SCHOOL-INDUSTRY INTEGRATION IN CONTINUING ENGINEERING EDUCATION: A case study on green building research

Abstract

Water is, probably, the natural resource thatwill mostly constrain the human kind’s freedom to developwithin the foreseeable future. This truth is particularlynoticed in the urban environment of the fast-growingmegalopolis so common in developing countries – as it isthe case of São Paulo, Brazil. This study shows the resultsof the integrated post-graduate research project of aMackenzie Presbyterian University student, at theEngineering School, under the extended educationprogram known as “Excellence in Civil EngineeringConstruction”. Toilet flushing and garden irrigation spendmuch more water than all other edifice activities. A greenproject was developed in São Paulo by a buildingcompany, with the student’s participation, with theobjective of promoting total independence from the publicwater supply in what concerns to those two particularneeds over a considerable part of the building. The casestudytechnical and educational results are reported in thepaper.Index Terms ⎯ Water re-use, Building-water supply,Sustainable systems.