From the Editor Vol.42(1)

For us Engineers, the word 'design' or rather, 'Engineering design' invariably means a technically evaluated compromise between integrity and economy of an entity for creation. In other words, we try to balance the cost of creation with the stability, strength and durability of the entity being designed. However, at the level of the users, additional requirements which are more general, though subjective, comes in to play such as aesthetics, functionality in terms of user friendliness and positive feel. Though as Engineers we have been nurtured to be rational and objective, we should take the pains to cultivate subjective reasoning which would get us closer to the needs of the users of our designed products. Needless to say, that in recent times, Engineering designers have appraised this situation and have turned to be more receptive to aesthetic appreciation and user-friendliness. This trend is amply portrayed in automotive and electronic designs and to a lesser extent in Civil Engineering designs. However, in catering to more subjective aspects in design, we should not forget the two fundamental aspects of integrity and economy. Especially for infrastructure constructions the designs have turned out to be too emphasized on the 'safer-side' to make the cost prohibitively high. While the client perception of 'putting a little more than needed, is good for the structure and never wasted' has reinforced this over-designing trend, in national as well as global levels it is an unpardonable crime. As responsible Engineers to present as well as future generations, we should endeavour to create designs that culminate in products which most effectively utilize the scarce resources of our tiny planet. In other words, all our designs should be as 'green' as possible.