Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the potential for implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the civil engineering bachelor degree in the School of Civil Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). Design/methodology/approach All the 2019/2020 course syllabi were analyzed to diagnose at which extent each subject within the program curriculum contributes to achieving the different SDGs. Findings The results show a promising starting point as 75% of the courses address or have potential to address targets covering the 2030 Agenda. This paper also presents actions launched by the School of Civil Engineering to boost the SDGs into the civil engineering curriculum. Originality/value This paper presents a rigorous and systematic method that can be carried out in different bachelor degrees to find the subjects that have the potential to incorporate the SDGs into their program. This paper also presents actions launched by the Civil Engineering School to boost the SDGs into the civil engineering curriculum.

This paper presents a study on the development of the cross-curricular learning outcome (CCLO) “Ethical, environmental and professional responsibility” for students of different Bachelor’s Degrees taught at Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain). The work involved in the development of this learning outcome entails great complexity, given the double dimension of responsibility that it involves. At the end of their training at the university, students are expected to show ethical, environmental, and professional responsibility towards themselves and others. Interviews have been conducted with lecturers who work and assess this outcome in their subjects, most/all of them related to science and engineering. The objective was to identify the learning approach used in the different subjects to guarantee the acquisition of this CCLO by the students. A focus group has also been carried out with students to determine the importance they give to this learning outcome, and to know their degree of satisfaction with the training received. The methodology used to obtain the data from lecturers and students and to process the information to get a precise diagnosis is fully described in the paper. Results are satisfactory to some extent: most of the lecturers carry out appropriate activities and most students achieve the expected proficiency level. Finally, recommendations are given to improve the development of this cross-curricular learning outcome.

This work studies the possibility of incorporating different proportions of glass powder from the waste glass (rejected material called fine cullet) produced during the glass recycling process into the manufacturing of mortar and concrete. For this purpose, the material is characterized by its chemical composition and pozzolanic activity, and the shape and size of its particles are studied. It is then incorporated as a substitute for cement into the manufacturing of mortar and concrete at 25% and 40% of cement weight, and its effect on setting times, consistency, and mechanical strength is analyzed. Its behavior as a slow pozzolan is verified, and the possibility of incorporating it into concrete is ratified by reducing its cement content and making it a more sustainable material.

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Climate change is driving urban development policies for nearly all cities, which are responsible for over 40% carbon emissions in the world. UN SDG 11 (“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”) defines critical indicators focused on carbon footprint reduction through green policies and city heritage preservation. Urban regeneration should ensure climate comfort for citizens while enhancing legacy urban resilience. New solutions for urban regeneration such as Phase Change Materials (PCMs) provide inexpensive energy adaption solutions by reducing peak thermal loads, and their market share is growing yearly by 16% (OECD market trends). However, these materials must be integrated into recyclable flexible building elements to ensure tailored responses to different seasons and climates. Modular PCM elements working together with Passive Haus techniques have demonstrated their flexibility. This paper presents a new, efficient, and sustainable modular solution for PCM-based building envelope regeneration projects implemented jointly with Passive Haus strategies and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) at street level. The efficiency of the proposed strategy is demonstrated though a simplified Digital Twin of the Benicalap neighbourhood in Valencia, Spain. The model simulates the climate evolution at the neighbourhood level, and can be used in any urban background to obtain a new carbon footprint which is then used as the main criterion for joint impact assessment of the proposed modular PCM-based building envelopes.