Compare emerging, converging and disruptive technologies.
38. Explain with the example of a forest the frameworks for applying sustainability
principles.
39. Summarize the stages in technology adaptation.
40. Explain the role of technology in sustainable development.
41. Explain in a tabulated form the criteria and measures used to assess Green
Chemistry alternatives to existing processes
42. Elaborate in detail, the role and impact of Multifunctional Materials in
Sustainability
43. With suitable sketches explain how you will manage food waste and Composting
technologies
44. With sketches elaborate on various stages in Waste Water treatment
45. Show in detail, the metrics used for the assessment of Water Management
Technologies
46. A hospital is situated in the middle of a densely populated area. What are the
possible environmental impacts that can happen to the surroundings? Suggest any
methods for reducing these impacts.
47. Illustrate five practices for making the industrial process move towards the goal
of sustainability.
48. Expand your ideas on the role of played by Human factors in the Sustainability
Paradigm
49. Discuss about the frameworks for applying Sustainable Principles
50. List down the sustainable energy designs in engineering - give examples
51. Technology Readiness Levels - Explain in detail
52. Give an account of Technology Adaption
53. Write about green engineering
54. Explain a solar water heating system with a neat sketch.
55. Explain Life cycle Analysis, Waste management, pollution prevention
56. Enumerate the difference between open loop and closed loop recycling
57. Write notes on management of food waste and composting technologies
58. Explain water cycle, water conservation and protection technologies
59. Discuss about collaborative decision making