EECE 449/549 Sustainable Air Quality: Sustainable Linking of Energy and the Environment Rudolf B. Husar & Erin Robinson Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering

Sustainability: Grand Challenge of Science and Engineering The problems of Energy and Environment (EE) are Grand Challenges Solutions require engineering, biological, socio-economic and other sciences A rigorous and practical integrated framework for EE is not available This is an exploration of frameworks for integrated Energy Environmental Analysis Interested in the EE integration challenge? Join us on the wiki!wiki

Sustainable Development (SD) A process of reconciling society’s developmental needs with the environmental limits over the long term. But, What should be developed, what should be sustained? SD as an adaptive process, “ in which society's discovery of where it wants to go is intertwined with how it might try to get there ”. During the SD ‘ journey ’ toward sustainability, the pathways have to be ‘ navigated ’ adaptively Science is the compass, giving the directions and laws-regulations are the gyroscope for staying on course. National Academy, 1999

Life and non-life on Earth form a combined system (Gaia Theory) Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium are in constant circulation between the earth’s major environmental compartments Earth’s compartments remain in balance as long as the rate of flow of matter and energy in and out of the compartments is unchanged. Changes in the environmental compartments will occur if the circulation (in and out flow) of the substances is perturbed. Atmospheric CO 2 has been increasing because the rate of input is larger than the rate of output from the atmosphere.

Major Biogeochemical Processes Visualized by Aerosols Dust storms VolcanoesAnthropogenic pollution Fires Anthropogenic pollution perturbs the natural processes and material flows

Sustainability Analysis Frameworks Sensory-Motor Feedback Loop (System Science; Regulatory) Assessment Controls Monitoring Causality Loop (Combined Social-Physical-Biological System) Biogeochemical Cycling Loop (Conservation Laws; Engineering; Biology)

Biogeochemical Cycles - Carbon Laws: Mass & Energy conservation - Everything has to go somewhere Methods: Earth Science, Engineering, Biology

Analysis Framework II: Materials & Energy Flow Loop

Analysis Framework I: Sensory-Motor Loop Assessment Compare to Goals, Plan Reductions Track Progress Controls (Actions) Monitoring (Sensing) Set Goals Assessment turns data into knowledge for decision making & actions through analysis (science & eng.) Monitoring collects multi-sensory data from surface and satellite platforms and Human activities exert pressures, e.g burning fossil fuels, that alter the state of environment. The impaired environmental state, elicits responses, such as regulations in a feedback loop All living organisms use this type of sensory-motor feedback to maintain their existence. Monitoring, Assessment, Control are the necessary steps for sustainable development.

Controls: Sustainability Transition

How and what to Control?? Analysis Framework III – Causality Loop Economic Development with Due Care of the Environment The system approach links human activities and their consequences in closed loop It is the minimum set of linked components – if any missing, the system is crippled Each component depends on its causal upstream drivers – and external environment The causal loop can be used as an organizing principle for sustainability analysis

Analysis Framework III – Causality Loop Economic Development with Due Care of the Environment Health-Welfare Energy- Environment Socio-Economic

Main Components of WU Carbon Emissions: On Campus Energy Use in Buildings and Transportation The impact on carbon arises from on-campus energy use and from transportation On Campus Energy Use Carbon Impact Students Heating Cooling Appliances Faculty/Staff Transportation Carbon Impact Commuting Air Travel University Fleet

Reporting the Transition Transportation Indicators: Building Indicators:

Annual miles driven per student decreased most dramatically from This is explained in part by the shift in student residences from

Washington University Transportation Emission EECE 449/ Class Air Travel General areas of air travel –Faculty –Study abroad –Athletics Methodology –Faculty air travel not considered –Study abroad data was provided for the past 6 years –Athletic air travel data provided for the past 3 years

On Campus Energy Use On Campus Energy Use 1990 vs Main Campus Site Map

Monthly Total Electricity Use Monthly data for Danforth campus electricity use Data for is incomplete and not shown above EECE 449/ Class

Mark S Wrighton, Chancellor EES, WashU: Wash U.'s goals are to address the issues of environment, energy and sustainability through education, research and out reach projects. More over, Wash U. will seek and define its best operation practices, and aspire to be a model of energy conservation for other institutions. What is to be sustained? What is to be developed?

EECE 449/ Class