Environmental engineering protects the conditions of a safe environment, its role being crucial in eliminating ecological threats. It has an interdisciplinary character, utilising principles from biology, chemistry, biochemistry and physics to neutralize pollutants in all facets of the environment. Environmental engineering deals with a wide range of technical and technological problems, including the design and maintenance of water supply, sewage disposal, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning in buildings. This proceedings aims to assess the state of scientific research in various areas of environmental engineering; to evaluate organizational, technical and technological progress in contributing to ecological security; and to determine the place of environmental engineering in sustainable development, taking into account current political and economic conditions. Environmental Engineering is an invaluable source of information and ideas for the international environment engineering scientific community.

As a concept, sustainable development is in conflict with traditional development based upon economic growth. Sustainable development is an attempt to formulate a programme that integrates different aspects (ecological, social, and economical) which were usually considered as separate from each other. Sustainable Development as a Civilizational Revolution. A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Challenges of the 21st Century expands the discussion on sustainable development, including ethical, technical/technological, legal and political aspects. Since it is not possible to solve environmental problems solely by technical means, without taking into account economic or environmental aspects, the degree to which they overlap is discussed. In addition it is necessary to emphasize the importance of social and moral considerations. A clean environment is a valuable attribute, but its achievement at the expense of high unemployment -- or some other form of severe social conflict -- cannot be regarded as action in line with the sustainable-development principle.

The tremendous scope of these changes makes it reasonable to expect this new vision for development to achieve the status of a revolution comparable to those known from the past: the agricultural, scientific and industrial revolutions. Sustainable Development as a Civilizational Revolution. A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Challenges of the 21st Century will be invaluable to graduate and post-graduate students following advanced courses on sustainable development, scientists dealing with sustainable development, and academia interested in environmental and social sciences.

Advances in Renewable Energy Research comprises papers delivered at an international workshop by authors from Poland, Germany, Ukraine, China, Japan and Taiwan. The papers discussed the development of renewable energy technologies in certain countries, with special attention deviated to the conducted scientific research. The greatest attention was paid to the use of biomass, which uses resources that are readily-available in large quantities in all countries. The experience related to the use of biomass for energy generation was presented for certain countries, i.e. Germany and Japan as representatives of the most advanced countries in the field of energy generation from renewable sources, Taiwan and Poland, which have some experience in that area as well, and China and Ukraine, which have just started the introduction of renewable energy technologies. The greatest attention was devoted to the biogas production methods, i.e. chemical, biological, and mechanical pre-treatment methods, as well as enhancement of anaerobic fermentation and purifi cation of the biogas produced. -The development of solar (photovoltaic and thermal) methods and the use of heat pumps in residential buildings are also discussed, mostly with Polish experience asan example. Special attention is paid to research methods to be used for development of renewable energy technologies. Advances in Renewable Energy Research is useful for engineers and researchers working in the renewable energy area.

Biomass is a widely available resource, that can be characterized by its high production potential. Enabling the production of different types of biofuels, biomass can be used in both spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines. There is extensive knowledge of the biofuel production process, and technologies enabling the production of biofuels with high caloric value and better physicochemical properties are developed. The biggest barrier in the development of a biofuels market is not the lack of know-how, but economic and political aspects. Biomass for Biofuels presents technological aspects of biomass conversion into advanced biofuels. Also discussed are the influence of growing biofuels markets on the natural environment and social relations as well as economic aspects of acquisition of biomass and its processing into biofuels. In addition biomass characteristics are presented. A definition is provided, and its chemical composition and properties detailed. The focus is on lignocellulosic biomass, whose complex structure is a limiting factor for biofuels production via biological processes. For that reason, echanical, chemical and physicochemical methods that enable an increased availability for the microorganisms used for biomass conversion to biofuels are discussed.

Environmental engineering has a leading role in the elimination of ecological threats, and deals, in brief, with securing technically the conditions which create a safe environment for mankind to live in. Due to its interdisciplinary character it can deal with a wide range of technical and technological problems. Since environmental engineering uses the knowledge of the basic sciences - biology, chemistry, biochemistry and physics - it is able to neutralise pollution in all the elements of the environment, i.e. the hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. Moreover, environmental engineering deals with the design and maintenance of systems of water supply, sewage disposal, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning in buildings. Environmental Engineering IV contains 77 peer reviewed papers selected from 527 presented at the 4th Congress of Environmental Engineering (Lublin, Poland, 2-5 September 2012). The contributions are divided into 7 chapters: * Water supply * Water and wastewater treatment * Neutralization of solid wastes and sludge * Air protection and quality * Indoor microclimate * Energy * Biology and technology Environmental Engineering IV assesses the state of scientific research in various areas of environmental engineering, evaluates the organizational, technical and technological progress made in contributing to ecological security, and determines the place of environmental engineering in sustainable development, taking into account current political and economic conditions, and is a valuable source of information for the environmental engineering professional and academic community.

Environmental engineering has a leading role in the elimination of ecological threats, and can deal with a wide range of technical and technological problems due to its interdisciplinary character. It uses the knowledge of the basic sciences - biology, chemistry, biochemistry and physics - to neutralize pollution in all the elements of the environment, i.e. the hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. Mainly, environmental engineering deals with the design and maintenance of systems of water supply, sewage disposal, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning in buildings. In brief, it deals with securing technically, the conditions which create a safe environment for mankind to live in. The three main goals of Environmental Engineering III are to assess the state of scientific research in various areas of environmental engineering; to evaluate organizational, technical, and technological progress in contributing to ecological security; and to determine the place of environmental engineering in sustainable development, taking into account current political and economic conditions. The contributions are divided into eight sections: General problems Air pollution control Indoor air pollution control Neutralization of sewage sludge and wastewater Neutralization of solid wastes and sludges Remediation of polluted sites Water quality and supply Energy saving and recovery Environmental Engineering III contains 88 selected and peer reviewed papers from 327 contributions presented during the 3rd Congress of Environmental Engineering, and is a valuable sources of information for academics and engineers in environmental engineering.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE mSTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Lucjan Pawlowski Information bombarding the nowdays Man may suggest that the world is on the way to an ecological catastrophe. I do not disregard the dangers we are facing now, but I would like to remind that since the beginning ofexistence Man has been facing numerous threats of an ecological character. First, they were caused by natural phenomena, such as huge forest fires, floods, earth quakes, and later on, caused by the development ofour civilisation, Man who was becoming more and more powerful in his abilities started creating new, anthropogenic threats. We may look pessimistically at the development of our civilisation, having in mind the catastrophes caused by Man's activity; we may also look at the examples showing the development of knowledge and the skills derived from it, which enable the elimination ofthreats and, at the same time making Man's life richer. It is not possible to make an in-depth analysis of the phenomena mentioned above in a short opening speech of the Congress. Nevertheless, I would like to share with you an optimistic reflection. I think that we can observe two trends in the development of our civilisation - good alternates with evil, environmental threats with the hope for their overcoming, and events swing to both sides like a pendulum in a clock.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN THE mSTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Lucjan Pawlowski Information bombarding the nowdays Man may suggest that the world is on the way to an ecological catastrophe. I do not disregard the dangers we are facing now, but I would like to remind that since the beginning ofexistence Man has been facing numerous threats of an ecological character. First, they were caused by natural phenomena, such as huge forest fires, floods, earth quakes, and later on, caused by the development ofour civilisation, Man who was becoming more and more powerful in his abilities started creating new, anthropogenic threats. We may look pessimistically at the development of our civilisation, having in mind the catastrophes caused by Man's activity; we may also look at the examples showing the development of knowledge and the skills derived from it, which enable the elimination ofthreats and, at the same time making Man's life richer. It is not possible to make an in-depth analysis of the phenomena mentioned above in a short opening speech of the Congress. Nevertheless, I would like to share with you an optimistic reflection. I think that we can observe two trends in the development of our civilisation - good alternates with evil, environmental threats with the hope for their overcoming, and events swing to both sides like a pendulum in a clock.