Sustainable Systems

Using large-scale modeling to inform engineering decision-making

We apply a range of tools from industrial ecology (LCA) and energy systems modeling to explore a range of questions about how we might decarbonize our energy sources. These analyses have been applied to a number of emerging technologies such as algae-to-energy processes, aviation biofuels, and hydraulic fracturing of shale. We also use these tools to assess the resilience of infrastructure systems in the face of rapid environmental change.