Engineers Climate Change Survey

New Brunswick Engineers Survey on Adaptation to Climate Change

The Université de Moncton is working with partners to build capacity to adapt to changing environmental conditions affecting the engineering sector. This survey is part of a three-year project, funded by Natural Resources Canada and other provincial partners to support adaptation to climate change. Completing this survey will provide baseline understanding of the priorities and knowledge that influence engineering decisions. Thank you for participating in this survey. Your contribution will provide essential information to this project.

Completing the survey will take about 20 minutes. Your participation in this research project will enable us to evaluate the capacity of New Brunswick engineers to adapt to climate change in their work. No risks are perceived regarding your participation in this study.

Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you are free to withdraw at any time, without justification and without prejudice. No compensation is offered for your participation and your answers will remain confidential and anonymous. However, please note that Survey Monkey is an American application and absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The completion of this questionnaire will indicate your consent to participate in this survey.

Your participation in this study is greatly appreciated. If you have any ethical concerns about this project or would like to make a complaint, please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at the Université de Moncton (Université de Moncton, Léopold-Taillon Building, Moncton, E1A 3E9 phone: (506) 858-4310, e-mail: fesr@umoncton.ca). For questions, comments, or survey results, please contact Catherine LeBlanc, Project Coordinator, Université de Moncton, rcera-brace@umoncton.ca, or Louise Comeau, Research Associate at the University of New Brunswick, louise27comeau@gmail.com. I thank you for your attention.

Catherine LeBlanc

Project Coordinator
Université de Moncton
18 Antonine-Maillet Avenue, Moncton NB E1A 3E9
rcera-brace@umoncton.ca

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* 1. Are you currently licensed as a Professional Engineer with a provincial or territorial association in Canada?

Yes

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* 2. In which province or territory do you practice professional engineering most often? Select one answer only.

Alberta

British Columbia

Manitoba

New Brunswick

Newfoundland and Labrador

Northwest Territories/Nunavut

Nova Scotia

Ontario

Prince Edward Island

Quebec

Saskatchewan

Yukon Territory

I don't currently practice professional engineering

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* 3. In which industry or sector are you employed? Select one answer only.

Engineering Services

Resources (e.g., mining, oil and gas, forestry)

Manufacturing

Utilities (including government utilities)

Federal Government

Provincial Government

Municipal Government

Construction

Other (please specify)

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* 4. In your day-to-day job, in which area do you most often make engineering decisions affecting design, operations, maintenance, planning, specification, or tendering? Select one answer only.

Water infrastructure (including stormwater, shoreline protection, drinking water, wastewater)

Transportation infrastructure (including roads, highways, associated drainage structures, seaports, bridges, rail, airports)

Energy infrastructure (including transmission and distribution systems, pipelines, electricity generation)

Buildings infrastructure (including structures, HVAC systems, building envelope, foundations)

Resource extraction and processing (including oil and gas, mining, forestry, pulp and paper)

Other (please specify)

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* 5. For each of the following statements, please indicate your level of agreement. If you are not sure, please select the response that is closest to your level of agreement.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Somewhat disagree	Somewhat agree	Agree	Strongly agree
A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future.	A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future. Strongly disagree	A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future. Disagree	A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future. Somewhat disagree	A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future. Somewhat agree	A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future. Agree	A changing climate has already affected or will affect my engineering decisions in the near future. Strongly agree
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change.	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change. Strongly disagree	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change. Disagree	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change. Somewhat disagree	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change. Somewhat agree	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change. Agree	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions would lessen the magnitude of future climate change. Strongly agree
I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice.	I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice. Strongly disagree	I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice. Disagree	I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice. Somewhat disagree	I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice. Somewhat agree	I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice. Agree	I need more information to enable me to address the impacts of a changing climate in my engineering practice. Strongly agree

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* 6. For each of the following suggested impacts of a changing climate, please indicate your level of familiarity as these relate to infrastructure.

	Not at all familiar	Not very familiar	Somewhat familiar	Familiar	Very familiar	Not applicable in my practice
More frequent and intense storms	More frequent and intense storms Not at all familiar	More frequent and intense storms Not very familiar	More frequent and intense storms Somewhat familiar	More frequent and intense storms Familiar	More frequent and intense storms Very familiar	More frequent and intense storms Not applicable in my practice
Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation	Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation Not at all familiar	Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation Not very familiar	Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation Somewhat familiar	Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation Familiar	Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation Very familiar	Changes in seasonality and type of precipitation Not applicable in my practice
Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region	Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region Not at all familiar	Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region Not very familiar	Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region Somewhat familiar	Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region Familiar	Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region Very familiar	Changes in freeze/thaw cycles depending on region Not applicable in my practice
Thawing permafrost in northern climates	Thawing permafrost in northern climates Not at all familiar	Thawing permafrost in northern climates Not very familiar	Thawing permafrost in northern climates Somewhat familiar	Thawing permafrost in northern climates Familiar	Thawing permafrost in northern climates Very familiar	Thawing permafrost in northern climates Not applicable in my practice
More frequent and severe water shortages	More frequent and severe water shortages Not at all familiar	More frequent and severe water shortages Not very familiar	More frequent and severe water shortages Somewhat familiar	More frequent and severe water shortages Familiar	More frequent and severe water shortages Very familiar	More frequent and severe water shortages Not applicable in my practice
Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice	Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice Not at all familiar	Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice Not very familiar	Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice Somewhat familiar	Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice Familiar	Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice Very familiar	Changes to historical climatic loads such as wind, snow, and ice Not applicable in my practice
Increased coastal and river flooding	Increased coastal and river flooding Not at all familiar	Increased coastal and river flooding Not very familiar	Increased coastal and river flooding Somewhat familiar	Increased coastal and river flooding Familiar	Increased coastal and river flooding Very familiar	Increased coastal and river flooding Not applicable in my practice
Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures)	Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures) Not at all familiar	Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures) Not very familiar	Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures) Somewhat familiar	Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures) Familiar	Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures) Very familiar	Changes to peak energy demand magnitudes and seasonality (resulting from extreme temperatures) Not applicable in my practice
Sea level rise	Sea level rise Not at all familiar	Sea level rise Not very familiar	Sea level rise Somewhat familiar	Sea level rise Familiar	Sea level rise Very familiar	Sea level rise Not applicable in my practice
Coastal erosion	Coastal erosion Not at all familiar	Coastal erosion Not very familiar	Coastal erosion Somewhat familiar	Coastal erosion Familiar	Coastal erosion Very familiar	Coastal erosion Not applicable in my practice

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* 7. For each of the following tools and techniques that have been suggested for responding or adapting to the impacts of a changing climate, please indicate your level of familarity.

	Not at all familiar	Not very familiar	Somewhat familiar	Familiar	Very familiar	Not applicable to my practice
Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors	Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors Not at all familiar	Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors Not very familiar	Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors Somewhat familiar	Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors Familiar	Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors Very familiar	Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors Not applicable to my practice
Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management	Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management Not at all familiar	Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management Not very familiar	Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management Somewhat familiar	Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management Familiar	Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management Very familiar	Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management Not applicable to my practice
Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core)	Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core) Not at all familiar	Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core) Not very familiar	Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core) Somewhat familiar	Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core) Familiar	Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core) Very familiar	Review existing practice and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton core) Not applicable to my practice
Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure	Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure Not at all familiar	Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure Not very familiar	Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure Somewhat familiar	Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure Familiar	Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure Very familiar	Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure Not applicable to my practice
Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets	Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets Not at all familiar	Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets Not very familiar	Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets Somewhat familiar	Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets Familiar	Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets Very familiar	Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets Not applicable to my practice
Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans	Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans Not at all familiar	Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans Not very familiar	Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans Somewhat familiar	Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans Familiar	Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans Very familiar	Consider increased deterioration rates in design and maintenance plans Not applicable to my practice
Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning	Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning Not at all familiar	Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning Not very familiar	Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning Somewhat familiar	Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning Familiar	Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning Very familiar	Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance or planning Not applicable to my practice
Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly	Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly Not at all familiar	Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly Not very familiar	Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly Somewhat familiar	Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly Familiar	Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly Very familiar	Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly Not applicable to my practice
Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur	Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur Not at all familiar	Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur Not very familiar	Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur Somewhat familiar	Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur Familiar	Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur Very familiar	Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur Not applicable to my practice

Other (please specify)

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* 8. To what degree do you consider the impacts of a changing climate in your current engineering decisions?

Never consider

Sometimes consider

Mostly consider

Always consider

Not sure

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* 9. Which of the following tools and techniques are you presently using in your practice to respond to the impacts of a changing climate? Select all that apply.

I am not currently using any tools or techniques

Increase the magnitude of design parameters or safety factors

Perform a formal risk assessment and carry out risk management

Review existing practices and use entirely new solutions (e.g., natural infrastructure such as wetlands, naturalized stormwater basins, hybrid solutions such as reinforced dunes containing a rip rap skeleton/core)

Develop contingency plans for infrastructure failure

Identify infrastructure that is at risk because of a changing climate, and retrofit priority assets

Consider different climate change scenarios or models for design, maintenance, or planning

Identify locations that may be vulnerable to climate change impacts and avoid them altogether or modify designs accordingly

Design infrastructure that can be modified over time as the impacts of a changing climate occur

Use tools such as climate change adjusted IDF curves, LiDAR topographical imagery/mapping, projected inland or coastal flood risk mapping, projections of various regional climate indicators, etc.

Other (please specify)

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* 10. If you are using any of the tools mentioned in the previous question, please indicate where you learned about this/these tools.

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* 11. How likely are you to seek specific information on a changing climate as it relates to engineering practice in the next 12 months?

Not at all likely

Somewhat unlikely

Somewhat likely

Very likely

Not sure

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* 12. To help design for future climate impacts, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has developed Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) for greenhouse gas emissions. The most conservative design approach to lowering risk of an engineering project to future climate change impacts would include using which RCP projections?

RCP 2.6

RCP 4.5

RCP 8.5

I have not used RCPs to inform my engineering designs

Not applicable

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* 13. How would you prefer to receive information on a changing climate as it relates to engineering practice? Select one answer only.

Classroom continuing education

Online continuing education (e-Learning)

Scholarly articles in engineering publications or journals

Published guidelines and best practices

Conferences or webinars

Training workshops

Online resources (including dedicated websites and/or links to websites)

Peer interaction

Access to a central repository such as a Climate Change Services Centre for your region

Other (please specify)

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* 14. Engineers Canada has developed a procedure known as the PIEVC (Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee) Engineering Protocol that evaluates the engineering vulnerability of infrastructure and the risks associated with the impacts of current and future climate change at a screening level. Please indicate your level of familiarity with this tool.

Not at all familiar

Somewhat familiar

Familiar

Very familiar

Not applicable to my practice

Not sure

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* 15. If you have not used the PIEVC Engineering Protocol, please indicate why. Rank from most to least important where 1 is most important and 10 is least important

Lack of awareness or familiarity with this tool

Unsure of the benefits/value of an engineering vulnerability assessment

Lack of training for this tool

Unsure how this tool could fit into my practice/job

Lack of adequate climate data to use this tool

No requirement for an engineering vulnerability assessment

Lack of funds to perform an engineering vulnerability assessment

Already using other tools and techniques to assess engineering vulnerability

I intend to use this tool but have not yet had the opportunity

I have already used the PIEVC Engineering Protocol

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* 16. If you are using tools other than the PIEVC Engineering Protocol, please describe these tools

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* 17. Please indicate the climate-related areas where you believe you would benefit from education and training. Select all that apply

Climate science

Climate risk assessment tools (e.g., PIEVC)

Financial analysis of mitigation and adaptation solutions

Risk management

Asset management

Climate law - introductory

Policy and procurement methods

Adaptation and Resilience Practice Guidelines and Standards

Facilitation (support in encouraging climate change discussion within your organization)

Adaptation planning tools (e.g., International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Building Adaptive & Resilient Communities (BARC)

Other (please specify)

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* 18. If you are not already doing so what is the main reason preventing you from addressing a changing climate and its impact on infrastructure? Rank from most to least important where 1 is most important and 9 is least important.

A changing climate has no effect on my practice

Lack of adequate climate data

Lack of information and resources

Lack of support from clients/owners/management

Skeptical attitude toward climate change

Lack of requirements in codes, standards, or policy

Cost cannot be justified

Lack of available time

I am currently addressing the impacts of a changing climate on infrastructure

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* 19. Would you like to be contacted with the results of the research or receive information on a changing climate as it relates to engineering? If so, please send an email to rcera-brace@umoncton.ca