Performance of Four Sustainability Metric Tools When Applied to Energy Technologies of an Energy Corporation
EPA Grant Number: FP916421Title: Performance of Four Sustainability Metric Tools When Applied to Energy Technologies of an Energy Corporation
Investigators: Lin, Jessica N.
Institution: Yale University
EPA Project Officer: Boddie, Georgette
Project Period: January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2006
Project Amount: $93,504
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (2004)
Research Category: Academic Fellowships , Fellowship - Aquatic Ecology and Ecosystems , Aquatic Ecosystems
Description:
Objective:For my master’s research, I plan to assess the performance of several sustainability metric tools applied to an energy corporation case study. The research will be based in life cycle assessment and industrial ecology principles. The objective of my research is to evaluate the sustainability metric tools currently available and propose improvements for future assessment tools.
Approach:In my thesis, I will make recommendations to the company on observed inefficiencies in how it does business and make recommendations on revisions to current business practices. When evaluating the different sustainability tools, I will: (1) discuss the gaps in environmental outcome categories and propose potential characterization factors where appropriate; (2) examine different tool indicators used for the same environmental impact category and recommend the most suitable index found; and (3) assess results visualization techniques employed by the sustainability tools to make recommendations on the future development of presentation templates for sustainability results.
Supplemental Keywords:fellowship, life cycle assessment, industrial ecology, sustainability metric tools, case study, energy technology, impact category,
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Scientific Discipline, Corporate Performance, Reinvention, Economics and Business, environmental behavior, socioeconomics, environmental performance, incentives, corporate culture, corporate environmental behavior, life cycle assessment