<p>  </p> <p>The transportation sector has emerged as one of the largest contributors to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within the U.S. economy. As a consequence, transportation sustainability faces great challenges in automobile traffic congestion alleviation, air pollution reduction, and climate change adaptation. Emerging technologies bring new chances to resolve these issues. However, existing literature focusing on the sustainability assessment of emerging technologies often relies on the analysis of isolated systems using historical data. These studies neglected the complex interactions across different systems and failed to consider the potential impacts of future technology adoption. The sustainability performance of emerging transportation technologies is heavily dependent on competing and complementary relationships with existing transportation systems. Furthermore, the dynamics of system interactions can change with the diffusion of future technologies, as user behavior becomes more heterogeneous. Consequently, the future adoption of emerging technologies may lead to an uncertain urban sustainability outlook. Therefore, sustainability assessment and prospective system planning for emerging technologies necessitate a comprehensive examination of their interactions with urban transportation systems and the evolving landscape. </p> <p>The primary objective of this dissertation is to demonstrate the necessity and benefits of incorporating system interactions into sustainability assessments. To achieve this goal, this dissertation conducts four case studies, using various models inspired by machine learning, statistics, econometrics, and agent-based approaches, and applies them to two emerging technologies: shared mobility (including bike-sharing, shared e-scooters, and ride-hailing) and e-commerce. First, the interaction classification analysis shows that the current shared mobility primarily competes with public transit rather than complementing it, resulting in a significant bus ridership decline. Second, to enhance sustainability, it is crucial for shared mobility to substitute private car trips and integrate effectively with public transit. Understanding why current users do not sustainably use the system is the key. Results from the traveler mode choice behavior show that the travel cost and out-of-vehicle travel time (e.g., time spent on walking connection, waiting) of shared mobility are the major barriers for travelers to substitute car trips and use multimodal systems. Third, future system planning should improve the pricing mechanisms and fleet management to encourage travelers to use shared mobility in a sustainable way. Optimal pricing and fleet management strategies are sought through an agent-based simulation. Transit-oriented-development is proven to be the best fleet siting strategy and an optimal combination of fleet size and pricing for each shared mobility system is also solved for minimizing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from urban transportation. Fourth, the penetration of e-commerce also reshapes urban mobility from personal travel demand changes, mode choice shifts, and goods delivery inclusion. We integrated the market segmentation and penetration of e-commerce into transportation simulation to comprehensively estimate its impact on urban mobility and transportation sustainability. </p> <p>Case studies from this dissertation demonstrate that the existing adoption of emerging technologies requires further actions in system design, user guidance, and operation management to obtain sustainability benefits. Knowledge from this dissertation supports decision-makers in their efforts to design and plan future emerging technologies toward a sustainable pathway. The findings and insights presented in the dissertation offer valuable guidance for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders involved in shaping the trajectory of these technologies.</p>

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A variety of energy models and tools have been used for an comprehensive analysis of the complex energy systems and the design of pathway to sustainable energy world. This thesis analyzes three interesting problems in the electricity sector by developing and using suitable energy models. Chapter 2 investigates how to incorporate demand responsiveness for policy analysis in the electricity sector using a least-cost model. This study develops its own least-cost model which includes some characteristics for two important policies in the electricity sector, and suggests an iterative approach for incorporating the demand response to price change under new policy. Based on a case study, the state of Georgia, this chapter shows the effects of including demand response on the evaluation of policy. Chapter 3 is about new technology adoption pathways in the electric power system. In this chapter, by investigating the related status of policies and specifications of electric vehicles and wind power technologies in the U.S., several adoption pathways of the technologies in the U.S. eastern interconnection have been developed. This study develops four-serial models for the estimation of future economic and environmental impacts of the technologies' penetration. The results show that the total greenhouse gas emissions of the entire energy system do not substantially decrease even with a high level of electric vehicle adoption. The combination of two technologies, even more with appropriate policies, can notably decrease the total greenhouse gas emissions. Chapter 4 is a study about demand response programs, particularly optional time-based rates, for residential customers. This chapter analyzes the main reason that the participation of the current programs is low even though the programs have benefits. This study investigates two policy tools, a subsidy for flexible residential demand and a shared-savings mechanism based on consumption pattern changes, and examines the implementation of the tools and their potential to overcome the current inefficient operation.

An increasing number of agencies have begun to define sustainability for transportation systems and are taking steps to incorporate the concept into the regional transportation planning process. Planning for sustainable transportation systems should at the very least incorporate their broader impacts on system effectiveness, environmental integrity, economic development, and the social quality of life. This study reviews definitions, performance measures, and evaluation methodologies for transportation system sustainability and demonstrates a framework for incorporating sustainability considerations in transportation planning and decision making. Through a case study using data from the Atlanta Metropolitan Region, the study evaluates competing transportation and land use plans based on a broad range of sustainability parameters using relevant spatial and environmental analyses. A multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method enables the aggregation of individual performance measures into four basic indexes and further into a composite sustainability index based on regional goals and priorities. The value of the indexes lies in their ability to capture the multidimensional nature of sustainability as well as important tradeoffs among the potentially conflicting decision criteria. A decision support tool is proposed to visualize dominance and tradeoffs when evaluating alternatives and to effectively reflect changing regional priorities over time. The proposed framework should help decision makers with incorporating sustainability considerations into transportation planning as well as identifying superior plans for predetermined objectives.

Developing greener, more efficient, and less energy-intensive processes will lead the chemical industry into a more sustainable future. Gas-expanded liquids (GXLs) form a unique class of environmentally benign and tunable solvents that can be used in a variety of applications. Through the series of studies presented in this thesis, we have investigated both the properties and applications of GXLs. We have developed a more complete understanding of the interactions between the gas, the organic liquid, and solutes at the molecular level through kinetic and solvatochromic experiments. We have examined a Diels-Alder reaction and an SN2 reaction and have described the kinetic results in terms of intermolecular interactions and local composition enhancement. We have also demonstrated the use of Organic-Aqueous Tunable Solvents, a special case of GXLs, to recycle homogeneous hydroformylation catalysts. The results of this research can be used to guide future applications of GXLs as green reaction solvents.

Cement clinker production is a highly resource and energy intensive process and contributes substantially to annual global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. One potential pathway to reduce the environmental footprint of cement-based materials is through the reduction of clinker content in concrete by partial replacement of cement with fillers. In this investigation, the partial replacement of cement with chemically inert nano and microsized fillers of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and limestone was examined. The effects of nano and micro fillers on early-age properties, long-term properties, photocatalytic properties (for TiO₂-cement mixtures) and life cycle costs were measured and compared. Investigation of early-age properties shows that nanoparticles increase rate and degree of early cement hydration and chemical shrinkage due to heterogeneous nucleation effect. In contrast, coarser microparticles (>3µm in this research) maintain or marginally decrease the rate and degree of early cement hydration and decrease chemical shrinkage due to a dilution effect. In addition, temperature sensitivity of hydration reactions increases in the presence of nanoparticles. Investigation of long-term properties shows that pore size refinement is possible with the partial replacement of cement with nanoparticle fillers. But the long-term tests of filler-cement mixes also demonstrate that, compared to ordinary portland cement mix, the strength decreases and permeability increases. Analysis of photocatalytic properties of TiO₂-cement mixtures showed a lack of an appropriate testing procedure for nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) gas conversion by cement-based materials. Thus, a new standardized procedure and photocatalytic efficiency factor for characterizing photocatalytic NOₓ binding by cementitious materials is proposed. Life cycle analysis demonstrates that although inclusion of TiO₂ increases initial environmental impact of cementitious materials, the innovative photocatalytic properties of TiO₂ could improve sustainability. Life cycle analysis also shows that partial replacement of cement with limestone decreases environmental impact of cementitious mixtures due to lower processing “costs” of limestone compared to cement. Thus, the results from the current research demonstrate that variation of dosage and particle size of inert fillers can be used to tailor properties and structure of cement-based materials and that environmental sustainability can be improved by partial replacement of cement with inert fillers that introduce additional functionalities or fillers with lower embodied-energy and emissions.

This thesis showcases a work that focused on developing processes with improved economic and environmental signatures. It illustrates the strengths of chemists and chemical engineers working together towards sustainable solutions. The joint collaboration between Drs. Liotta and Eckert allows the combination of disciplines to overcome economic and environment obstacles. This thesis depicts the application of chemical engineering and chemistry for industrial processes towards reducing cost and environmental impact. In chapter 2, a synthetic sequence yielding a pharmaceutical precursor was optimized for continuous processing. The precursor was for the pharmaceutical drug Ro 31-8959, which acts as a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor. A continuous flow reactor was designed, built and utilized successfully for the two-step reaction of the diazoketone pharmaceutical precursor, (1-benzyl-3-chloro-2-hydroxy-propyl)-carbamic acid tert-butyl ester. The best configuration for the continuous flow reactor involved a single and double coiled stainless steel reactor packed with glass beads. The yield obtained for the diazoketone was quantitative. In chapter 3, the cleavable surfactant (cleavable surfactants decompose in non-surface active ingredients upon stimulus), n-octyl thiirane oxide was synthesized, characterized and its surface activity and loss of surface activity upon heating was demonstrated. The n-octyl thiirane oxide surfactant activity was measured using a dye, Suddan III, and compared to a commercially available surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate. In chapter 4, 5-amino-1H-tetrazole was synthesized using two novel synthetic routes starting from benign chemicals. Both routes involved Sharpless click chemistry in the first step to form the tetrazole ring. Both routes also used hydrogen transfer as the last step for the formation of the 5-amino-1H-tetrazole. These syntheses eliminated the use of highly toxic and/or explosive chemicals such as cyanamide, hydrazoic acid, and hydrazine. Finally in chapter 5, phase transfer catalysis was used as a means to improve reaction rates and yields between a siloxylated reagent (in the liquid phase) and insoluble ionic reagents (in the solid phase). The activity of commercial phase transfer catalysts like tetra-n-butylammonium bromide was compared to the activity of two novel custom-made siloxylated phase transfer catalysts. Surprisingly, the tetra-n-butylammonium resulted in superior rate constants to the custom made siloxylated phase transfer catalysts.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:09:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4052.pdf: 1209622 bytes, checksum: cf4bd64dd8baa1f51a9bb18beec2259c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-12-20 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / This study aims to build a tool for evaluating energy efficiency and insert it in disciplines of Civil Engineering courses. The instrument was constructed by applying the criteria for certification of sustainable construction in Brazil: High Environmental Quality, Energy Efficiency Labeling of buildings and Seal Blue House CASH. An investigation of the status in the Civil Engineering courses was performed based on information gathered from, either syllabuses, or programmatic content of the disciplines. This investigation included the curriculum established by the Resolution CNE/CES N. 11, which points out the National Curriculum Guidelines of an undergraduate degree in engineering. The higher education institutions were selected based on courses in Civil Engineering, which were evaluated in 2008 by the National Survey of Student Performance. In addition, in the process of selecting courses, only the courses with pedagogical project or curriculum which shows at the webpage the notes or syllabus of the courses was considered. Following these criteria, 15 courses of Civil Engineering were selected. The results show that it is difficult to separate the content of the subjects according to the core content. This situation may be the reason for the average workload of the core of basic and professional contents in both biannual and annual periodicities courses be larger than the requirements of the Guidelines National Curriculum. On the other hand, for the specific content core, it was observed the opposite in both periodicities. In this case there was difficulty in separating the content according to the core content. In addition, the courses of Civil Engineering still do not use the possibility of curricular flexibility allowed by these Guidelines. The reduced number of disciplines that include energy efficiency indicated that the educational institutions are not taking advantage of the possibility of introducing new up to date and important topics in the engineer formation, such as energy efficiency. / Este estudo tem por objetivo a construção de um instrumento para avaliar e inserir a eficiência energética em disciplinas de cursos de Engenharia Civil. O instrumento foi confeccionado a partir dos critérios adotados pelas certificações da construção sustentável no Brasil: Alta Qualidade Ambiental, Etiquetagem de Eficiência Energética de edificações e Selo Casa Azul CAIXA. Foi realizada uma investigação da situação dos cursos de Engenharia Civil através de informações coletadas por meio da revisão das ementas ou conteúdos programáticos de disciplinas. Essa investigação incluiu a organização curricular estabelecida pela Resolução CNE/CES N. 11, que instituiu as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do curso de graduação em engenharia. A seleção das instituições de ensino superior foi baseada nos cursos de Engenharia Civil que foram avaliados em 2008 pelo Exame Nacional de Desempenho de Estudantes. Além disso, a seleção considerou cursos que possuíam o projeto pedagógico ou grade curricular, com as respectivas ementas ou conteúdos programáticos das disciplinas, disponíveis em página eletrônica do curso. Seguindo esses critérios, foram selecionados 15 cursos de Engenharia Civil. Os resultados apontam que há dificuldade de separação dos conteúdos das disciplinas de acordo com os núcleos de conteúdos, podendo ser essa a razão para a carga horária média do núcleo de conteúdos básicos e profissionalizantes nas periodicidades semestral e anual serem maiores do que as exigências das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais. Já para o núcleo de conteúdos específicos, foi observado o contrário nas duas periodicidades. Nesse caso, verificou-se dificuldade de separação de conteúdos de acordo com o núcleo de conteúdos e ainda o não aproveitamento pelos cursos de Engenharia Civil da possibilidade de flexibilização curricular permitidas pelas referidas Diretrizes. O número reduzido de disciplinas que contemplam a eficiência energética remete a um indicativo de que as instituições de ensino não estão aproveitando a possibilidade de introdução de temas atuais importantes na formação do engenheiro, como é o caso da eficiência energética.

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<p>Clean indoor air is a necessity, in the past opening a window or supplying outdoor air would suffice for removing indoor contaminated air. As humans live in more dense neighborhoods or urban areas, the need for energy efficient clean indoor air is important. As outdoor air pollution increases, a Biowall is a device to improve aesthetics and clean indoor air by pulling air through the root zone of plants in a loosely packed growth media. The Biowall is a sustainable supplement to a single use air filter. For this research a small Biowall was designed, fabricated, tested, and installed in the Children’s wing of a public library. The airflow simulation and watering for the Biowall was explored using Autodesk CFD to simulate the airflow through growth media and identify a hole pattern to distribute airflow evenly through the plant trays. Various watering line designs were also tested until the rectangular design proved to be more balanced at distributing the water evenly to the growth media. Finally, the air cleaning ability of the Biowall was tested using a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) test to quantify the cleaning rate. The Biowall provided 12 cfm of clean air, or about 2 cfm/sq ft of plant tray area.  </p>