About Us

Mon, 2011-11-14 23:23 -- adminssee
The Sustainable Engineering Society (SENG) is a technical society of Engineers Australia, open to all engineers and other professionals working towards sustainability.
 
SENG’s mission is to provide national focus and leadership within the engineering profession for the implementation of sustainability for the benefit of all life on Earth.  As engineering and environmental practitioners, we use our knowledge and skills for the benefit of the community to create engineering solutions for a sustainable future.
 
SENG gains its corporate entity as a constitutional part of Engineers Australia through the Board of Engineering Practice. The Society is primarily affiliated with the Environmental College; and has secondary affiliations with the Chemical, Mechanical and Electrical Colleges.
 
SENG provides a forum to:
  • Advance sustainability and environmental outcomes for all society;
  • Enable all engineers to implement sustainability in their work in accordance with the EA Code of Ethics;
  • Advance the profession of environmental engineering.

Guiding principles

SENG believes that sustainability is the responsibility of everyone, and is one of the most critical challenges of our time. 
 
We understand that our quality of life is dependent on the health of the environment and that the natural environment is in a serious state of ongoing decline. Many engineering endeavours have contributed greatly to human development; however many engineering endeavours have also contributed to the decline in ecosystems. In particular, we believe:
  • that a full life cycle analysis and costing should be embedded into all engineering discipline practices;
  • that opinions, decisions and recommendations must be evidence based and built on rational analysis; 
  • that all externalities and consequences of engineering decisions be considered and evaluated. 
 
We are proud that the Engineers Australia Code of Ethics requires all engineers to use their knowledge and skills for the benefit of the community to create engineering solutions for a sustainable future. In doing so, all engineers strive to serve the community ahead of other personal or sectional interests.
 

Objectives

We support the profession of environmental engineering by:
  • Promoting national excellence in the practice of environmental engineering;
  • Developing professional development opportunities in consultation with the Environmental College;
  • Providing, at the national level, the focus and co-ordination mechanism for professional society matters, policy formation, and communications;
  • Facilitating linkages at the international level, enabling members to benefit from international exchanges in matters concerning environmental engineering and sustainability;
  • Providing a focus and coordinating mechanism for professional society functions concerning research, education, and information dissemination in environmental engineering and sustainability.
 
We support all engineers to implement sustainable solutions by:
  • Promoting professional ethics through adherence to sustainability principles for all engineers across all disciplines;
  • Setting guidelines and standards for incorporation of sustainability principles into engineering education and professional practice;
  • Facilitating active participation from other professions and societies to communicate knowledge about environmentally responsible engineering and sustainability.
 
We help Engineers Australia and all of society become more sustainable by:
  • Setting guidelines and standards for incorporation of sustainability principles into engineering education and professional practice;
  • Partnering, where appropriate, with other colleges and societies to provide professional development oriented toward environmental and sustainability objectives;
  • Providing expert advice to Engineers Australia, government, industry and the community;
  • Communicating knowledge about environmentally responsible engineering and sustainability with, and to promote collaboration between, members, organisations and other societies;
  • Influencing community, corporate and regulatory attitudes and practices in relation to sustainability.

Activities

Our objectives are achieved by undertaking activities including:
  • Providing technical and professional development, along with networking opportunities, through coordination of seminars and other events.  This includes hosting a National Conference every two years.
  • Collating and developing written reference materials, and issuing media statements on sustainability subjects.
  • Engaging with those from all professions and stakeholder groups to facilitate a holistic approach to sustainability issues.
  • Providing leadership and advocating on sustainability related policies within EA.
  • Collaborating with industry and government bodies to develop guidelines, standards and policies that support the implementation of sustainable practices.
  • Providing news and newsletters on a regular basis, and contributing to journals, papers and magazines.
  • Being actively involved in all industry sectors including energy, waste, water, buildings, transport, manufacture, emissions, infrastructure, resources, health, and information and communications technology.

Operations

SENG relies substantially on the active support and involvement of our members in order to achieve our goals and objectives and to be able to provide technical and professional development support for our members
 
The Society is managed by a National Board of members elected from local Chapter membership in each Division.  It is administered by an executive comprising of the Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.  The Board can comprise of up to 13 members.  Formal meetings are held monthly; one face-to-face meeting is held annually, the remaining meetings being held via telephone conferences and one video conference.  Ongoing business is undertaken by telephone and email.
 
Local Chapters have their own committees that are responsible for SENG activities in their state. There are currently local Chapters in Victoria, Sydney, Newcastle, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, the Northern Territory and the ACT.
 
An AGM is usually held in Quarter 3 each calendar year in conjunction with the face-to-face meeting of the Board.
 

History

The Environmental Engineering Society (EES) was established in 1994, from its predecessor the National Committee on Environmental Engineering. The Society was inaugurated by the first meeting of the National Board on 28 November 1996.
 
In 2005 the Society was renamed The Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering (SSEE), in order to recognise the importance of sustainability in the engineering profession.
 
The Society was again renamed in 2012, to The Sustainable Engineering Society (SENG). This was done to shorten the name for ease of communication to the media and industry, to highlight the holistic nature of sustainability issues, and better reflect their importance in all engineering professions.
 
SENG is now a multi-disciplinary Technical Society within Engineers Australia (EA) that takes a holistic approach to sustainability. SENG is fully aligned with EA's Code of Ethics, which states that we must work towards a sustainable future and act in the interests of the community ahead of personal and sectional interests.
SENG has members from all professional engineering and scientific disciplines.