Research Publications

Reducing the weight of the M1A2 tank by lightweighting hull, suspension, and track results in 5.1%, 1.3%, and 0.6% tank mass reductions, respectively. The impact of retrofitting with lightweight co...

Durable goods last for years, decades, or even centuries. The environmental implications of the changing social, economic, and material conditions in which these goods are embedded can be overlooked b...

The rapid pace of growth in additive manufacturing has left significant knowledge gaps in life cycle assessment (LCA) literature, limiting inclusion of sustainability considerations in manufacturing a...

Sustainable development is increasingly necessary for businesses and institutions across the globe. University of Michigan Sustainability Without Borders students and Capuchins de Taboga researchers a...

The relationship between battery operation and their degradation and service life is complex and not well synthesized or communicated. There is a resulting lack of awareness about best practices th...

Using seven established course design principles for effective service-learning, this chapter discusses the lessons learned in teaching the three E's of sustainability: environmental; economic; and...

The field of energy justice is at a critical juncture. As the social dimensions of energy systems are becoming more salient, it is time to reflect on what has been achieved, and look towards a future ...

A household is energy poor when they cannot meet energy needs. Despite its prevalence, the US has not formally recognized energy poverty as a problem distinct from general poverty at the federal le...

Despite advances in the data, models, and methods underpinning environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), it remains challenging for practitioners to effectively communicate and interpret results. The...

Background The role of diet in health is well established and, in the past decade, more attention has been given to the role of food choices in the environment. The agricultural sector produce...

Globalization processes lead to supply chains that sprawl across space and time. Where and how products are produced and consumed shape the environmental and social conditions of regions, far and wide...

Access to upfront capital remains a primary barrier in residential energy efficiency adoption. Government-sponsored programs exist for low-income households while traditional financing serves creditwo...

A major barrier to achieving sustainable diets is the lack of clearly defined and agreed upon intervention points that will positively influence multiple sectors of the food system. There is an urg...

This study evaluates and provides guidance on improving the life cycle environmental performance of dishwashing in the typical U.S. household. Typical user behaviors and recommended best practices ...

Refers to Gregory D. Miller, Kevin B. Comerford, Katie Brown, Frank M. Mitloehner The Importance of a Holistic Approach to Sustainability in Dietary Guidance Journal of Nutrition Education an...

Water balance models are commonly employed to improve understanding of drivers behind changes in the hydrologic cycle across multiple space and time scales. Generally, these models are physi...

Power system planning aims at ensuring that sufficient supply- and demand-side assets exist to meet electricity demand at all times. For a Texas electric power system with high wind and solar penet...

Linkages between diet and environmental impact have been repeatedly emphasized at the global and national level, with an indication that shifts in diet, typically toward more plant-based foods, can le...

This article explores five commonly held perceptions that do not correspond with current scientific knowledge surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastic. These misperceptions inclu...

Greenhouse gas (GHG) burdens of steel and aluminum production and life cycle benefits of vehicle lightweighting in China were evaluated. Production of advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) and wrought a...

Accurate estimates of continental-scale channel flows are needed to understand spatiotemporal variability in water supplies and the water balance. At regional scales, models of connecting channel flow...

In this age of global warming, the automotive industry is seeking to minimize the energy required to manufacture and operate its products without sacrificing performance and safety or increasing co...

Although fields such as industrial ecology have advanced our understanding of how cleaner technologies, recycling, and lifestyle changes can reduce the impacts of production and consumption on peop...

This study details the development of a method and framework for regionally linked, sector-specific material flow analysis (MFA) models and presents the results of such models for aluminum and steel e...