The environmental dimension of sustainability includes conservation of natural resources, generation of renewable energy, reduction in fossil fuel consumption & greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable agriculture & fishing, and an overarching focus on maintaining a green environment. Two research clusters have been created to bring together UNT researchers to address diverse energy and conservation problems facing the environment: the Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems & Biocultural Conservation Cluster and the Renewable Energy & Conservation Cluster. While the former addresses ecological sciences and environmental philosophy with a focus on the sub-Antarctic ecoregion, the latter addresses renewable power generation, smart grid transmission, and efficient buildings. Funding secured by researchers within the two clusters amounts to nearly $2.6 million.

Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems and Biocultural Conservation Cluster

Description: Researchers from the College of Arts & Sciences make up this cluster. Departments represented include Biology and Philosophy & Religion Studies.

Focus: Integrating ecological sciences and environmental philosophy to preserve and understand the biocultural diversity of the sub-Antarctic ecoregion.

Members:

• James H. Kennedy - stream ecology, aquatic insect biology, biodiversity studies, and the use of macroinvertebrates in ecological risk assessment proces. Funding: $95,910
• Christopher Anderson - the role of invasive species in socio-ecological systems and stream ecosystem ecology, coordinator of the Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program.
• J. Baird Callicott - theoretical environmental ethics, comparative environmental ethics and philosophy, the philosophy of ecology and conservation policy, biocomplexity in the environment.
• Eugene Hargrove – environmental ethics; environmental policy.
• Jaime Jimenez - conservation of the critically endangered Darwin's fox, the study of the slender-billed parakeet, and the Magellanic Woodpecker.
• Jeff Johnson - conservation issues related to grouse and birds of prey.
• Ricardo Rozzi - environmental ethics and the conservation of biocultural diversity in the Cape Horn region.

Total Funding: $95,910

Possible Applications: Development of sustainable tourism models, preservation of indigenous ecological traditions, language and knowledge in the Cape Horn Archipelago, environmental conservation, protection of endangered species, maintaining biodiversity, maintaining clean drinking water.

Renewable Energy and Conservation Cluster

Description: Researchers from the College of Arts & Sciences and Engineering make up this cluster. Departments represented include Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Engineering Technology and Mechanical and Energy Engineering.

Focus: Conducting research in renewable power generation, smart grid transmission, and efficient buildings to develop energy and technology strategies that address the region and nation’s 21st century conservation needs.

Members:

• Yong Tao - Zero Energy Research Laboratory, Ground Source Heat Pump Project. Funding: $772,000
• Duane Huggett - pharmacology and toxicology; bioconcentration and bioaccumulation of contaminants; computational toxicology; comparative pharmacology and physiology. Funding: $522,434
• Cheng Yu - alternative building materials and associated energy conservation and sustainability issues. Funding: $403,466
• Angela Wilson - greener carbon capture technologies. Funding: $386,360
• Aaron Roberts - environmental stressors on aquatic organisms. Funding: $341,786
• Kuruvilla John - environmental sustainability with a focus on air quality modeling and monitoring. Funding: $339,800
• Steve Wolverton – environmental archaeology and conservation paleozoology; cultural ecology; datasets from zooarchaeology and paleontology. Funding: $87,706
• Barney Venables - assessing the impact of personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and xenobiotics; the development of wastewater treatment and management techniques. Funding: $25,848
• Alan Needleman - computational modeling of deformation and fracture processes in structural materials, with a focus on metals. Funding: $5,500
• Lisa Nagaoka - zooarchaeological data in conservation biology
• Alexandra Ponette-González - global environmental change and tropical terrestrial ecosystem dynamics.
• Justin Youngblood - optoelectronic materials for solar energy and fuels
• Vijay Vaidyanathan - design and development of an automated multiunit composting system. 

Total Funding: $2,884,900

Possible Applications: Carbon capture from smokestacks using eco-friendly proteins, renewable power generation, smart grid transmission, efficient buildings, net-zero energy buildings, minimizing contaminants in new and existing buildings,  reducing negative environmental impacts of construction, wastewater treatment and management