Grantee Research Project Results
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: Lee, Sonja
Project Period: January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2006
Project Amount: $93,504
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Fellowship - Aquatic Ecology and Ecosystems , Academic Fellowships
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,, Scientific Discipline, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Economics and Business, Reinvention, Corporate Performance, corporate culture, environmental behavior, environmental performance, socioeconomics, corporate environmental behavior, incentives, sustainability metric toolsProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.