Sustainability Design (MIT)

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Course: Systems Perspectives on Industrial Ecology

Overview
Engineers can fundamentally change the environmental footprint of modernity. To effect change, engineers require tools to identify "better" design and operational options. This course examines the use of life-cycle thinking and assessment tools to identify product and system design options that balance environmental and economic performance.

Course Features
Selected lecture notes
Assignments (no solutions)

Course Description
This course examines quantitative techniques for life cycle analysis of the impacts of materials extraction, processing use, and recycling; and economic analysis of materials processing, products, and markets. Student teams undertake a major case study using the latest methods of analysis and computer-based models of materials process

LECTURES

1 Introduction.

Part 1: Views on Industrial Ecology

2 What is Industrial Ecology?
3 Environmental Paradigm
4 Sustainability: Concepts and Metrics
5 Resource Economics
6 Resource Economics (cont.)
7 Resource Econ Group Presentations

Part 2: LCA: Method Basics

8 Life-cycle Assessment - Overview
9 Using the Software
10 LCA - Scope
11 LCA - Inventory
12 LCA - Inventory Allocation
13 LCA - Recycling
14 Materials Flow Analysis

Part 3: Environmental Evaluation & Methods

15 Overview of Case 2
16 LCA - Impact Assessment - EPS
17 LCA - Impact Assessment - EcoPoints
18 LCA Research
19 Case 1 Presentations

Part 4: Aggregate Materials Flows

20 National Materials Flows
21 Material Flow Case Study

Part 5: Environmental Policy Strategies

22 Environmental Policy Making (Part 1)
23 Environmental Policy Making (Part 2)
24 Industrial Ecology Research @ MIT
25 Final Presentations