Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Environmentally sustainable engineering'
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Reap, John J. "Holistic biomimicry a biologically inspired approach to environmentally benign engineering /." Diss., Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/31771.
Full textCommittee Chair: Bert Bras; Committee Member: David Rosen; Committee Member: Dayna Baumeister; Committee Member: Janet Allen; Committee Member: Jeannette Yen; Committee Member: Matthew Realff. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.
Sequeira, Reynold. "Sustainable Production Strategies for Environmentally Sensitive Industries." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1288976134.
Full textCope, Evan David. "Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Stream Stability in the Vicinity of Bridges." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/3900.
Full textBibri, Mohamed. "ICT Design Unsustainability & the Path toward Environmentally Sustainable Technologies." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för datavetenskap och kommunikation, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-5935.
Full text+46704352135/+212662815009
Kavanagh, Lydia Jane. "An engineered ecosystem for environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment for remote tourist resorts in tropical/sub-tropical regions /." [St. Lucia, Qld.], 2003. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe16958.pdf.
Full textDuncan, Scott Joseph. "Including severe uncertainty into environmentally benign life cycle design using information gap-decision theory." Diss., Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/22540.
Full textCommittee Chair: Bras, Bert; Committee Member: Allen, Janet; Committee Member: Chameau, Jean-Lou; Committee Member: McGinnis, Leon; Committee Member: Paredis, Chris.
Petersson, Christopher, and Trydell Klara. "Replacement of Lead in a Norma Precision AB Hunting Bullet." Thesis, KTH, Materialvetenskap, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-210181.
Full textOzaslan, Mustafa Onur. "Trade-off Models In Sustainable System Engineering." Master's thesis, METU, 2009. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12610784/index.pdf.
Full textPhuong, Nguyen H. "Engineering education for sustainable development in Vietnamese universities : building culturally appropriate strategies for transforming the engineering curriculum towards sustainable development." Thesis, University of Gloucestershire, 2013. http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/2038/.
Full textMolgat, Louis. "Engineering for sustainable development : development of a protocol." Thesis, McGill University, 1996. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=27244.
Full textSiddiqui, Sadaf. "Infrastructure, sustainable development & society." Thesis, McGill University, 1997. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=20235.
Full textIncreased new sources of revenue need to be explored by political officials to pay for the cost of upgrading our infrastructure to an acceptable level. In addition, developing an effective management, approach is a long-term way to handle a problem as large and as serious as our current infrastructure crisis. Current engineering and construction practices have proved to be detrimental to our environment and depletion of natural resources. The future role of civil engineers should be the prevention of any damage to our environment and natural resources, and this can be achieved by incorporating sustainability into the current engineering and construction practices. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Ukidwe, Nandan Uday. "Thermodynamic input-output analysis of economic and ecological systems for sustainable engineering." Connect to this title online, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1117555725.
Full textTitle from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xxiii, 306 p.; also includes graphics (some col.) Includes bibliographical references (p. 297-306). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center
Gertler, Nicholas. "Industry ecosystems : developing sustainable industrial structures." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/11556.
Full textLiddle, Brantley T. (Brantley Thomas). "Sustainable development, infrastructure and environmental investment, and the privatization decision." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/12398.
Full textSánchez, Vivas Lorena. "Bamboo as a Sustainable Engineering Material: Mechanical Properties, Safety Factors, and Experimental Testing." Scholar Commons, 2019. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7925.
Full textThompson, Kyle A. "Evaluating Treatment Approaches for Sustainable Reuse of Greywater, Wastewater, and Stormwater." Thesis, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10792035.
Full textWater is becoming increasingly scarce; approximately 2 billion people currently live in annual water scarcity, and 3 to 4 billion people are expected to live in water scarcity by 2050 due to population growth alone. Therefore, there is need to determine suitable alternative drinking water sources. Alternative sources present different advantages in terms of supply, initial contamination, and variability. Different technologies may be most effective or sustainable for treating these alternative source waters depending on scale and application (e.g., toilet flushing, irrigation, or potable reuse). Previous reuse research has focused on biological treatment of greywater, passive treatment of stormwater, and reverse osmosis or advanced oxidation for wastewater effluent. The objectives of this dissertation were to (i) study the effectiveness of conventional drinking water treatment (CDWT) for potable reuse of alternative source waters and blends, (ii) compare the environmental sustainability of novel sorbents for micropollutant removal from wastewater effluent, (iii) develop an improved synthetic bathroom greywater that closes matches the characteristics and treatability of real bathroom greywater, and (iv) compare activated carbon and biochar for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal from raw and pretreated greywater.
Bench-scale experiments simulating CDWT achieved high turbidity removal in alternative source waters. Average maximum TOC removal with CDWT was 19%, 27% and 37% for greywater, wastewater effluent, and stormwater, respectively. However, no wastewater effluents and only one stormwater met drinking water regulations for disinfection byproduct formation control. Environmental sustainability was assessed using life cycle methodology. For micropollutant removal from wastewater effluent, wood-based biochar was more sustainable than activated carbon in most environmental impact categories. Higher adsorption capacity was associated with greater environmental benefits. A new synthetic bathroom greywater (SynGrey) was developed that closely matches the median characteristics of forty-nine real bathroom greywaters, and matched the treatability of real bathroom greywater in chlorination, biodegradation, and sorption. Five biochars were screened for greywater treatment, and activated carbon removed more DOC than the best biochar from raw, coagulated, aerated, and rainwater-blended greywater. This research will contribute to the selection and design of effective, sustainable treatment systems for potable and nonpotable reuse of alternative source waters.
Beasley, Aimee K., and Victoria H. Hsu. "Sustainable transport at MIT : improving area bus services." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50621.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (p. 115).
Everyday each member of the MIT community makes a decision about how they will travel to school or work. Using the Commuter Habit Survey and information regarding local bus services as guides, this report analyzes the existing transportation options available to MIT students, staff, and faculty. People are grouped by mode choice depending on whether they commute using public transit or private MIT shuttle service, walk, bike, drive, carpool, or use another mode entirely. Understanding these market groups help focus the recommendations of this report to maximize the service efficiency while also being budget conscious. In addition to researching MIT commuters' choices, an in-depth analysis was conducted for the MBTA bus routes that serve the MIT area of Cambridge and the MIT Shuttle services. Both services were evaluated in terms of on-time performance and MIT-affiliated ridership. Recommendations for the MBTA include route revisions on Route 64 and 70/70A, which increase access to Kendall Square and the MIT Campus, and service improvements on Route 1. Several alternatives are presented regarding methods to improve the MIT Daytime shuttle performance. The top recommendation focuses on utilizing EZ Ride in place of the Northwest Shuttle, an extended Boston Daytime route, and a more efficient Tech Shuttle route. In the future, MIT members should have online tools available to help plan their commute in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner.
by Aimee K. Beasley and Victoria H. Hsu.
M.Eng.
Murtaugh, Katharine A. (Katharine Ann). "Analysis of sustainable water supply options for Kuwait." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34582.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 81-84).
This thesis considers several options for improving the sustainability of Kuwait's water supply system. The country currently relies heavily on desalination and brackish groundwater extraction. The options considered for increasing the flux of potable water into Kuwait include expanding the desalination capacity, importing water from other countries, expanding the uses of reclaimed wastewater, and rainfall harvesting. Options for water storage are also considered, including both aquifer and surface systems. Case studies are presented which demonstrate the potential for indirect potable use of Kuwait's highly purified wastewater, and the importance of a storage reservoir as part of such a system. In order to assess the feasibility of rainfall harvesting, a model was constructed to simulate the runoff processes in the Rawdhatain drainage basin in northern Kuwait. Due to the coarse resolution of the input data, reasonable results could not be obtained using the input parameters gathered from available data.
(cont.) However, through sensitivity analysis, it was discovered that relatively minor variations in soil properties throughout the watershed could produce significant volumes of runoff during extreme rain events. Storage was considered for the small lens of fresh groundwater beneath the Rawdhatain basin or in a surface reservoir constructed in the drainage depression there. All of these options should continue to be considered as Kuwait attempts to expand its water supply in a sustainable manner, though further study will be needed especially in order to understand the hydrologic system at Rawdhatain more thoroughly.
by Katharine A. Murtaugh.
M.Eng.
Najam, Adil. "Developing countries and the politics of sustainable development." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46000.
Full textEvje, Roger H. (Roger Hammond) 1946. "Choices model for sustainable portfolios of infrastructure facililities." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50347.
Full textHunt, Lauren R. 1982. "Development of a rating system for sustainable bridges." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/31115.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaf 41).
One of the latest trends in engineering is sustainable design, which is designing so that resources are available for many generations to come. Sustainable design considers the ecological, economic, and socio-cultural environments and works to balance all three. Sustainable bridge design is still in development, and clear standards and recommendations have not been formalized as they have in building design. The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDTM) Green Building Rating System evaluates sustainable building design by awarding points based on measurable criteria. The LEEDTM rating system deals with buildings, but a similar system could be developed that would apply to bridge design. This report proposes a rating system for sustainable bridge design based on current practices and emerging technologies. Three bridges (either new or under construction) were rated using the system and the results are presented. Also discussed are steps and obstacles for implementation.
by Lauren R. Hunt.
M.Eng.
Hald, Saga. "Sustainable Material Selection:Guiding the Multi-Criteria Process to Design for Sustainable Innovation." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för maskinteknik, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-18869.
Full textBoo, Chanhee. "Novel Desalination Membranes for Sustainable Treatment of Hypersaline Industrial Wastewaters." Thesis, Yale University, 2019. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=13851845.
Full textAn increasing demand exists for the treatment of hypersaline industrial wastewaters such as those from the shale gas industry, seawater desalination plants, and thermoelectric power-generating facilities. Membrane distillation (MD) is an emerging thermal-based desalination process, which can potentially treat hypersaline industrial wastewaters by exploiting low-grade or waste heat. High performance MD membranes are the key to the advancement and further commercialization of this emerging desalination technology. This research aims at (i) developing novel MD membranes with special surface wettability using advanced materials and surface engineering techniques and (ii) gaining fundamental understanding of the scaling and fouling mechanisms of the newly developed MD membranes.
Engineering the wettability of materials and interfaces can effectively be leveraged to membrane fabrication. Omniphobic membranes that resist wetting from both water and oil can extend MD applications for desalination of emerging high-salinity wastewaters containing diverse low surface tension contaminants. Fundamental understanding of interfacial phenomena and relating such knowledge to membrane surface wettability are crucial to improving omniphobic MD membrane design and performance. This work elucidates the factors that determine surface omniphobicity of microporous membranes and evaluates the potential application of these membranes in desalination of low surface tension wastewaters by membrane distillation. Specifically, the effects of surface morphology and surface energy on membrane surface omniphobicity were systematically investigated by modifying a prototype glass fiber substrate with silica nanoparticles and fluoroalkylsilane. A re-entrant structure, defined as a nanoscale architecture with increased air to solid ratio, developed by the spherical silica nanoparticles was found to play a critical role in rendering the membrane surface omniphobic,
Electrospinning is a promising and versatile technique to fabricate omniphobic membranes, because electrospun nanofibers with cylindrical shape feature a re-entrant structure and could be further engineered for additional levels of re-entrant structures. This work presents a facile approach to fabricate a robust omniphobic membrane by exploiting the versatility of electrospinning, which allows the preparation of a nanofiber scaffold with targeted physical and chemical properties. The fabricated electrospun omniphobic MD membranes were evaluated in terms of wetting resistance to various low surface tension liquids and desalination performance with feed solutions of varying surface tensions.
Microporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes have been widely used for MD applications because of their hydrophobic nature, excellent chemical compatibility, and facile processability. However, application of conventional hydrophobic PVDF membranes in MD is limited due to their susceptibility to wetting and fouling by low surface tension contaminants. This study presents scalable surface engineering of a conventional hydrophobic PVDF microporous substrate to produce an omniphobic membrane. Desalination performance of the fabricated omniphobic membrane was evaluated in direct contact membrane distillation with synthetic wastewaters containing low surface tension contaminants, including surfactants and mineral oil. The performance of the fabricated omniphobic membrane with produced water from the shale gas industry was further examined to highlight its potential application in desalinating complex, high salinity industrial wastewaters.
The performance of MD systems is hampered by fouling and inorganic scaling, particularly when a system treats hypersaline industrial wastewaters with high levels of total dissolved solids and organic matter. This dissertation research investigated fouling and scaling mechanisms of omniphobic membranes, focusing on the impact of surface chemistry. The omniphobic membranes were fouled by hydrophobic, low surface tension contaminants via attractive interactions, but further adsorption into the pores was prevented by a thermodynamic barrier created by a re-entrant structure, which sustains a metastable non-wetting condition. Also, the non-adhesive and slippery surface nature of the omniphobic membrane was shown to delay both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, demonstrating its potential for a high recovery MD system to treat hypersaline industrial wastewaters.
This work presents pioneering advances in the development of novel MD membranes with special wettability for extended MD applications. The fundamental understanding of the interfacial phenomena, advanced materials, and surface engineering techniques as well as fouling and scaling mechanisms will shed light on the design parameters for high membrane performance and efficient process operation. These important insights can inform the realization of emerging membrane-based technologies for sustainable treatment of challenging industrial wastewaters. The implications of the results in this dissertation are potentially far-reaching; we anticipate that they will shape the discussion of next generation desalination technologies.
Bauer, Torben. "Can new treatment combinations make sewage sludge management more sustainable?" Licentiate thesis, Luleå tekniska universitet, Geovetenskap och miljöteknik, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-84162.
Full textMarus, Gregory Alan. "The application of green chemistry and engineering to novel sustainable solvents and processes." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/43755.
Full textHanifzadeh, MohammadMatin. "Approaches for Sustainable Production of Microalgae with High Productivity and Flexible Composition." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1521591139408701.
Full textGourley, James Steven 1978. "Utilization of information management systems for sustainable infrastructure planning." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29576.
Full textGriffith, Jennfer Lynn. "Deforestation--policies toward a more sustainable tropical timber industry." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/45743.
Full textBjarnadottir, Margret Halla. "Comparison of two different rating programs for sustainable homes." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50620.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaf 46).
This thesis compares two different rating programs for sustainable homes; The Code for Sustainable Homes in the United Kingdom, and LEED for Homes in the United States. The comparison is both in general and with respect to Icelandic homes. Iceland is a small market that currently does not have its own program to rate sustainable homes, and there is an ongoing discussion on whether a foreign program could be adopted in Iceland. The Code for Sustainable Homes and LEED for Homes are two of the most recognized rating programs in this area, and are therefore both possible candidates for adoption. It is shown in this thesis that both the rating programs in question are quite similar and target much the same areas, even though the emphasis on specific aspects might be different. Both these programs were created to be suitable for use in their home countries and focus on subjects that are important in these countries. This fact makes them less adaptable in Iceland, since Iceland differs in many respects from the United Kingdom and the United States. There are, however, many subjects targeted in these rating programs that do apply to Iceland and would be beneficial to adopt. This thesis is therefore not a decisive document on whether one program or the other, or even neither, could be adopted in Iceland, but could rather be an input in the current discussion on these matters.
by Margret Halla Bjarnadottir.
M.Eng.
Hunter, Owen Mathias. "Forest-based rolled erosion control products for the sustainable management of forests." Thesis, State University of New York Col. of Environmental Science & Forestry, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10042194.
Full textErosion is a serious concern across the US and the globe. One effective method to reduce soil erosion is to apply rolled erosion control products (RECPs). One material source for use in RECPs that has not been studied is low-value forest residuals (LVRs). The objectives of this study were to design RECPs out of four LVRs (leaf litter, willow whiplets, willow chips, spruce needles) and to assess their ability to reduce soil loss, control water quality (turbidity and total phosphorous), and enhance germination. LVR RECPs were tested using ASTM standards on bare, detritus, and burned soils. Leaf litter and spruce needle RECPs were highly effective at all three abilities, while the willow whiplet and chip RECPs were effective at reducing erosion, but less effective at controlling water quality and enhancing vegetation. Overall, the use of LVRs as a material source for RECPs shows great promise.
Ponce, de León Baridó Paulina. "Making sustainability sustainable : passion and process in environmental management at IBM." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/53059.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (p. 111-118).
Sustainability is one of the greatest challenges we are faced with. To be successfully addressed, a variety of stakeholders, including business, must be involved. With this in mind, this thesis seeks to further our understanding of how a firm's response to sustainability can, in addition to making business sense, be effective and sustainable. This inevitably entails dealing with the classic tension between "passion" and "process." Therefore, the thesis explores how a balance between these two may be found by examining IBM's extensive and long-sustained environmental management experience. IBM has a recognized record of environmental responsibility that has matured over almost 40 years, surviving periods of great difficulty for the company. Its environmental sustainability program and its commitment to corporate responsibility, a continuum from legal and compliance activities to engagements that help the company develop value-creation opportunities, is clearly strategic. Its efforts - a combination of activities that address immediate and future business pressures - are in tune with what the literature considers to be "best practice" in environmental corporate sustainability. IBM's experience confirms both the importance of nourishing an emotional commitment to sustainability and of establishing a process - in its case, an environmental management system - that enables the company to systematically identify and manage the environmental impacts of its operations.
(cont.) On the one hand, its long-sustained record of environmental commitment, combined with its dedication to being a recognized environmental leader, has instilled a strong passion for sustainability across the company's organizations and employees. On the other hand, IBM's pursuit of a demonstrable record of performance, combined with a commitment to continuous improvement, has led to the development of a carefully designed, effective environmental management system. IBM seems to have optimized the balance between passion and process through a commitment to scientific, fact-based, decision-making, which has allowed the company to design and implement goals and procedures that will have the most impact given its resources and footprint.
by Paulina Ponce de León Baridó.
S.M.in Technology and Policy
Dimitrokali, Elisavet. "Environmental performance evaluation of heating and cooling between sustainable and conventional office building." Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, 2015. http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/12705/.
Full textHayward, Devin. "Sustainable waste management systems and their application in Trinidad and Tobago." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=98966.
Full textWei, Zongsu. "Trichloroethylene (TCE) Adsorption Using Sustainable Organic Mulch." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1279301053.
Full textHassan, Djihan. "Environmental sustainability assessment & associated experimental investigations of magnesia production routes." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.648574.
Full textSmith, Tiziana. "Quantifying China's carrying capacity : using optimization to explore sustainable food production." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/120602.
Full textThis electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 113-119).
Feeding the world's growing population in an environmentally sustainable way is a complex social and engineering challenge. In this thesis, we develop a novel method for assessing the number of people that can be fed sustainably in a particular region for given natural resources and diet (the carrying capacity). A quantitative assessment of carrying capacity provides insight into the food security of the study region as well as the stress on the environmental system; in addition, this methodology can be used to assess the carrying capacity under a variety of policy interventions such as increasing yields, changing diets, or expanding irrigation infrastructure. The carrying capacity assessment uses optimization methods that find the cropping pattern that maximizes population subject to land, water, and diet constraints, considering a range of rainfed and irrigated crops. A data fusion procedure estimates the regional water and land resources needed to assess carrying capacity by combining measurements from diverse hydrologic and agronomic sources, including remote sensing data. Our carrying capacity methodology is illustrated with a case study of food security in China. China has historically been largely food self-sufficient, although its food imports have been increasing since the year 2000. We find that the population in China was well below the country's carrying capacity in the year 2000 given the diet and yields in that year. However, the population's changing diet - especially the growing preference for meat - is exacting a growing toll on land and water resources. We find that under a more recent diet (2013), China is not likely to be food self-sufficient, even with major investments in irrigated agriculture, without substantial increases in crop yield.
by Tiziana Smith.
Ph. D.
Kuntz, Lauren Midori. "The "greening" of the concrete industry : factors contributing to sustainable concrete." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34594.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 40-41).
The dawn of the new millennium has brought to light the environmental concerns of global warming, pollution, limited landfill space, and depleting natural resources. These concerns, compounded by the growing global population, have peaked interests in sustainability. In order to accommodate the world's people, industrialization and urbanization is at an all-time high, making the construction industry one of the biggest consumers of energy and resources and one of the biggest producers of waste. With its versatility and low cost of materials, construction, and maintenance, concrete has emerged as the material of choice for new construction in the 20th and 21st centuries. With over 10 billion tons of concrete being produced annually, the concrete industry is the largest consumer of natural resources and one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In order to reduce the harmful impacts of such a valuable construction material, it is imperative that the concrete industry take strides to become a "green" material.
(cont.) This paper outlines strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of concrete through recycling, conservation, industrial ecology, and creating more durable structures. Not only do these methods contribute to the reduction of carbon-dioxide emissions through reducing Portland cement production and saving valuable natural resources by conserving water and using alternatives to natural aggregates in concrete mix-designs, but they also strive to create more durable structures to minimize the need for future construction.
by Lauren Midori Kuntz.
M.Eng.
Jain, Figueroa Anjuli. "Sustainable agricultural management : a systems approach for examining food security tradeoffs." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/121881.
Full textCataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 118-125).
Estimates suggest that the world needs a 50% increase in food production to meet the demands of the 2050 global population (Tilman et. al. 2011). Cropland expansion is unlikely to be sufficient, and yield improvements that require more inputs may lead to more environmental damage. This work focuses on reallocating limited land and water resources to optimize cropping patterns. By combining optimization methods, surrogate modeling, global data sources, data assimilation, and hydrologic modeling, we identify opportunities for increasing food-crop production and cash-crop revenue, while maintaining sustainability constraints that limit cropland expansion and prevent groundwater depletion. We apply the framework in India's Krishna river basin and find that reallocating resources to meet or exceed current production can lead to 96% gain in net revenue as resources over an estimated current baseline. Resources in this case are moved to high-yielding cash crops. Imposing a self-sufficient southern diet which depends on rice reduces the gains to 77% while imposing a self-sufficient national diet with more emphasis on wheat eliminates all net revenue gains to the region. The approach described in this thesis, highlights the trade-offs between food production, cost and environmental impacts in achieving specified food-security objectives. This research contributes to the field in two ways: 1) it provides a novel method for combining remotely sensed data, surrogate models and optimization to understand agricultural trade-offs, and 2) it furthers the discussion on food and water security and sustainable resource management by demonstrating that resource reallocation with sustainability constraints provides revenue gains in certain situations.
by Anjuli Jain Figueroa.
Ph. D.
Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Watson, Mary K. "Assessment and improvement of sustainability education in civil and environmental engineering." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/48981.
Full textRezaee, Mohammad. "SUSTAINABLE DISPOSAL OF COAL PROCESSING WASTE STREAMS." UKnowledge, 2015. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/mng_etds/26.
Full textYip, Ngai Yin. "Sustainable Production of Water and Energy with Osmotically-Driven Membrane Processes and Ion-Exchange Membrane Processes." Thesis, Yale University, 2015. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3582181.
Full textThe world population of the 21st century is facing an increasingly challenging energy landscape and declining water quality and availability, further compounded by a rapidly expanding global population against the backdrop of climate change. To meet the challenges of the water-energy nexus in a sustainable manner, existing methods need to be advanced and new technologies developed. Osmotically-driven and ion-exchange membrane processes are two classes of emerging technologies that can offer cost-effective and environmentally sensible solutions to alleviate the pressure on our water and energy demands. The objective of this thesis is to advance forward osmosis (FO), pressure retarded osmosis (PRO), and reverse electrodialysis (RED) for the sustainable production of water and energy.
A main hindrance restricting the progress of osmotically-driven membrane processes, FO and PRO, is the absence of adequate membranes. This work demonstrates the fabrication of thin-film composite polyamide FO membranes that can attain high water flux and PRO membranes capable of achieving power density of 10 W/m2, twice the benchmark of 5 W/m2 for PRO with natural salinity gradients to be cost-effective. A membrane fabrication platform based on mechanistic understanding of the influence of membrane transport and structural parameters on process performance was developed. The morphology and microstructure of the porous support layer, and hydraulic permeability and salt selectivity of the polyamide active layer were specifically tailored by thoughtful control of the fabrication and modification conditions.
The Gibbs free energy from the mixing of river water with seawater can potentially be harnessed for clean and renewable energy production. This work analyzed the thermodynamics of PRO power generation and determined that energy efficiencies of up to ∼91% can theoretically be attained. The intrinsic limitations and practical constraints in PRO were identified and discussed. Using a tenth of the annual global river water discharge of 37,000 km 3 for PRO could potentially produce electricity for over half a billion people, ascertaining natural salinity gradients to be a sizeable renewable source that can contribute to diversifying our energy portfolio.
However, fouling of the membrane support layer can diminish the PRO productivity by detrimentally increasing the hydraulic resistance. Analysis of the water flux behavior and methodical characterization of the membrane properties shed light on the fouling mechanism and revealed the active-support layer interface to play a crucial role during fouling. A brief osmotic backwash was shown to be effective in cleaning the membrane and achieving substantial performance recovery.
Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is an ion-exchange membrane process that can also extract useful work from salinity gradients. This dissertation research examined the energy efficiency and power density of RED and identified a tradeoff relation between the two performance parameters. Energy efficiency of ∼33-44% can be obtained with technologically-available membranes, but the low power densities of < 1 W/m2 is likely to be impede the realization of the process. To further advance RED as a salinity energy conversion method, ion-exchange membrane technology and stack design need to be advanced beyond their current limitations.
When analyzed with simulated existing state-of-the-art membranes, PRO exhibited greater energy efficiencies (54-56%) and significantly higher power densities (2.4-38 W/m2) than RED (18-38% and 0.77-1.2 W/m 2). The drawback of RED is especially pronounced at large salinity gradients, where the high solution concentrations overwhelm the Donnan exclusion effect and detrimentally diminish the ion exchange membrane permselectivity. Additionally, the inherent different in driving force utilization (osmotic pressure difference for PRO and Nernst potential for RED) restricts RED from exploiting larger salinity gradients to enhance performance. Overall, PRO is found to be the more favorable membrane-based technology for accessing salinity energy.
This work presents pioneering advances for forward osmosis and pressure retarded osmosis membrane development. The fundamental studies of the osmotically-driven membrane processes and ion-exchange membrane processes yielded significant findings that enhanced our mechanistic and thermodynamic understanding of the technologies. The important insights can serve to inform the realization of the emerging membrane-based technologies for the sustainable production of water and energy. The implications of the thesis are potentially far-reaching and are anticipated to shape the discussion on FO, PRO, and RED.
Silinga, Nyaniso Sandisiwe. "Antecedents to sustainability of small consulting engineering businesses within the Amathole district municipality." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5184.
Full textZhang, Na. "Greening academia : developing sustainable waste management at UK higher educational institutions." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2011. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/196479/.
Full textHansen, Maia A. (Maia Allis) 1968. "Building green : investment opportunities in sustainable construction materials." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46198.
Full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 111-114).
by Maia A. Hansen.
M.B.A.
S.M.
Long, Stanford Staples. "Towards an ethically founded framework for sustainability engineering in South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96740.
Full textENGLISH ABSTRACT: The apparent conflict between development activities and the need to preserve environmental integrity, here called the environmental dilemma, serves as the point of departure for this study. With engineers in general, and civil engineers in particular, being major role players in development activities, this study turns particular attention to the role they do, and should play with respect to the environmental dilemma.1 The study commences with an overview of the traditional ethical and environmental ethical theories, but this does not produce an unambiguous, master solution to the environmental dilemma. However, on a more pragmatic level, and based largely on its undeniable widespread popularity, the concept of sustainable development surfaces as the most promising strategy. Notwithstanding its popularity it remains a vague and contestable concept. This is born out by the numerous definitions and interpretations accorded to sustainable development in the literature. In order to lend more rigour to the concept, this study firstly suggests an ethical foundation for it, and secondly proposes a framework through which a fuller understanding of it may be articulated. The ethical foundation is based on the value of beneficence, which is rooted in the reciprocal altruism that is part of our evolutionary heritage, and which has been further reinforced by widespread cultural appropriation. Moderated by the equally widely held value of fairness, and the principles of holism and biocentrism, it is argued that beneficence, as a basic and near universal societal value, is well suited to be the moral underpinning for sustainable development. The sustainability framework, as it is proposed in this study, is hierarchically structured so that it is more monistic and prescriptive at its higher levels, while at the lower levels it is more pluralistic and pragmatic. At the highest level of the framework sustainable development is irrevocably bound to the vision of a sustainable society. At the next level the values that underpin sustainable development, beneficence, fairness and respect for life, are found. At the following levels the message of the vision and the values of sustainable development is expanded further through three foundational and eighteen subsidiary principles, the latter being expressed in categories that represent the dimensions of sustainable development. This study recognises four dimensions within sustainable development, these 1 It needs to be noted that in this study the environment is (frequently) broadly interpreted so as to include social concerns as well as those related to the natural environment. being the environmental,2 the social, the economic and the institutional dimensions. These dimensional categories are not mutually exclusive but are rather used as categories of convenience. The framework is concluded, at the lowest levels, with measurement themes and applications, also dimensionally categorised. With this expanded understanding of sustainable development as background, the study proceeds to an overview of the legal and policy framework of South Africa with respect to the environment and sustainable development. This is followed by two case studies that attempt to discern the sustainability challenges evident in local development practice. The first of these case studies deals with the proliferation of golfing estate developments in the Southern Cape, and the second with the proposed construction of a national toll road through the Wild Coast area of the Transkei. The study then turns its focus to the engineering profession in South Africa, with particular reference to the civil engineering discipline. After reviewing engineering codes of conduct from a number of countries, particularly with respect to their environmental and/or sustainability prescriptions, a proposal for a South African version of such a code is put forward. As it turns out this suggested code leans heavily on the previously proposed sustainability framework. Finally civil engineering education in South Africa is assessed with respect to environmental and/or sustainability requirements, and the conclusion is that sustainable development, in its fullest sense, might be best served by the introduction of a unique educational programme focussed specifically on sustainability engineering.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konflik wat skynbaar bestaan tussen ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite en die behoefte om die integriteit van die omgewing te bewaar, hier genoem die omgewingsdilemma, dien as die vertrekpunt van hierdie studie. In ag genome dat ingenieurs in die algemeen, en siviele ingenieurs in die besonder, hoofrolspelers is in ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite, word aandag hier spesifiek geskenk aan die rol wat hulle speel, en behoort te speel, met betrekking tot die omgewingsdilemma.3 Hierdie studie begin met ‘n oorsig van die tradisionele teorieë in etiek en omgewingsetiek, maar dit lewer nie ‘n eenduidige meester-oplossing vir die omgewingsdilemma nie. Egter op ‘n meer pragmatiese vlak, en grootliks gebaseer op die onteenseglike populariteit van die konsep, het volhoubare ontwikkeling as ‘n belowende strategie na vore gekom. Desnieteenstaande die hierdie populariteit, bly die konsep van volhoubare ontwikkeling vaag en omstrede. Die veelvuldige definisies en interpretasies wat in die literatuur aan die konsep toegesê word, dien as bewys hiervan. Om meer krag aan die konsep te verleen word daar in hierdie studie, eerstens ‘n etiese fondament ter ondersteuning van volhoubare ontwikkeling, en tweedens ‘n raamwerk waardeur dit beter verstaan kan word, voorgestel. Die etiese fondament is gebaseer op die waarde van welwillendheid. Hierdie waarde is gewortel in die wederkerige altruïsme wat deel uitmaak van ons evolusionêre erfenis, en verder in die samelewing gevestig is deur wydverspreide kulturele toe-eiening. Daar word geredeneer dat welwillendheid, bemiddel deur die ewe wydonderskrewe waarde van billikheid, en die beginsels van holisme en biosentrisme, as ‘n basiese en ‘n byna universele maatskaplike waarde, besonder geskik is om vir volhoubare ontwikkeling die morele onderbou te wees. Die volhoubaarheidsraamwerk, soos dit in hierdie studie voorgestel word, is hiërargies gestruktureer sodat die hoër vlakke meer monisties en voorskriftelik is, terwyl die laer vlakke meer pluralisties and pragmaties is. Op die hoogste vlak van die raamwerk word volhoubare ontwikkeling onlosmaaklik gekoppel aan die visie van ‘n volhoubare gemeenskap. Op die volgende vlak word die waardes wat volhoubare ontwikkeling fundeer, naamlik welwillendheid, billikheid en respek vir lewe, gevind. In die daaropvolgende vlakke word die boodskap van die visie en die waardes van volhoubare 3 Daar moet kennis geneem word dat die omgewing in hierdie studie (dikwels) breed geïnterpreteer word, en dus sosiale kwessies sowel as dié van die natuurlike omgewing insluit. ontwikkeling uitgebou deur drie basiese en agtien aanvullende beginsels, waarvan laasgenoemde uitgedruk word in kategorieë wat die dimensies van volhoubare ontwikkeling weergee. Hierdie studie onderskei vier dimensies in volhoubare ontwikkeling, naamlik die omgewings-,4 die sosiale, die ekonomiese en die institusionele dimensies. Hierdie dimensionele kategorieë is nie onderling uitsluitend nie, maar word eerder as kategorieë van gerief aangewend. Die raamwerk word op sy laagste vlakke voltooi deur metingstemas en toepassings wat ook dimensioneel gekategoriseer is. Met hierdie uitgebreide begrip van volhoubare ontwikkeling as agtergrond, is die studie voortgesit met ‘n oorsig van die Suid-Afrikaanse wetlike en beleidsraamwerk ten opsigte van die omgewing en volhoubare ontwikkeling. Dit is opgevolg deur twee gevallestudies wat poog om die uitdagings wat volhoubaarheid in plaaslike onwikkelingspraktyk hou, te skets. Die eerste van hierdie gevallestudies het die die vinnige vermeerdering van gholf-landgoedere in die Suid-Kaap aangespreek, terwyl die tweede gehandel het oor die voorgestelde konstruksie van ‘n nasionale tolpad deur die Wildekus-area van die Transkei. Die fokus van die studie verskuif hierna na die ingenieursprofessie in Suid-Afrika, met spesifieke verwysing na die siviele ingenieursdissipline. Nadat verskeie ingenieursgedragskodes van ‘n aantal lande oorweeg is, veral met betrekking tot hul omgewings- en volhoubaarheidsvoorskrifte, is ‘n Suid- Afrikaanse weergawe van so ‘n gedragskode voorgestel. Uiteraard leun hierdie kode swaar op die volhoubaarheidsraamwerk wat vroeër voorgestel is. Ten laaste word siviele ingenieursopleiding in Suid-Afrika beoordeel ten opsigte van omgewings- en volhoubaarheidsvereistes, en die slotsom is dat volhoubare ontwikkeling, ten volste begryp, ten beste uitgebou sal kan word deur die instelling van ‘n unieke opvoedingsprogram wat spesifiek gefokus is op volhoubaarheids-ingenieurwese.
Markcrow, Katelin. "Engineering Nature under Climate Change – Implications of Assisted Migration on Sustainable Development in Mountain Ranges." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-324297.
Full textInyim, Peeraya. "Time, Cost, and Environmental Impact Analysis for Sustainable Design at Multiple Building Levels." FIU Digital Commons, 2015. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1800.
Full textKhalaj-Teimoury, Masoud. "Environmental Impacts on Guam's Water Security and Sustainable Management of the Resource." Thesis, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10787879.
Full textImpacts of climate change on the already severely strained freshwater resources of approximately 1000 inhabited islands in the Pacific Ocean are of great concern. The Western Pacific region is one of the world’s most vulnerable when it comes to risk of disaster particularly for the several of the low-lying coral islands. Impacts have already been felt regarding the security of water resources that would directly impact agriculture, forestry, tourism and other industry-related sectors. The ironic and tragic aspect of the environmental crisis of greenhouse emissions is the fact that those parts of the world least responsible for creating the water security issues are the first to suffer its consequences. Pacific Island Nations are responsible for only 0.03 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, and the average island resident produces only one-quarter of the emissions of the average person worldwide.
Utilizing the historical data, the evidence of change in water quality and access on Guam has been examined. All indicators except for the precipitation support the hypotheses that climate change trends are impacting Guam’s water security. This will eventually weaken Guam’s resilience. As a result of this research and its recommendations, a sustainable freshwater resources management plan, for a water-secured Guam can be produced. Adaptive management provided here is based on a process that can measure the resilience of Guam to the issue of water security.
Cheatham, Benjamin Myles 1973. "Sustainable urban transportation in developing mega-cities : a review of policies, regulations, and technologies." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8311.
Full text"January 2002."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-138).
Of the many daunting challenges the world's developing mega-cities face, perhaps none is more pressing than the urgent need to enhance the mobility of their citizens. An efficient flow of goods and people into around and through these urban nerve centers is vital to their global economic competitiveness, environmental health, and socioeconomic development. A lack of adequate mobility is characterized by a number of detrimental externalities. Chiefly, the ensnarement of vehicles in traffic congestion, an increase in air-borne pollutants and a higher cost of travel are symptoms of poor planning, inadequate investment, and ineffective governance. Innovative policies, regulations, and technologies must be employed that enable mobility without sacrificing quality of life, clean air, or investment in other sectors. The primary objective of this study is to assist municipal governments in the development of environmentally sustainable, socially equitable, and financially self-reliant transportation policies and systems. This objective will be achieved in three stages: I. This study will describe and assess a portfolio of urban transportation policies, regulations, and technologies, concentrating on those policies that make use of market forces to influence travel demand. II. Two urban transportation case studies will be developed: Singapore and Bogoti, Colombia. These cases will be used to illustrate the interactions of policies, regulations, and technologies and to demonstrate the important roles that institutional arrangements and public opinion can play as determinants of success or failure. III. Finally, from this analysis we will develop a series of urban transportation policy recommendations for the city of Guangzhou. Our recommendations are based on interviews with senior municipal officials, documents produced by the administration, the city's unique context, and the telling experiences of Singapore and Bogota. Three primary conclusions arise from this study. First, developing mega-cities cannot focus solely on the supply of additional infrastructure to address their mobility problems; they must also manage the demand side of the equation. Second, these cities must employ a broad mixture of demand-management measures simultaneously in order to significantly improve mobility. Third, these cities must develop adequate institutional capacity in order to design, implement, and enforce effective transportation policies and manage sustainable urban transportation systems.
by Benjamin Myles Cheatham.
S.M.
Mahvash-Mohammadi, Siavash. "The utilisation of fly ash for ground improvement : a sustainable construction of embankment." Thesis, University of West London, 2017. https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/4754/.
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