Industrial Ecology
NRE 557/CEE 586; Winter 2004
Lecture/Discussion (3 credits)
sec. 003: MW 1:00 - 2:30 pm;
2024 Dana Building
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Instructor: |
Dr. Gregory A. Keoleian |
Office Hours: Monday, 2:30pm-3:30pm |
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Graduate Student Instructor: |
Richard F. Chandler |
Office Hours: Tuesday, 12:30pm-2:30pm |
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Syllabus
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Lab/Field Trips
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LCA Projects |
Other Resources |
Solution to Practice Problem 1
Solution to Practice Problem 2
Lecture Power Point Slides (link to Course Tools) |
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Industrial ecology is the
systematic analysis of global, regional and local material and energy flows
that are associated with products, processes, economic sectors, municipalities,
and other complex systems. Energy consumption, non-renewable and renewable
materials consumption, air pollutant emissions (including greenhouse gas
emissions), waterborne effluents and solid wastes generation associated with
these systems are tracked and their human/ecological impacts are evaluated.
These analyses are the foundation of industrial ecology that seeks to design
and manage products and services that meet human needs in a sustainable manner.
Why is this course interdisciplinary? Industrial designers, process
engineers, natural resource managers and policy makers, business leaders,
environmental health professionals, regulators, and consumers each play a
critical role in shaping the environmental profile of products and services.
Environmental, economic, and social sustainability requires an integrative
framework and interdisciplinary problem solving skills and approaches.
Topics covered in this course include:
- an overview of environmental problems, sustainability principles and indicators
- life cycle assessment (analytical tool for measuring environmental impacts of products and services)
- life cycle design (framework and tools for integrating environmental considerations into system design and management along with performance, cost, policy, and regulatory requirements)
- case studies (e.g., sustainable technologies, automotive systems, electric power generating systems, residential homes, consumer products)
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Last Updated: January 7, 2004