Systems Perspectives on Industrial Ecology

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Courseware/Lectures

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Systems Perspectives on Industrial Ecology

Spring 2006

Chart showing proportions of coal mining, agriculture, etc.

Material Flow Analysis is a technique for evaluating the "environmental footprint" of economic activity. This chart depicts material flow components of the United States' Total Domestic Output (TDO) from 1975 to 1996. (Source: Matthews, Emily, et al. The Weight of Nations. World Resources Institute, 2000.) (Courtesy of World Resources Institute. Used with permission.)

Course Highlights

This course features lecture notes and a detailed list of readings.

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.

Syllabus

This page includes a class schedule.

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.

Prerequisites

ESD.10 or 3.56.

Readings

Because the course covers a broad range of topics, there is no textbook. Students will be expected to consult the assigned readings, lecture notes, and other handouts.

Coursework

Students are expected complete the homework assignments. Additionally, students will work in teams on two unit projects, producing a case study report and in-class presentation for each.

Grading

Grades will be based on various assignments throughout the term. Their approximate weights are:

Grading criteria.
ACTIVITIES	PERCENTAGES
Assignments	35%
Case 1 Presentation / Report	20%
Case 2 Presentation / Report	30%
Class Participation	15%

The final grade will be modulated by an appreciation of the participant's progress throughout the semester, giving extra weight to those that finish strongly and demonstrate that they have mastered the material, in the end.

Course Policies

Absences

Students are expected to complete all assignments on time. Unexcused late assignments will be marked down. Reasonable excuses (sickness, unavoidable professional absences, family emergencies, etc.) will of course be accepted when presented near the event.

Work in Teams

Students will likely work in teams for the unit projects. Indeed, we encourage this collaboration because it can lead to more interesting results. We require each student to turn in individually written interpretations of the common analysis.

Academic Honesty

To avoid any potential confusion that might result from different expectations in other courses or establishments, please note the standards that apply in this subject:

Anyone found cheating during the in-class exam will receive a zero for the exercise.
Assignments turned in for grading are to be done individually, although it is expected that students will discuss the issues involved in problem sets and often learn best collectively. In practice this means that students may lead each other to the proper understanding of the material, and collaborate on setting up computer runs, but should ultimately prepare reports for each assignment individually, in their own format and words. Demonstrated evidence of copying (exactly the same presentations, same wording of sentences, etc.) will result in zeros for each paper with this evidence.

Class Schedule

Lec #	TOPICS	KEY DATES
1	Introduction
Part 1: Views on Industrial Ecology
2	What is Industrial Ecology?	Assignment 1 due
3	Environmental Paradigm	Assignment 2 due
4	Sustainability: Concepts and Metrics
5	Resource Economics
6	Resource Economics (cont.)
7	Resource Econ Group Presentations	Assignment 3 due
Part 2: LCA: Method Basics
8	Life-cycle Assessment - Overview
9	Using the Software
10	LCA - Scope
11	LCA - Inventory
12	LCA - Inventory Allocation	Assignment 4 due
13	LCA - Recycling
14	Materials Flow Analysis
Part 3: Environmental Evaluation and Advanced 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

Readings

Introduction

Frosch, R. A. "Industrial Ecology: A Philosophical Introduction." Proceedings of National Academy of Science U.S.A. 89 (February 1992): 800-803.

Colby, Michael E. "Environmental Management in Development: The Evolution of Paradigms." World Bank Discussion Paper No 80. Washington, DC: The World Bank, 1990. ISBN: 9780821315590.

Thompson, Michael. "Understanding Environmental Values: A Cultural Theory Approach." New York, NY: Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, 2000.

Janssen, Marco, and Jan Rotmans. "Allocation of Fossil CO2 Emission Rights: Quantifying Cultural Perspectives." Ecological Economics 13 (1995): 65-79.

UN World Commission on Environment and Development. "Towards Sustainable Development." Chapter 2 in Our Common Future. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN: 9780192820808. [Also known as the "Brundtland Report"].

Taylor, Jerry. "Sustainable Development: A Dubious Solution in Search of a Problem." Policy Analysis 449 (August 26, 2002). Washington, DC: Cato Institute.

Resource Scarcity

Pearce, D. W., G. D. Atkinson, and W. R. Dubourg. "The Economics of Sustainable Development." Annu Rev Energy Environ 19 (1994): 457-74.

Pezzey, John C. V., and Michael A. Toman. "The Economics of Sustainability: A Review of Journal Articles." Resources for the Future Discussion Paper 02-03 (January 2002). (PDF)#

Tilton, John. "Exhaustible Resources and Sustainable Development: Two Paradigms." Resources Policy 22, nos. 1/2 (1996): 91-97.

Solow, Robert M. "The Economics of Resource or the Resources of Economics." The American Economic Review 64, no. 2 (May 1974): 1-14.

Hotelling, H. "Economics of Exhaustible Resources." The Journal of Political Economy 39, no. 2 (April 1931): 137-175. [For reference.]

Mikesell, R. "The Limits to Growth: A Reappraisal." Resources Policy 21, no. 2 (1995): 127-131.

Devarajan, S., and A. Fischer. "Hotelling's 'Economics of Exhaustible Resources': Fifty Years Later." Journal of Economic Literature 19, no. 1 (March 1981): 65-73.

Life Cycle Assessment

Bauman, H., and A. Tillman. Hitch Hiker's Guide To LCA: An Orientation in Life Cycle Assessment Methodology and Application. Lund, Sweden: Studentlitteratur AB, 2004, chapters 1, 3, 4, and 5. ISBN: 9789144023649.

PRé Consultants bv. SimaPro 6: Introduction to LCA with SimaPro. (PDF)#

United Nations Environment Program. Life Cycle Assessment: What it is and How to do it . 1996.
Part 1: What it is. (PDF - 7.0 MB)#
Part 2: How to do it. (PDF - 8.3 MB)#

Weidema, Bo. "Avoiding Co-Product Allocation in Life-Cycle Assessment." Journal of Industrial Ecology 4, no. 3 (2001): 11-33.

Ekvall, Tomas. "A Market-based Approach to Allocation at Open-loop Recycling." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 29 (2000): 91-109.

Bengtsson, Magnus, and Bengt Steen. "Weighting in LCA - Approaches and Applications." Environmental Progress 19, no. 2 (Summer 2000): 101-110.

Heijungs, Reinout, and Rene Kleijn. "Numerical Approaches Towards Life Cycle Interpretation." Int J LCA 6, no. 3 (2001): 141-148.

Finnveden, Göran. "Methodological Aspects of Life Cycle Assessment of Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 26 (1999): 173-187.

Material Flow Analysis

Moll, Stephan, Stefan Bringezu, and Helmu Schuetz. "Resource Use in European Countries." Environment and Energy. Wuppertal Report No. 1. Wuppertal Institute for Climate (December 2005). (PDF - 2.2 MB)#

Graedel, T. E., et al. "Multilevel Cycle of Anthropogenic Copper." Environmental Science and Technology 38 (2004): 1242-1252.

Matthews, Emily, et al. The Weight of Nations. World Resources Institute, 2000.