Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 3
ENGINEERING IN SOCIETY
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ENGINEERING IN SOCIETY
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Engineering
Class: SHS 3
Term: 1st Term
Week: 7
Grade code: 3.1.1.LI.3
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 1
Content standard code: 3.1.1.CS.1
Indicator code: 3.1.1.LI.3
Theme: ENGINEERING PRACTICE
Subtheme: ENGINEERING IN SOCIETY
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Welcome, future engineers of Ghana! As engineers, we are not just builders of machines and structures; we are society's primary problem-solvers. From the clean water you drink to the light you study with and the roads you travel on, engineering is at the heart of our nation's progress. Today, we will explore one of the most important roles of a modern engineer: helping our country and the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are 17 ambitious goals set by the United Nations to create a better, more sustainable future for everyone.
A. What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
The SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, are a set of 17 interconnected goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. They are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by the year 2030.
While all 17 goals are important, several of them cannot be achieved without significant engineering contributions. We will focus on four key SDGs that are highly relevant to our work as engineers in Ghana. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities B. Engineering Solutions for Specific SDGs in Ghana
Let's break down how engineering directly provides solutions for these goals in our Ghanaian context. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation The Goal: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The Problem in Ghana: Many rural and peri-urban communities lack access to safe, pipe-borne water, relying on streams or untreated wells, which leads to waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. Urban areas face challenges with waste management and treating sewage. Engineering Solutions: Water Treatment Plants: Civil and Chemical Engineers design and operate large-scale water treatment plants like the Kpong and Weija Treatment Plants. Process: They engineer systems for coagulation (using chemicals to make small dirt particles clump together), flocculation (gently mixing to form larger particles), sedimentation (letting the heavy particles settle), filtration (passing water through layers of sand and gravel), and disinfection (using chlorine to kill harmful microorganisms). Borehole and Mechanised Water Systems: Mechanical and Civil Engineers design and construct boreholes to access clean groundwater. Example: In a community in the Savannah Region, an engineer would first conduct a hydrogeological survey to find a good spot. Then, they would drill the borehole, install a casing and screen, and fit it with a pump. To make it sustainable, a Mechanical or Electrical Engineer might connect the pump to solar panels, providing water without relying on the national grid. Sanitation Engineering: Environmental and Civil Engineers design modern sanitation systems. Example: Designing decentralised wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) for communities or institutions. They also engineer sanitary landfills for solid waste disposal, like the one in Kpone, to prevent pollution of groundwater. They design drainage systems (gutters) to prevent flooding and the spread of disease. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy The Goal: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The Problem in Ghana: While Ghana has made progress, "dumsor" (intermittent power supply) is still a concern, and many remote communities are not connected to the national grid. Our heavy reliance on hydro and thermal plants has environmental and cost implications. Engineering Solutions: Hydroelectric Power: Civil and Electrical Engineers were responsible for the design and construction of the Akosombo and Bui Dams. They calculated the structural integrity of the dam, designed the turbines (Mechanical Engineering), and engineered the power transmission lines that form our national grid (Electrical Engineering). Solar Energy Systems: Electrical and Renewable Energy Engineers are key to expanding solar power. Example: They design and install large-scale solar farms, like the VRA's 2.5 MW solar plant in Navrongo. For a smaller scale, they can design a standalone solar system for a rural clinic, calculating the number of panels, battery capacity, and inverter size needed to power lights, refrigerators for vaccines, and other essential equipment. Biogas Technology: Chemical and Agricultural Engineers can design biogas digesters that use organic waste (like market waste or animal manure) to produce methane gas for cooking and electricity generation. This simultaneously manages waste and provides clean energy. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure The Goal: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. The Problem in Ghana: We need better roads to transport goods from farms to markets, more factories to process our raw materials (like cocoa and cashews), and better internet connectivity to support innovation. Engineering Solutions: Transportation Infrastructure: Civil Engineers design and supervise the construction of roads, bridges (like the Adomi Bridge), railways, and ports (like the Tema Port expansion). They perform soil tests, design road layers for durability, and create drainage to prevent erosion. Industrial Engineering: Mechanical and Industrial Engineers design factory layouts for initiatives like the "One District, One Factory" (1D1F). They select machinery, design efficient production lines to process fruits into juice, and implement quality control systems. Telecommunications Engineering: Electrical and Computer Engineers design and maintain the infrastructure for communication, including mobile phone masts and fibre optic cable networks that provide the internet.