Engineering and sustainable development are intrinsically linked. All capital plant and every consumable product depends on an engineering input through design, manufacture and operation, if not for the product itself then for the equipment required to process and transport the raw materials and the final product. Many aspects of sustainable development depend directly on appropriate and timely actions by engineers. Engineering is an extended process of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and execution and, therefore, it is argued that engineers must be involved from the outset of any proposal to develop sustainable solutions. Engineering embraces many disciplines and truly sustainable solutions are usually inter-disciplinary in nature. Sustainable solutions have not only an environmental dimension but also economic and social dimensions, thus extending the multi-disciplinary nature beyond engineering.

The International Journal of Sustainable Engineering is predicated on the need for engineers to have access to a source of information and an opportunity to share, through publication, new ideas and solutions for sustainable development.

Researchers from both academia and industry are invited to submit papers on their recent research into problems related to reducing the environmental impacts of engineered systems, processes and products. The International Journal of Sustainable Engineering also welcomes papers that include economic and social components that complement the engineering dimension, consider the management of sustainable engineering, or address the modelling of sustainable engineering solutions.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Engineering design for sustainable development
• Sustainable technology innovation
• Life-cycle engineering
• Energy conservation and low-carbon manufacturing
• Sustainable power engineering and renewable energy technologies
• Waste minimisation, remanufacturing, reuse and recycling technologies
• Sustainable material development
• Sustainable packaging solutions
• Sustainable process engineering
• Environmental management and ISO standards
• Water engineering solutions for developing countries
• Sustainable construction for the built environment
• Product versus service paradigms
• Managing use and consumption
• Sustainable supply chain management
• Sustainable transport engineering
• Sustainable business models
• Engineering education for sustainable development

Short Communications

Research aimed at improving the sustainability of a product, process or system is dynamic and may produce valuable knowledge worthy of prompt publication. The Short Communications section of the Journal provides an opportunity for such prompt publication, covering all areas related to sustainable engineering. Submissions will be subjected to the normal rigorous review process but will benefit from a ‘fast-track' procedure.

Short communications should be brief and must not exceed 2000 words and 4 illustrations. The Editor will return submissions that exceed these maxima with a request that they be shortened before resubmission.

Any topic relevant to the aims and objectives of the Journal can form the basis of a short communication but authors should be aware that only high quality, timely submissions will qualify for inclusion. As a guide, submissions that match at least one of the following criteria will be welcome:

• Innovative design solutions
• Innovative uses of materials
• Novel industrial applications
• Concepts and paradigms and their initial validation
• Formative conclusions from pure and applied research

Book Reviews

The Journal will publish reviews of books that are relevant to its Aims and Scope. Although the Editor will take the principal responsibility for identifying titles of interest and suitable reviewers, suggestions of titles and offers of reviews will be welcome.

Reviews will typically be of 500-600 words in length and will include a brief summary of contents, main strengths and shortcomings, and indication of the readership to which it will be best suited.