Engineering Commons^™

A Model To Integrate Sustainability Into The User-Centered Design Process, Adrienne Shevonne Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With concerns for the environment becoming more prevalent in business and the government, it is increasingly important to re-evaluate and update processes to include sustainability considerations early in the design process. In response to this charge, this research effort was designed to integrate sustainability factors into the usercentered design process. The results of this research highlight the benefits of sustainability requirement planning, as well as those derived from integrating sustainability into the current user-centered design model

A Sustainable Autonomic Architecture For Organically Reconfigurable Computing Systems, Rashad S. Oreifej

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A Sustainable Autonomic Architecture for Organically Reconfigurable Computing System based on SRAM Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) is proposed, modeled analytically, simulated, prototyped, and measured. Low-level organic elements are analyzed and designed to achieve novel self-monitoring, self-diagnosis, and self-repair organic properties. The prototype of a 2-D spatial gradient Sobel video edge-detection organic system use-case developed on a XC4VSX35 Xilinx Virtex-4 Video Starter Kit is presented. Experimental results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed architecture and provide the infrastructure to quantify the performance and overcome fault-handling limitations. Dynamic online autonomous functionality restoration after a malfunction or functionality shift due to changing …

Modeling And Optimization To Evaluate Sustainability Performance Of Customizable Product Service Systems, Ken Harsha Tilakaratne Wijekoon

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The aim of this thesis is to present a new methodology to evaluate and optimize sustainability of customizable product-service systems while ensuring economic, environmental and societal constraints are also satisfied. Activities across the total product lifecycle are considered to develop a model that evaluates closed-loop flow, while being monitored through the growth, maturity and decline stages of the product to provide a comprehensive analysis. A novel method to evaluate the customer satisfaction is also presented. The research considers a modular product where customization can be achieved by selecting from alternatives while ensuring the compatibility between these alternatives. A manufacturer will …

A Multicriteria Based Quantitative Framework For Assessing Sustainability Of Pile Foundations, Aditi Misra

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Civil Engineering is the major instrument of anthropocentric development over centuries through ever expanding infrastructure, cities and facilities.  Civil engineering processes are both resource and fuel intensive.  The building industry alone, during the construction stage, uses about 30-40% of the total resources used in the industrialized countries.  There is a growing consensus that delivering a sustainable built environment starts with incorporating sustainability thoughts at the planning and design stages of a project.  Geotechnical engineering is most resource intensive although this intensive consumption of energy goes unnoticed mainly because of the indirect nature of the energy used in the …

Sustainable Practices And Related Performance Measures At State Highway Agencies, Lenahan O’Connell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report identifies seven ways in which an SHA can harm the environment: (1) excessive consumption of virgin materials; (2) unnecessary levels or amounts of storm water runoff; (3) release of environmental contaminants by SHA employees and contractors; (4) inadequate environmental training of employees and contractors; (5) wasteful use of energy by SHA employees and contractors; (6) the promotion of excessive driving by the public and concomitant release of green house gases; and (7) inadequate oversight mechanisms and procedures to prevent unsustainable practices. The report then identifies the sustainable practices and related performance measures SHAs can use to prevent or …

Identifying Barriers To Address During The Delivery Of Sustainable Building Renovation Projects, Corey Cattano

All Theses

Architects, engineers, and contractors are continuously searching for tools and methods to reduce the unique risks associated with the delivery of construction projects. Since national policies to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption will require drastic improvements to the existing building stock, one specific area in need of such tools is the sustainable renovation of existing buildings. The purpose of this research is to identify the barriers to address during the delivery of sustainable renovation projects and offer solutions that overcome these barriers. For example, typical renovation projects do not coordinate energy retrofits with building system renovations, resulting in poor …

Slides: Drilling Waste, Blake Scott

Opportunities and Obstacles to Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Natural Gas Development in Uintah Basin (October 14)

Presenter: Blake Scott, Scott Environmental Services, Inc.

24 slides

Development Of Sustainability Indicators For Products And Processes, Sundeep Bodapati

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Significant increase in industrialization is a leading cause for the depletion of global resources and changes in the earth's atmosphere due to global warming. There has been a major concern for the manufacturing industry to deal with the above problems and this had led the researchers to focus on the area of sustainability. Sustainable development aims for the future, which is characterized by the interaction of the economic, environment and society. To enable the manufacturing companies to measure sustainability performance, developing the metrics for sustainability is critical. The purpose of this thesis is to review the indicators published in the …

Teaching Sustainability Analysis In Electrical Engineering Lab Courses, David Braun

Electrical Engineering

Laboratory courses represent an incompletely tapped opportunity to teach sustainability concepts. This work introduces and evaluates a simple strategy used to teach sustainability concepts in electrical engineering laboratory courses. The technique would readily adapt to other disciplines. The paper presents assessment data and a wiki containing student sustainability analyses.

Energy And Nutrient Recovery From Anaerobic Treatment Of Organic Wastes, Christian-Dominik Henrich

All Dissertations

The objective of the research was to develop a complete systems design and predictive model framework of a series of linked processes capable of providing treatment of landfill leachate while simultaneously recovering nutrients and bioenergy from the waste inputs. This proposed process includes an 'Ammonia Recovery Process' (ARP) consisting of: 1) ammonia de-sorption requiring leachate pH adjustment with lime or sodium hydroxide addition followed by, 2) ammonia re-absorption into a 6-molar sulfuric acid spray-tower followed by, 3) biological activated sludge treatment of soluble organic residuals (BOD) followed by, 4) high-rate algal post-treatment and finally, 5) an optional anaerobic digestion process …

A Sustainable Business Proposition For Selling Irrigation Pumps In Ndola, Zambia, Robert Hosbach

Biomedical Engineering

Robert Hosbach is proposing a sustainable business plan to bring a small‐scale irrigation pump to rural Ndola, Zambia. With hundreds of thousands of citizens living in poverty and semi‐annual starvation, Ndola is in need of a means to grow crops effectively in the rainy season. Their current agricultural practices rely solely on the inconsistent rainfall during this time. My pump will be constructed from locally‐available aluminum cans, epoxy, glue, and fasteners (refer to Appendix B for technical drawings of the pump). The business will employ only a small number of Zambians, but will bring a means of food and income …

Developing A Protocol For An Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Plus (Epp+) Program At Nasa Glenn Research Center, Amarin Kongtawelert

ETD Archive

EPP+ or Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Plus is a Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program with incorporated a unique Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) scoring system which implemented at NASA, Glenn Research Center. A protocol has been developed to aid in selecting among products based on principles of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The protocol has been developed for use at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) but is intended to benefit anyone wishing to make sustainable purchasing decision. The protocol was designed as a web-based application which evaluates the life cycle factors, affirmative procurements, price, and performance of products that …

Environmentally-Conscious Supply Chain Design In Support Of Food Security, Caroline C. Krejci, Benita M. Beamon

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Faculty Publications - Archive

This paper seeks to design food supply chain structures that can provide food security for every person in the world while supporting long-term environmental sustainability. In particular, we provide alternatives to the current food supply chain structure and analyze their potential for providing food security, in terms of productive capacity and long-term environmental sustainability. Given the current world population and expected continued growth, our analysis suggests that environmentally-sustainable food supply chains would be most effectively supported by local and organic agriculture, while maintaining a parallel industrial agricultural system. This hybrid system would adopt environmentally-sustainable principles whenever possible, seeking to increase …

Water Resources, Health, And The Sustainability Of Interventions To Achieve Water And Sanitation Targets Of The Millennium Development Goals In A Changing World, Lauren M. Fry

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

This dissertation addresses sustainability of rapid provision of safe water and sanitation required to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Review of health-related literature and global statistics demonstrates engineers' role in achieving the MDGs. This review is followed by analyses relating to social, environmental, and health aspects of meeting MDG targets.

Analysis of national indicators showed that inadequate investment, poor or nonexistent policies and governance are challenges to global sanitation coverage in addition to lack of financial resources and gender disparity. Although water availability was not found to be a challenge globally, geospatial analysis demonstrated that water availability is a potentially …

Integrating Bioprocesses Into Industrial Complexes For Sustainable Development, Debalina Sengupta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this research is to propose, develop and demonstrate a methodology for the optimal integration of bioprocesses in an existing chemical production complex. Chemical complex optimization is determining the optimal configuration of chemical plants in a superstructure of possible plants based on economic, environmental and sustainable criteria objective function (triple bottomline) and solves a mixed integer non linear programming problem. This research demonstrated the transition of production of chemicals from non-renewable to renewable feedstock. A conceptual design of biochemical processes was converted to five industrial scale designs in Aspen HYSYS® process simulator. Fourteen input-output block models were created …

Material Sustainability, Jessica Meadows, Natasha Morris

Architectural Engineering

This paper addresses the sustainability of the materials used to construct buildings today. Timber, concrete and steel are analyzed for carbon output, cost, and recyclable-ability.

Comparing Problem-Based Learning And Lecture As Methods To Teach Whole-Systems Design To Engineering Students, Michael Dukes

All Theses

The objective of this research is to compare problem-based learning and lecture as methods to teach whole-systems design to engineering students. A case study, Appendix A, exemplifying successful whole-systems design was developed and written by the author in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute. Concepts to be tested were then determined, and a questionnaire was developed to test students' preconceptions. A control group of students was taught using traditional lecture methods, and a sample group of students was taught using problem-based learning methods. After several weeks, the students were given the same questionnaire as prior to the instruction, and the …

Use Of Steel Slag In Subgrade Applications, Irem Zeynep Yildirim, Monica Prezzi

JTRP Technical Reports

Steel slag is a by-product of steelmaking and refining processes. In 2006, 10-15 million metric ton of steel slag was generated in the U.S. Out of the total steel slag produced in the U.S. every year, about 50-70% is used as aggregate for road and pavement construction and approximately 15-40% is stockpiled in steel plants and eventually landfilled at slag disposal sites. Since current levels of steel slag stockpiling and landfilling are not sustainable, alternative geotechnical engineering applications for steel slag are being explored to alleviate the slag disposal problem and to help save dwindling natural resources. The main objectives …

The Very Basics Of Sustainability - An Alternative Viewpoint, Jim Mcgovern

Other resources

This paper examines the context and meaning of the term ‘sustainability’, the factors that determine and govern climate on Earth, the population of the Earth and its trends and influencers, the requirements for sustaining life and the options that are available to humankind. Some viewpoints are presented that are alternative to ‘conventional alternative’ thinking. The author advocates keeping an open mind on all available options, including the use of oil, gas, coal, tar sands, carbon capture and sequestration, nuclear power etc., as well as the technologies that are more widely considered ‘green’ and also argues that humankind needs to face …

The Very Basics Of Sustainability - An Alternative Viewpoint (Slides With Audio) (Large File! To Speed Up Download, Right-Click On "Download" Link To Save To Own Pc.), Jim Mcgovern

Other resources

This presentation sets out the very basics of ‘sustainability’, although a definition of sustainability is not attempted. Some of the very basics are the context in which the Earth and humankind exist in space and time, the Earth’s climate, the Earth’s population and humankind’s options and choices. The author advocates keeping an open mind on all available options, including the use of oil, gas, coal, tar sands, carbon capture and sequestration, nuclear power etc., as well as the technologies that are more widely considered ‘green’. The author also argues that, in addressing the challenges that humankind faces, globally concerted effort …

Time Valuation Of Risk: A Delayed-Bang Approach, Abhishek Pathak

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The subject of this thesis is the combined use of engineering economics and survival analysis in estimating time-value of risk-related resources. The discussion includes (1) the need for sustainable risk management, (2) the importance of time-valuation of risk related resources in the allocation or selection among competing risk mitigation alternatives, (3) the convergence of deterministic engineering economics, survivability analysis, and probabilistic analysis, and (4) results and examples of application in the context of prevention of risk event or mitigation of its consequences.

The significance of this thesis is in how three topics: engineering economics, survivability analysis, and probability theory can …

Application Of Pv Panels In Large Multi-Story Buildings, Sara Kayal

Master's Theses

Application of PV Panels in Large Multi-Story Buildings Feasibility Study Sara Kayal

The awareness of global warming along with an ever increasing demand for a new source of energy has brought a strong interest in harnessing natural resources such as solar energy. This thesis evaluates the viability of applying photovoltaic (PV) panels in high-rise commercial buildings of around 20 stories. Specifically, the thesis is intended to provide a pre-planning tool during the early design stage for architects and designers who are considering the deployment of PV panels in new multi-story construction.

The first three chapters cover a comprehensive literature review …

Study Of Film Cooling Effectiveness: Conical, Trenched And Asymmetrical Shaped Holes, Humberto Zuniga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Film cooling is a technique whereby air from the compressor stage of a gas turbine engine is diverted for cooling purposes to parts, such as the turbine stage, that operate at very high temperatures. Cooling arrangements include impingement jets, finned, ribbed and turbulated channels, and rows of film cooling holes, all of which over the years have become progressively more complex. This costly, but necessary complexity is a result of the industry's push to run engines at increasingly higher turbine inlet temperatures. Higher temperatures mean higher efficiency, but they also mean that the turbine first stage operates hundreds of degrees …

Renewable Energy Resources And Technologies Applicable To Ireland, Fergal O'Rourke, Fergal Boyle, Anthony Reynolds

Articles

The energy consumed in Ireland is primarily achieved by the combustion of fossil fuels. Ireland’s only indigenous fossil fuel is peat; all other fossil fuels are imported. As well as fossil fuels continually becoming more expensive, their use as an energy source also has a negative impact on the environment. Ireland’s energy consumption can be separated into 3 divisions; transportation, electricity generation and heat energy. Ireland however has a vast range of high quality renewable energy resources. Ireland has set a target of 33% of its electricity will be generated from renewable sources by 2020[1]. The use of biomass, wind …

Greenometer-7: A Tool To Assess The Sustainability Of A Building's Life Cylce At The Conceptual Design Phase, Muhammad Musa Mer'eb

ETD Archive

This study presents a tool that has been developed to measure and subsequently improve the sustainability performance of a building over its entire life-cycle while still at the conceptual design stage. This forecasting tool is called GREENOMETER-7. GREENOMETER-7 is a LCA tool and it evaluates the projected building at two levels: micro- and macro-assessment. The micro-assessment level provides in-depth analysis of the building products, components, and operations however, the macro-assessment level measures the sustainability performance of the building as a whole and covers areas that are not applicable at the product or component level. Both levels consist of categories and …

Comparative Embodied Energy Analysis Of A Steel And Concrete Structural System In Ireland, Adolf Acquaye, Aidan Duffy, Biswajit Basu

Conference Papers

Engineering building design focuses on optimising operational energy use and ignores the energy required to procure and construct a building. This energy, termed ‘embodied energy’, can be very significant when compared to operational energy. Therefore, it is important to minimise the embodied in buildings; this must be done at the design stage. This paper presents a comparative embodied energy analysis of two structural design solutions for a modern office building: one in concrete and one in steel. Process analysis is used to determine production, transport and construction energy requirements for all system components. Results indicate that the steel solution has …

Integrating Project-Based Learning Throughout The Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum, Richard N. Savage, Katherine C. Chen, Linda Vanasupa

Materials Engineering

Equipping engineering students with the skills and knowledge required to be successful global engineers in the 21st century is one of the primary objectives of undergraduate educators. Enabling students to practice self-directed learning, to find solutions to design problems that are sustainable and to recognize that they are part of a global community are just of few of our educational goals. Self-directed learning can define an individual’s ability to practice life-long learning. It places the responsibility on the individual to initiate and direct the learning process and can enable an individual to adapt to change. Project-based learning provides the contextual …

The Energy Policy Pyramid - A Hierarchal Tool For Decision Makers, Florida Solar Energy Center, Robin Vieira

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Policies of dealing with energy programs are often misdirected. Decision makers jump first to fuel substitution to either lower emissions or counter fuel price escalation. When it comes to both return on short-term economic investment and long-term sustainability for the economy and environment, there is a clear hierarchy. This paper presents the hierarchy as The Energy Policy Pyramid©.

Environmental Impact Of Wetland Resources Utilization In Simuyu Basin, Tanzania, Shadrack Mwakalila

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

There is a growing appreciation of the natural functions of wetlands, and the values and different forms of uses that humans attach to them. Wise use and special conservation strategies are therefore needed in order to sustain their productivity. Wetlands are one of the most fruitful areas of archaeological research, and they are the ideal setting in which to study the interactions between physical processes and human actions that encapsulate and exemplify many of the themes of man's impact on his environment. But all these beneficial functions of wetlands seem to be in danger of being lost to draining and …

Developing A Gis And Hydrological Modeling Approach For Sustainable Water Resources Management In The West Bank -- Palestine, Walid Wajeeh Sabbah

Theses and Dissertations

This research deals with setting up a GIS and hydrological modeling based approach for sustainable water resources management in the West Bank of Palestine. This water sustainability approach took into consideration the water balance, the social, the economic, the demographic, the environmental, and the institutional components in order to enhance and promote the sustainable development in Palestine, both on the short and long runs. To evaluate the water balance component, a methodology was introduced to create the Water Sustainability Map (WSM). Since the groundwater is currently the only accessible water source by the Palestinians, the WSM is represented by the …