Industrial Ecology of Materials
Covers quantitative techniques to address principles of substitution, dematerialization, and waste mining implementation in materials systems. Includes life-cycle and materials flow analysis of the impacts of materials extraction; processing; use; and recycling for materials, products, and services. Student teams undertake a case study regarding materials and technology selection using the latest methods of analysis and computer-based models of materials process. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments.
Spring 2006 · Systems Perspectives on Industrial Ecology
This course examines quantitative techniques for life cycle analysis of the impacts of materials extraction, processing use, and recycling; and economic analysis of materials processing, products, and markets. Student teams undertake a major case study using the latest methods of analysis and computer-based models of materials process.
Readings
- Frosch, R. A. “Industrial Ecology: A Philosophical Introduction.” Proceedings of National Academy of Science U.S.A. 89 (February 1992): 800-803.
- Janssen, Marco, and Jan Rotmans. “Allocation of Fossil CO 2 Emission Rights: Quantifying Cultural Perspectives.” Ecological Economics 13 (1995): 65-79.
- UN World Commission on Environment and Development. “Towards Sustainable Development.” Chapter 2 in Our Common Future . New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN: 9780192820808. [Also known as the “Brundtland Report”].
- Pearce, D. W., G. D. Atkinson, and W. R. Dubourg. “The Economics of Sustainable Development.” Annu Rev Energy Environ 19 (1994): 457-74.
- Tilton, John. “Exhaustible Resources and Sustainable Development: Two Paradigms.” Resources Policy 22, nos. 1/2 (1996): 91-97.
- Solow, Robert M. “The Economics of Resource or the Resources of Economics.” The American Economic Review 64, no. 2 (May 1974): 1-14.
- Hotelling, H. “Economics of Exhaustible Resources.” The Journal of Political Economy 39, no. 2 (April 1931): 137-175. [For reference.]
- Mikesell, R. “The Limits to Growth: A Reappraisal.” Resources Policy 21, no. 2 (1995): 127-131.
- Devarajan, S., and A. Fischer. “Hotelling’s ‘Economics of Exhaustible Resources’: Fifty Years Later.” Journal of Economic Literature 19, no. 1 (March 1981): 65-73.
- Bauman, H., and A. Tillman. Hitch Hiker’s Guide To LCA: An Orientation in Life Cycle Assessment Methodology and Application . Lund, Sweden: Studentlitteratur AB, 2004, chapters 1, 3, 4, and 5. ISBN: 9789144023649.
- Weidema, Bo. “Avoiding Co-Product Allocation in Life-Cycle Assessment.” Journal of Industrial Ecology 4, no. 3 (2001): 11-33.
- Ekvall, Tomas. “A Market-based Approach to Allocation at Open-loop Recycling.” Resources, Conservation and Recycling 29 (2000): 91-109.
- Bengtsson, Magnus, and Bengt Steen. “Weighting in LCA - Approaches and Applications.” Environmental Progress 19, no. 2 (Summer 2000): 101-110.
- Heijungs, Reinout, and Rene Kleijn. “Numerical Approaches Towards Life Cycle Interpretation.” Int J LCA 6, no. 3 (2001): 141-148.
- Finnveden, Göran. “Methodological Aspects of Life Cycle Assessment of Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems.” Resources, Conservation and Recycling 26 (1999): 173-187.
- Graedel, T. E., et al. “Multilevel Cycle of Anthropogenic Copper.” Environmental Science and Technology 38 (2004): 1242-1252.
- Because the course covers a broad range of topics, there is no textbook. Students will be expected to consult the assigned readings, lecture notes, and other handouts.
Prerequisites & course information
Subject meets with 3.081 Prereq: 3.20 or permission of instructor Acad Year 2027-2028: G (Fall) Acad Year 2028-2029: Not offered 3-0-9 units
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2006
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.