Research Publications

The U.S. transportation sector consumes over one third of the nation’s energy and accounts for 27% of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Vehicle manufacturers use electrification and mass reductio...

Growing heterotrophic algae in fermenters with sugar as the energy source rather than sunlight is an approach being commercialized in the private sector. While this strategy might be more technical...

Quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the electricity sector is highly dependant upon the fuel mix of the electricity generating assets. That fuel mix can also vary geospatially and tempo...

Vehicle manufacturers are utilizing advanced powertrains and lightweight materials to increase vehicle efficiency in response to higher energy prices and more stringent regulation. Advanced powertr...

As an alternative food source to wild fisheries, aquaculture shows a great potential to help meet the growing demand for seafood and animal protein. The expansion of aquaculture has been achieved p...

This article presents a framework to evaluate emerging systems in life cycle assessment (LCA). Current LCA methods are effective for established systems; however, lack of data often inhibits robust...

Many in Michigan, like countless others across the United States, live in energy inefficient, detached single-family homes. There is an enormous opportunity to decrease state residential energy consum...

What socioeconomic factors are indicative of support or opposition for offshore wind development? At some distance offshore, does the local community incur a social cost or benefit from building a win...

This project combined social science knowledge of landscape cues to care and perceived safety with hydrologic modeling through GIS to design, site, and analyze the stormwater performance of ...

With 45 thousand inpatient stays and 1.9 million outpatient visits in 2012, the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) manages a vast network of patients in constant flux. The Patient Food a...

Reflecting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributable to plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) on energy and emissions labels, and in vehicle GHG emissions regulations, is complex due to spatial and te...

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use grid electricity as well as on-board gasoline for motive force. These multiple energy sources make prediction of PHEV energy consumption challenging and al...

Revitalization of urban alleys, underway in cities and towns in North America, Europe, and other regions, can be seen as a manifestation of a broader movement among city agencies, planners, and com...

Camp Michigania is a family camp for University of Michigan alumni and has been operating in Boyne City, Michigan since 1963. In order to become more sustainable, Michigania wanted to assess the feasi...

Mercury emissions in China have increased by 164% during 1992-2007. While major mercury producers were among energy combustion and nonferrous metal sectors, little is known for the socioeconomic fa...

The authors have developed a new network-level pavement asset management system (PAMS) utilizing life cycle analysis and life cycle optimization methods. Integrated life cycle assessment and cost a...

This paper explores the phenomenon of positive organizational deviance from institutional norms by establishing practices that protect or enhance the natural environment. Seeking to explain why som...

Multi-vehicle household fleets often consist of vehicles with a wide range of attributes, including passenger and cargo capacities, towing capability, and fuel consumption. Decisions for how these veh...

As lightweight materials and advanced combustion engines are being used in both conventional and electrified vehicles with diverse fuels, it is necessary to evaluate the individual and combined impact...

Algae are an appealing source of bioenergy due to their high yields relative to terrestrial energy crops. The high cost of production, however, has prohibited commercialization despite significant inv...

Offshore wind farm (OWF) siting is crucial in determining the success of wind energy projects relative to multiple objectives, including increasing energy generation, decreasing installation costs, re...

This study aims to evaluate energy, economic, and environmental performances of seven categories of biodiesel feedstocks by using the mixed-unit input-output life cycle assessment method. Various f...

Increased bioenergy production can diversify energy portfolios, introduce renewable energy options, and help reduce the carbon footprint of the energy industry. Large-scale bioenergy implementation...

This study proposed a novel way for global greenhouse gas reduction through reusing China's waste oil to produce biofuels. Life cycle greenhouse gas mitigation potential of aviation bio-kerosene and b...