38 undergraduate courses in the 2025–26 Undergraduate Calendar.
ENVE 100Environmental and Geological Engineering Concepts0.80 units
An introduction to the fundamental methods, principles and skills of environmental and geological engineering. Fundamentals of technical communication, the engineering design process and problem solving. Completion of a pre-design study and report for an environmental engineering project. Independent and team work. Fundamentals of engineering computation units, data collection, measurement, and error analysis. Field surveying (automatic level, engineer's transit, differential global positioning system (GPS), total station). Laboratory on engineering graphics auto-computer assisted diagnosis (AutoCAD) and computational software (Excel, Matlab). Aspects of the engineering profession (code of ethics, negligence, misconduct, role of the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), etc.), diversity in the workplace, and professional development. Preparation for the University of Waterloo co-operative education program (Co-operative and Experiential Education, résumé writing, job search, and interview skills).
Introduction to computer programming, examples of efficient numerical algorithms for basic scientific computations. Programming and problem solving concepts introduced in the course will be incorporated into group projects involving civil, environmental, or geological engineering applications. The language of instruction will be Matlab.
ENVE 123Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation0.50 units
Charge, current, and voltage. Voltage and current sources, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, nodal analysis, instrumentation amplifier circuits, impedance. Function and characteristics of basic electrical transducers. Resolution, precision, and accuracy. Basics of data acquisition.
This course studies earth materials and processes from an engineering point of view through case histories and problem sets. The course develops a geological knowledge for applications to any physical environment and provides an appreciation of the impact of engineering work on the environment. Topics include mineral and rock identification, the rock cycle, structural geology and tectonics, geology of Canada, effects of water, ice and wind. Students are also introduced to the concept of geologic time, topographic and geologic maps, and the basic principles and tools used to determine geologic history.
ENVE 175Introduction to Environmental Chemistry0.50 units
Chemical principles with applications in natural environments and environmental engineering systems. Properties of the atmosphere and hydrosphere. Chemical reactions and stochiometric calculations. Reaction kinetics and equilibria in dilute solutions. Oxidation-reduction reactions.
ENVE 176Microbial Biology for Environmental Engineers0.50 units
Introduction to microbial biology and technologies used to characterize it. Topics include cell structure and function, cultivation methods, genetics, phylogeny and taxonomy, metabolic and genetic diversity, genomics, bioinformatics, and pathogenesis.
ENVE 200Sustainability Analysis and Solutions0.50 units
Development of design and communication expertise through projects involving various environmental engineering systems. Exposure to energy, air, water, and waste management systems. Emphasis placed on critical evaluation, problem solving, and design synthesis. Introduction to geographic information systems (GIS), sustainability analysis, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed the following:
ENVE100 - Environmental and Geological Engineering Concepts (0.80)
ENVE 223Differential Equations and Balance Laws0.50 units
An introduction to ordinary differential equations with applications to mass and energy balance problems in engineering. Standard methods of solution of first and second order linear equations with constant coefficients. Numerical methods for solving ordinary differential equations. Partial differential equations.
Role of probability in engineering and decision-making under uncertainty. Basic probability concepts. Probability distributions. Functions of random variables. Data analysis. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Introduction to regression analysis. Introduction to design of experiments and statistical quality control.
Modelling of environmental engineering processes via the solution of differential equations. Mass transfer processes in continuum and discrete systems, with applications to natural and engineered systems. Reactor theory. Understanding initial and boundary conditions. Classical and numerical solution techniques for solving differential equations. Volume and surface integration. Reynolds transport theorem.
Overview of principles of equilibrium chemistry in aquatic systems, both in the natural environment and in contaminated water treatment processes. Composition of water. Electroneutrality and activity. Chemical thermodynamics. Acid-base equilibria concepts, including solution pH, titration, buffering intensity, and alkalinity. Metal complexation, dissolution, and precipitation reactions in natural and engineered systems. Redox reactions and pE-pH diagrams in aerobic and anaerobic environments.
Quantitative introduction to indoor and outdoor air pollution sources, and major processes including emission rates, atmospheric dispersion, chemistry, and deposition. Air quality standards and regulations. Basic atmospheric science and meteorology to support the fate and transport of air pollutants. Overview of control and treatment methods. Indoor air exposure estimates and the function of the HVAC components.
Conservation of energy, energy balances on closed systems. Steady-state and transient heat transfer via convection, radiation, and conduction. Mechanical and electrical work. Internal energy, enthalpy, and specific heats of solids, liquids and gases. Phase change in natural environmental systems; The basics of heat engines, refrigerators, and heat pumps. Function, evaluation, and design of energy resource technology: wind and hydroelectric turbines, photovoltaics, geothermal energy, biomass and biofuel, natural gas and petroleum extraction, and tidal energy. Renewable energy policy and implications.
An introduction to fluid mechanics. Fluid properties. Review of fluid statics. Buoyancy. Bernoulli equation. The momentum equation and applications. Laminar and turbulent flow. Dimensionless numbers. Closed conduit flow including friction losses. Pipe network analysis including energy losses and efficiencies. Four lab sessions.
ENVE 330Lab Analysis and Field Sampling Techniques0.50 units
An introduction to the fundamental concepts of physical and chemical measurement of the environment. Review of basic statistics, quality assurance and control, sources of error, seasonal effects, sample preservation. Practical and essential elements of water, soil and air sampling. Introduction to measurement techniques including: colorimetry, chromatography, spectroscopy, electrochemical probes, remote sensing. Design of monitoring strategies, and use of methods to assess validity of laboratory data.
ENVE 335Decision Making for Environmental Engineers0.50 units
Decision-making, optimization, and assessment of environmental and water resource systems, and the design process in environmental engineering. Multi-criteria decision-making methods for concept and embodiment engineering design phases. Risk-based system performance metrics and trend tests. Uncertainty estimation via First-Order Uncertainty Analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation. Formulation and solution of linear, integer, and nonlinear optimization models. Multi-objective optimization methods. Sensitivity analysis for decision-making and descriptive (numerical) models.
Fundamentals of coagulation, flocculation, clarification, sedimentation, filtration, adsorption, air stripping, membrane technologies, chemical reduction/oxidation, and disinfection processes with applications to natural and various engineered systems. Quantitative analysis and design of processes and applications to the treatment of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, groundwater, and soils.
Common microbial substrates and metabolisms in engineered and natural systems, kinetics of microbial growth, stoichiometry of nutrient uptake, continuous flow stirred tanks with/without recycle, aeration system design, applications to wastewater treatment, solid waste management, groundwater, and soil remediation.
Introduction to the water cycle, flood frequency analysis, design storms. Analysis of hydrographs and rainfall-runoff response mechanisms in urban and natural systems. Mass continuity and water budgets at the watershed scale. Impact of land use change on hydrologic response. Quantification of open channel flow; subcritical and supercritical flow regimes. Dynamic forces on submerged structures and low/scour beneath bridges.
Mathematical models of watershed hydrology for estimation of streamflow and other water balance components. Pre- and post-processing of hydrometeorological data; quantitative description of hydrologic processes such as snowmelt, evaporation, and routing; assessment of model performance; parameterization, application, and calibration of models. Interpreting model assumptions, modelling choices, and uncertainty in natural and managed watersheds. Modern hydrologic modelling software will be used.
ENVE 391Law and Ethics for Environmental and Geological Engineers0.50 units
Philosophy of environmental controls; introduction to national and international regulatory structures relevant to industrial planning, emissions control, environmental impact assessment, occupational health; stance of government, industry and community pressure groups. Contract law. Professional ethics, including the social responsibility of engineers, conflicts of interest.
ENVE 392Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis0.50 units
Project financing, life-cycle cost analysis, time value of money, sensitivity analyses, tax, financial implications of infrastructure projects, quantitative decision-making, financial aspects of a business plan.
ENVE 400Environmental Engineering Design Project 10.50 units
Students undertake an independent environmental engineering design project during the last two terms of their plan. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate students' abilities to practise in an environmental engineering capacity in their chosen area of expertise, using knowledge gained from their academic and employment experiences. The first part of the project (ENVE 400) will include problem identification, generation and selection of solutions, and time management. Incorporation of technical, ecological, social, political, and economic issues in the solution for the project will be required. A basic requirement of the proposed solution is that it must be compatible with the principles of sustainability. Requirements include proposal, progress report, and a final report containing recommendations for part two of the project (ENVE 401).
ENVE 401Environmental Engineering Design Project 20.50 units
A continuation of ENVE 400. The final design of the major environmental engineering project proposed in ENVE 400 will be undertaken. The purpose of this phase of the project is to carry out a detailed technical design of the solution proposed in ENVE 400. Requirements of this part of the two-term project include a symposium presentation and a final report.
Physical and mathematical models of river processes at the landscape scale, and hydraulic responses in channels. Analysis of gradually varied flow profiles, energy losses around infrastructure (bridges and culverts), and floodplain mapping. Calculation of flood propagation along river channels, estimating scour and erosion around infrastructure, and an introduction to sediment transport. An introduction to river mixing and contaminant transport.
ENVE 495Design Intensive Special Topics in Environmental Engineering0.50 units
A special topics course on design intensive advanced topics in environmental engineering is offered from time to time, when resources are available. For the current offering, inquire at the Department.
ENVE 497Special Topics in Environmental Engineering0.50 units
A special topics course on advanced topics in environmental engineering is offered from time to time, when resources are available. For the current offering, inquire at the Department.
Importance and complications associated with environmental modelling, the model building process, limitations, and measures of success. Types of contaminants; transport phenomena with a focus on advection-dispersive transport; development of governing equations; types and utility of boundary and initial conditions; and mass balance considerations. Review of completely mixed systems including lakes, streams, source functions, feedback systems, and toxic substance models. Model calibration, sensitivity, and uncertainty; methods and approaches. Solute transport models and solution techniques including random walk, method of characteristics, finite difference method and finite volume method. Aspects of multiphase flow (gas/water and NAPL/water systems) with an emphasis on groundwater problems. Introduction to mass removal technologies for remediation of soil and groundwater systems.
ENVE 577Engineering for Solid Waste Management0.50 units
The engineering aspects of solid waste management are examined. Attention is given to the engineering design and operational aspects of the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing and disposal of solid wastes in landfill site. Design of natural attenuation sites and system reliability features for landfill designs.
Design of water supply and distribution systems. Design of waste and storm water collection systems. Storm water management. The course consists of 24 hours of lectures and a subdivision design project. The emphasis is on computer aided design and sustainability, using commonly used software packages.
ENVE 585Air Quality Engineering and Impacts0.50 units
This course introduces air quality, design of engineering solutions, and associated health and economic impacts. It includes topics focused on the indoor environment, the outdoor environment, or both, such as air pollution sources, emission estimation, control strategies, measurement, modelling methods, health impact assessment, cost-benefit analysis, technical policy analysis, and co-impacts with climate change.