ENGS 171 – Spring 2011

INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY

Course Description:

By studying the flow of materials and energy through industrial systems, industrial ecology identifies economic ways to lessen negative environmental impacts, chiefly by reducing pollution at the source, minimizing energy consumption, designing for the environment, and promoting sustainability.

The objective of this course is to examine the extent to which environmental concerns have affected specific industries, to evaluate the benefits of prevention over compliance, and to discern where additional progress can be made. With the emphasis on technology as a source of both problems and solutions, a broad spectrum of industrial activities is reviewed, ranging from low-design high-volume commodities to high-design low-volume products.

Student activities include a critical review of various articles, participation in class discussions, and a term project in design for the environment.

Prerequisites: ENGS-21 (Introduction to Engineering) and ENGS-37 (Introduction to Environmental Engineering), or permission.

Instructor & Assistants:

Prof. Benoit Cushman-Roisin

134 Cummings Hall

Tel: 646-3248

Teaching Assistants: Jessica Kahn

Gaurav Vora

Course Format:

1. Readings (as class preparation)

2. Lectures (leading to informed discussions)

3. Occasional homework sets

4. Occasional guest lecturers and video presentations

5. Term project (in groups of 3 or 4 students)

6. Mid-term and final project reports, and oral presentation

Class Preparation:

The instructor assumes that each student is committed to achieving the highest educational value from the course. Therefore, every student is required to attend all classes and to be actively involved in and a contributor to class activities, by being prepared to raise questions and engage in profitable discussion over the

pre-assigned readings.

Suggested Texts (not required):

Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practice

by Paul L. Bishop, McGraw-Hill, 2000

reprinted by Waveland Press, 2004

(excellent topical coverage - highly recommended)

Product Design for the Environment – A Life Cycle Approach

by Fabio Giudice, Guido La Rosa and Antonino Risitano

CRC – Taylor & Francis, 2006

(focus on the product more than the facility – a bit harder to read)

Greening the Industrial Facility: Perspective, Approaches, and Tools

by Thomas E. Graedel & Jennifer A. Howard-Grenville

Springer, 2005

(focus on the facility more than the product)

Course Objectives:

1. Knowledge of fundamental ways by which industry can make progress in the direction of sustainability;

2. Understanding of principles of pollution prevention and design for environment;

3. Ability to perform limited life-cycle assessments;

4. Knowledge of current, ‘green’ technological initiatives in the auto industry;

5. Ability to decide in the face of incomparable quantities.

Honor Code:

As always, students are expected to observe all aspects of Dartmouth’s Honor Principle, described on pages 44–46 of the Organization, Regulations & Courses. Dartmouth College policy requires that any apparent violation of the Honor Principle be reported to the Committee on Standards. The professor does not have any other choice, however uncomfortable he/she may feel.

Grading:

30% Literature critiques

20% Homeworks

10% Class participation

20% Term project - Phase 1

20% Term project - Phase 2