The emphasis on sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles as an all-embracing philosophy is increasing. Civil engineering professionals have to adopt a broader view of what constitutes sustainability and adapt their approaches to provide solutions that satisfy sustainability prerequisites. Civil engineers have to plan and develop sustainable solutions to provide for the needs of humans, and they also have to construct and maintain the facilities in harmony with the total environment. This is a huge challenge, since providing quality of life for current generations will have to take cognizance of the needs and requirements of future generations. These two requirements are not easily reconcilable since current aspirations and expectations may, in many instances, have to be tempered if the needs of future generations are to be taken into consideration. Ethical values based on sustainable development imperatives are currently of substantial importance. The civil engineer of today does not only deal with technical issues but also has to facilitate understanding and decisions made by communities. The advice given may even be unpopular, but since these decisions affect the future, the engineer will fail their professional duty if they fail to inform and shape decisions regarding sustainability. 

The pre-construction and pre-manufacturing phases of providing infrastructure, products, and other amenities for humans should be prioritised, including feasibility studies, concepts, and case studies to consider outcomes, alternative planning and design, and material options. The past, present, and future of the entire environment must be carefully considered in any project.

• This means that the investment in this phase of development would have to increase substantially. 
• As a result, communities and decision-makers would have to undergo a radical mental shift in order to allow engineering professionals both the time and the funding to devote to these phases.
• It would imply that the public, governments, and especially private sector investors would have to abandon their obsession with instant gratification and immediate return on investment.
• Unless the engineering professionals are allowed to thoroughly investigate and plan, sustainability issues would be the first to suffer since innovation would be stifled and old practises would continue due to a lack of time and money. 
• It has been proven in many instances that if sustainability prerequisites are incorporated from day one, the economic and environmental benefits far outstrip the investment in thorough planning. 
• The human being has come to a point in time where he or she can no longer afford not to live in harmony with nature and the environment. 

Beyond Green Building Council President Krishnaji Pawar said: “Sustainable development is a journey, not a destination, and it is the biggest challenge of the 21st century. Sustainable development does not refer to development that is ongoing, viable, feasible, or constantly growing. It is rooted in the simple concept of providing a better quality of life for all, now and for generations to come. It is a way of looking at all resources that can lead to a higher quality of life for the current generation without compromising that of future generations. This may mean that the industry needs, in some cases, to stop growing or grow in different ways. The next few decades for civil engineering will not be “business as usual.”

Civil engineering professionals in India are faced with the challenge of their own renaissance. They have to create innovative and sustainable approaches and technologies for the development of India. They have a golden opportunity to start from scratch, unlike the engineers of many so-called developed countries. In the latter case, many engineers now have to face the consequences of unbridled and often ill conceived developments, and they are often unable to change these to conform to the prerequisites of sustainability. 

The demands of the philosophy of sustainability can only be met if the principles of sustainable engineering are adhered to. This concept prescribes appropriate, affordable, and sustainable engineering services and infrastructure within the local environment. It also necessitates the development and maintenance of indigenous scientific and technological skills and expertise, supported and facilitated by the key stakeholders, including government, private enterprise, academic, and professional structures. 

1. Individual capacity
Every professional in the engineering community has to develop and understand sustainability principles and therefore be appropriately:

• educated and trained; 
• informed and suitably equipped; 
• networked within the professional and environmental communities.

2. Institutional capacity
An efficient and supportive framework in which the individual could advance his or her skills, understanding, and knowledge regarding sustainability would generally be made up of various voluntary and statutory organisations. These entities need to be able to supply the needs of professionals, act as custodians of standards, and represent the interests of the public at large. This section deals with what could be called the “tools of the trade,” or the instruments that the individual, as well as the organised professions, industry, clients, and employers, need to procure and maintain the infrastructure. Sustainability, appropriateness, affordability, awareness, safety and health, and fair and equitable labour practises would have to be key focus areas in each of the items listed below.
Examples would include:

• professional organisations and societies; 
• Statutory registration boards and councils for the built environment

3. Technical capacity

• Specifications 
• Standards 
• Procurement documents, including General Conditions of Contract 
• Codes of Practice 
• Guidelines 
• Codes of ethics and codes of practise
• Technical handbooks 
• Software and hardware 
• Technical information from research papers 
• Legislation 

4. Decision-making and community capacity
The communities and the decision-makers play a huge role in the development and maintenance of engineering infrastructure. In many places across the world, even developed countries suffer heavily due to a lack of understanding of the role and importance of infrastructure and how it should be approached and managed. In addition, the crucial role of the built environment professions in providing infrastructure that conforms to sustainability criteria is not well understood. Empowerment of communities is essential. Target groups would have to include everyone, from young children to parents, as well as individual users of infrastructure to decision-makers at all levels of government and industry. The reality of applying the principles of sustainability in everyday life is that it is the responsibility of all human beings.
The main means to reach out are programmes that are aimed at 

• Creating awareness
• Orientation

5. Business capacity
The availability of commercial infrastructure and products to support engineering infrastructure development and maintenance cannot be underestimated. Access to products and services that conform to sustainability prerequisites is essential.
The main factors would be having viable building blocks in the form of:

• factories, quarries, timber mills, etc.
• distribution networks, including wholesale and retail. 

6. Resources and supplies 

Materials for construction, as well as manufactured and finished products used in construction, are resources that can be used to support sustainable built environment activities. The focus would have to be on renewable resources, the possibility to recycle and re-use materials, and durable, energy-efficient, and low-maintenance materials. Materials that are not harmful to the environment, either when they are produced or when they are used in development, are also important considerations. Financial and funding frameworks to support sustainable solutions are obviously crucial. 

Conclusion 

To be able to provide sustainable development, the civil engineering profession, in cooperation with other stakeholders, will have to develop and promote a new culture in which the principle of sustainability is paramount. Nurturing of both old and young professionals is required to help them embrace the environment as an ally instead of treating it as a threat or an enemy. Sustainability can only become a reality if everyone in this country works together and treats the environment in a mature and responsible way.