Industrial ecology studies (1) the flows of materials and energy in industrial and consumer activities, (2) the effects of these flows on the environment and (3) the influences of economic, political, regulatory, and social factors on the flow, use, and transformation of resources. The goals of the course are to define and describe industrial ecology; to demonstrate the relationships among production, consumption, sustainability, and industrial ecology in diverse settings, from firms to cities to international trade flows; to show how industrial ecology serves as a framework for the consideration of environmental and sustainability-related aspects of science, technology, and policy; and to define and describe tools, applications, and implications of industrial ecology.

This lecture course offers a systems analysis approach to describe and explain the basics of energy systems, including all forms of energy (fossil and renewable), all sectors/activities of energy production/conversion, and all energy end uses, irrespective of the form of market transaction (commercial or noncommercial) or form of technology (traditional as well as novel advanced concepts) deployed. Students gain a comprehensive theoretical and empirical knowledge base from which to analyze energy-environmental issues as well as to participate effectively in policy debates. Special attention is given to introducing students to formal methods used to analyze energy systems or individual energy projects and also to discuss traditionally less-researched elements of energy systems (energy used in developing countries; energy densities and urban energy use; income, gender, and lifestyle differences in energy end-use patterns) in addition to currently dominant energy issues such as climate change. Active student participation is required, including completion of problem sets. Participation in extra-credit skill development exercises (presentations, fact-finding missions, etc.) is encouraged. Invited outside speakers complement topics covered in class.

Modelling the Socio-Economic Metabolism
Humans have transformed the Earth’s surface to serve their production and consumption systems. While social sciences study the sphere of human decision making and behavior rooted in culture, organization, and preferences, and earth scientists study the effect of human actions on nature, industrial ecology studies the acquisition and transformation of natural resources to products, their use and disposal, and the ensuing emissions in biophysical terms. This course provides an in-depth treatment of the methods industrial ecologists have developed to study this socioeconomic metabolism. The course focuses on input-output analysis and dynamic stock-flow models of materials in products and infrastructures. It also addresses hybrid approaches, such as the combination of life-cycle assessment and input-output methods or the application of such methods in conjunction with prospective models rooted in stock-flow dynamics. The course is primarily focused on modelling tools, combining blackboard-based lectures with computer-based exercises. Modelling is conducted in MatLab. Grading is based on problem sets, a midterm and a final exam.

This course provides a hands-on foundation in green engineering and the design and assessment of green products. Approaching sustainability from a design perspective requires a fundamental conceptual shift from the current paradigms of product toward a more sustainable system, based on efficient and effective use of benign materials and energy. Through course assignments, class exercises, and a term-long team project, students are challenged with the same issues facing production and consumption systems today. The course is organized around the “engineering design process” from opportunity definition; criteria definition; ideation; alternatives assessment; and solution selection, implementation, and monitoring. To begin, the mega-trends driving sustainability discussions are presented and the case for new greener product systems is made. The course emphasizes quantitative and rigorous analysis of green design in addition to the tools needed to develop these designs. The foundational principles of the course can be summarized in the five I’s: (1) Innovation—we can’t solve problems at the same level of thinking used to create them, (2) Inherency—we can’t solve problems without looking at the nature of the system that created them, (3) Interdisciplinary—we can’t solve problems without looking at other aspects of the problem, (4) Integration—we can’t solve problems without connecting segments at a system level, and (5) International—we can’t solve problems without considering their context. The current approach to design, manufacturing, and end of life is discussed in the context of examples and case studies from various sectors, providing a basis for what and how to consider designing green products, processes, and systems. Fundamental engineering design topics include pollution prevention and source reduction, separations and disassembly, virtual and rapid prototyping, life cycle design, management, and assessment. Enrollment limited to thirty-two. Preference given to second-year M.E.M. students

Life cycle analysis is an analytical method that considers system-wide impacts along the entire life cycle of a product, from extraction or harvest of natural resources, through production and consumption to final end- of- life disposal or recovery and reuse/ recycle. LCA provides a quantitative evaluation of a comprehensive list of environmental issues, and is intended to avoid shifting the burden to different life stages or different environmental concerns. The course will use a case study format to introduce the LCA methodology and demonstrate its application to a variety of product sectors and environmental concerns. There will also be hands on exercises to learn the basic functionality of SimaPro, one of the available commercial LCA software packages, as well as exercises to build and validate unit process data sets using literature searches and/ or customization of available processes in commercial databases, such as ecoinvent. The case studies will also be used to demonstrate current and emerging developments in the LCA methodology. The overall goal of the course is to provide the skills necessary to design and manage a formal LCA project in the business, consulting, or government sectors. It is recommended that students complete F&ES 884a - Industrial Ecology to provide a foundation for the LCA course. In addition, if constructing mass and energy balances, conducting dimensional analyses, etc. are not familiar topics, it is also recommended that students complete F&ES - 762a - Applied Math for Environmental Studies or F&ES 814a – Energy Systems Analysis

This survey course focuses on understanding how adroit environmental management and strategy can enhance business opportunities; reduce risk, including resource dependency; promote cooperation; and decrease environmental impact. The course combines lectures, case studies, and class discussions and debates on management theory and tools, legal and regulatory frameworks shaping the business-environment interface, and the evolving requirements for business success (including how to deal with diverse stakeholders, manage in a world of transparency, and how to address rising expectations related to corporate responsibility).

The goal of this seminar is to create a space where research scholars can learn and discuss what it means to do interdisciplinary research in the field of environmental studies/sciences, why it is important, and how it can be done. This course is intended to stimulate critical thinking about the role of interdisciplinarity in answering complex socio-ecological questions and to provide students with conceptual tools, grounded in concrete examples, to pursue interdisciplinary research within environmental studies/sciences.

Carbon footprints are important tools in climate policy making. Carbon footprints describe the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity, company, household, or nation and are based on a life-cycle perspective, assigning emissions of greenhouse gases to the end user. Carbon footprints are also discussed in connection with responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This course offers an introduction to the assessment of carbon footprints using input-output techniques and life-cycle assessment, and it examines scientific, policy, and management issues associated with carbon footprinting. It also offers an introduction to the analysis and interpretation of carbon footprint results. The course is split into two parts. In the first, students learn the techniques of carbon footprint modeling and analysis using generic tools such as MatLab and Excel through both lectures and exercises. The second part of the course is dedicated to assessing and understanding carbon footprints of areas of final demand (e.g., food), specific product groups (e.g., cars), or organizations (e.g., F&ES, YNHH). Grading is based on problem sets, a midterm exam, and a final project. The students must be comfortable with quantitative analysis and prepared to acquire basic programming and modeling skills. Prior knowledge of life-cycle assessment and industrial ecology is desirable and may be gained through taking F&ES 884