Engineers without borders: Taking solutions - And standards - Where they are needed

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) USA from Denver, Colorado, US, aims to deliver engineering project know-how to developing communities throughout the world to improve their quality of life. Most projects are run by individual chapters and most chapters are student-run organizations affiliated to engineering colleges or universities to retain its academic roots and related goal of providing learning experiences for students. EWB allows students to gain practical experience in project management, engineering design and implementation. Students have been inspired to draft their own sustainable design and construction standards and propose them to ASTM, including standards for things such as native green roofs or water quality for localized solar hot water heaters. The natural connection between ASTM standards and EWB projects has the potential to encourage creative solutions at multiple levels.