What's the best way to learn from other civil engineering projects that use sustainable design?

Reviewing case studies is one of the most valuable tools in the learning process, especially in a technical field such as civil engineering. By delving into sustainable design case studies, you can gain specific insight into how other projects addressed specific challenges, what materials were used, and what the final results were. For example, if the case study focuses on a coastal protection engineering project, you can learn how geosynthetics or vinyl sheet piles were used in a real-world scenario. Case studies also often provide a cost analysis that can help you understand the financial benefits of choosing one solution over another.

I learned from a young age to pay attention. This evolved into taking note of your surroundings whether you are purposely visiting a site or not. I have learned so much about civil engineering by seeing how other did things and what the final results look like. This is especially valuable when visiting areas outside of your normal "jurisdiction". I cannot count how many times my wife has said something about me taking notes about drainage designs when we are on vacation!

Engaging in forums, both online and offline, offers a rich opportunity to delve into the experiences of professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Moreover, these forums can often be platforms where soft skills such as effective communication and collaboration become paramount. Listening to the challenges others face, the solutions they have found, or simply innovative approaches can expand your understanding and offer new perspectives.

Another way to learn about and from other civil engineering projects that use sustainable design is to follow the industry leaders on social network platforms and read their posts. I get the most up to data industry information form LinkedIn.

Remember that there are a lot of "right" ways to do something, even if it's not the way you think it should be done. Maybe their idea it costs more but maybe it was faster to build. Maybe it's less expensive but the final results will not meet the aesthetic expectations of the client. Lots of different reasons to be different. Keep an open mind and learn from everything!