Abstract:

Sustainable engineering and design techniques are essential for engineering students. Our future engineers should be well prepared for playing a proactive role in enhancing technologies-driven sustainability in manufacturing. Creativity based approach can improve the learning experience of engineering students in sustainability topics. The thinking style of intelligent people can aid them in proposing innovative sustainable solutions to engineering problems. Effective strategies and practices for improving creativity can lead to life-long learning in sustainability. Studying and practicing the thinking styles of super-smart inventors, musicians, and writers can improve problem-solving skills and stimulate eco-design solutions. In this paper, the links between creativity-based teaching and sustainability design are assessed via several examples. Sustainble concurrent design via creativity tools is discussed. Examples of exercises and team-based practices to boost the capacity of young engineers to initiate start-ups in the context of sustainable design are also proposed.

Keywords:

Creativity, sustainable design, engineering students, life-long learning.