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UrduThe impact of embodied carbon in the built environment has been difficult to assess, due to a lack of data. To address that knowledge gap, Ming Hu, the associate dean for research, scholarship and creative work in Notre Dame’s School of Architecture, and Siavash Ghorbany, a Notre Dame graduate student in civil and environmental engineering, have created a new tool to analyze the embodied carbon in more than 1 million buildings in Chicago. Their recently published research identifies 157 different architectural housing types in the city and provides the first ever visual analysis tool to evaluate embodied carbon at a granular level and to help inform policymakers seeking to strategically plan for urban carbon mitigation.
Tag: Carbon Emissions
From embers to crisis: the expanding threat of wildfires under global warming
Wildfires are emerging as a critical global issue, intensified by climate change and increasingly threatening both the environment and public health. A recent study reveals that these fires are not only becoming more frequent but also more severe, particularly in high-latitude regions such as Asia and North America.
Research shows reducing future global flooding hinges on cutting greenhouse gas emissions
Pioneering research forecasts worldwide flooding is likely to be significantly worse in future decades if countries fail to meet official pledges to cut carbon emissions.
UAlbany Study Examines Impact of Exposure to Ultrafine Particles on Mortality in New York
A new study has found a link between long-term UFP exposure and increases in mortality in New York, especially among underserved populations.
Carbon emissions and reduction performance of photovoltaic systems in China
Abstract Solar energy is an inexhaustible clean energy, which can be converted into electricity through photovoltaic (PV) modules. However, the production of these modules is a process of pollution, which will generate a large amount of carbon emissions. Therefore, investigating…
A holistic life cycle assessment of steel bridge deck pavement
Abstract Transportation serves as a cornerstone of economic development and is a significant contributor to carbon emissions. This study established a life cycle assessment model that incorporates refined carbon emission calculation parameters, streamlining the computation process while maintaining precision. A…
How can China’s subsidy promote the transition to electric vehicles?
Abstract Promoting the transition from traditional fuel vehicles to electric vehicles can significantly reduce carbon emissions and dependence on oil. Government subsidies play a pivotal role in this transition process. However, the extant research mainly quantifies the effects of these subsidies on…
Penn Medicine marks Earth Day by signing national Health Sector Climate Pledge
In a public commitment to become the most environmentally friendly health care organization in the nation and lead the industry to reduce its outsized impact on climate change, Penn Medicine has signed the ambitious Health Sector Climate Pledge, promising to significantly cut and, eventually, eliminate its carbon emissions by 2042.
Remote work cuts car travel and emissions, but hurts public transit ridership
Remote work could cut hundreds of millions of tons of carbon emissions from car travel – but at the cost of billions lost in public transit revenues, according to a new study.
GW Experts Available to Discuss New Report Linking 67 Countries & Companies to Most Carbon Dioxide Emissions Worldwide
Rachael Jonassen is an associate research professor of the Sustainable Urban Planning Program at the GW College of Professional Studies. Jonassen is also the Director of the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Management Program. Jonassen is an expert in greenhouse…
WVU technology innovations position West Virginia to lead hydrogen economy
West Virginia University engineers have received a wave of federal support for research projects that will help slash the cost of clean hydrogen. The three U.S. Department of Energy grants for WVU studies total $15.8 million and are part of funds authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for research that advances the “Hydrogen Shot” goal of cutting the cost of clean hydrogen production to $1 per kilogram.
New composite decking could reduce global warming effects of building materials
Building materials are major contributors to global carbon dioxide emissions. So scientists have designed a composite decking material that stores more carbon dioxide than is required to manufacture it, providing the first “carbon-negative” option. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
RPI Researchers Awarded $1.5M To Produce Hemp-Based Insulated Siding
Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) will use hemp to develop a commercially viable, durable, and low-embodied-carbon insulated siding product to address what the U.S. Green Building Council says is a “crucial need for building retrofits to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.”
INFUSE workshop gives private and public fusion partners a chance to network and share experiences
More than 120 people gathered for the 2024 Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) Workshop at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory from Feb. 27-28. The event, which was sponsored by the DOE’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), is a part of the INFUSE awards program that funds laboratories or universities so they can partner with private sector companies working on the science and technology solutions that will bring fusion energy to the power grid. To date, DOE has granted 90 awards, with most ranging from $100,000 to $350,000 for a 12-month project.
61% of the world’s lost forests can be restored to significantly reduce greenhouse emissions
An international collaboration of scientists with the participation of a RUDN ecologist has for the first time assessed the natural potential of the world’s forests to retain carbon. The results can be called hopeful – those regions where forests can still be restored have great potential and will help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases.
Barriers against Antarctic ice melt disappearing at the double
Undersea anchors of ice that help prevent Antarctica’s land ice from slipping into the ocean are shrinking at more than twice the rate compared with 50 years ago, research shows.
ORNL study projects geothermal heat pumps’ impact on carbon emissions and electrical grid by 2050
A modeling analysis led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory gives the first detailed look at how geothermal energy can relieve the electric power system and reduce carbon emissions if widely implemented across the United States within the next few decades.
Japan’s electric vehicle transition by 2035 may be insufficient to combat the climate crisis, but there are solutions
Researchers at Kyushu University have found that Japan’s current policy of stopping the sale of gas vehicles by 2035 and transitioning only to hybrids and electric vehicles may be insufficient to reduce the country’s CO2 emissions and prevent it from reaching its decarbonization target goals.
Bitcoin mining has “very worrying” impacts on land and water, not only carbon, UN-led study reveals
As bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have grown in market share, they’ve been criticized for their heavy carbon footprint: Cryptocurrency mining is an energy-intensive endeavor.
The potential of solar cars in the world
A new study, modeling the potential of solar-powered vehicles in the urban context in 100 cities across the world, shows that solar energy provides a range between 11 and 29 km per day, reducing charging needs by half.
Cornell University to lead carbon-cutting effort in aluminum recycling
A new Cornell University-led project aims to use carbon dioxide emissions and residue from aluminum recycling – a carbon-heavy process – to produce high value products.
What is the carbon footprint of a hospital bed?
Researchers from the University of Waterloo completed the first-ever assessment of a Canadian hospital to reveal its total environmental footprint and specific carbon emission hotspots.
Pacific coral reef shows historic increase in climate resistance
Coral reefs in one part of the Pacific Ocean have likely adjusted to higher ocean temperatures which could reduce future bleaching impacts of climate change, new research reveals.
US can cut building emissions by up to 91%, saving $100 billion per year in energy-related costs, modeling study shows
The US has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. To accomplish this goal, large cuts in emissions are necessary, especially in high-emission sectors like the building industry.
Offsetting or reducing CO2: This is what consumers want
Whether it’s recycled aluminum at Apple’s MacBook Air or compensation payments from Microsoft for emissions over the life of an Xbox, climate-friendly products are becoming more and more popular.
Climate scientist finds new way to measure the Earth’s ability to offset carbon emissions
A Chapman University scientist and his colleagues have determined how the Earth responds as it heats up due to climate change.
Clean, sustainable fuels made ‘from thin air’ and plastic waste
Researchers have demonstrated how carbon dioxide can be captured from industrial processes – or even directly from the air – and transformed into clean, sustainable fuels using just the energy from the Sun.
How will a warming world impact the Earth’s ability to offset our carbon emissions?
As the world heats up due to climate change, how much can we continue to depend on plants and soils to help alleviate some of our self-inflicted damage by removing carbon pollution from the atmosphere?
Novel tin-based metal–organic frameworks for reducing carbon dioxide to formate
The never-ending demand for carbon-rich fuels to drive the economy keeps adding more and more carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere.
Twilight zone at risk from climate change
Life in the ocean’s “twilight zone” could decline dramatically due to climate change, new research suggests.
Single-use surgical items contribute two-thirds of carbon footprint of products used in common operations
A new analysis of the carbon footprint of products used in the five most common surgical operations carried out in the NHS in England shows that 68% of carbon contributions come from single-use items, such as single-use gowns, patient drapes and instrument table drapes.
At the end of the dry season: CO2 pulses over Australia
End-of-dry-season CO2 pulses recur each year in the atmosphere above the Australian continent, a discovery made by an international research team led by environmental physicist Prof. Dr André Butz of Heidelberg University.
Path to net-zero carbon capture and storage may lead to ocean
Lehigh Engineering researcher Arup SenGupta has developed a novel way to capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the “infinite sink” of the ocean.
“Critical tool” launched to track national contributions to climate change
Research published today shows how countries have contributed to global warming through their emissions of key greenhouse gases since 1850 – marking a new effort to track impacts in a critical decade for climate policy.
Could Changes in Fed’s Interest Rates Affect Pollution and the Environment?
Can monetary policy such as the United States Federal Reserve raising interest rates affect the environment? According to a new study, it can. Results suggest that the impact of monetary policy on pollution is basically domestic: a monetary contraction or reduction in a region reduces its own emissions, but this does not seem to spread out to other economies. However, the findings do not imply that the international economy is irrelevant to determining one region’s emissions level.
Global warming undermines greenhouse gas sink function of pristine wetlands
Wetlands occupy about 6% of the Earth’s surface but store one-third of global soil organic carbon. Increasing evidence shows that climate warming is altering the function and service of wetland ecosystems.
A vicious circle: Climate change affects greenhouse gas emissions from stream networks
Natural greenhouse gas emissions from streams and lakes are strongly linked to water discharge and temperature according to a new study led by Linköping University, Sweden.
Partnership seeks greener mining of critical minerals
Greeshma Gadikota, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Cornell University, will partner with Stillwater Critical Minerals to develop environmentally rigorous techniques to help the company extract elements.
Pioneering study shows flood risks can still be considerably reduced if all global promises to cut carbon emissions are kept
Annual damage caused by flooding in the UK could increase by more than a fifth over the next century due to climate change unless all international pledges to reduce carbon emissions are met, according to new research.
Economic crises can accelerate decarbonization
Crises can accelerate structural change and spur an absolute decoupling of CO2 emissions from economic growth.
Biogas produced with waste from apple juice making can minimize use of fossil fuels in industry
Scientists at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Federal University of the ABC (UFABC) in São Paulo state, Brazil, have successfully produced biogas from apple pomace, the pulpy residue remaining after the fruit has been crushed to extract its juice.
Human activity has degraded more than a third of the remaining Amazon rainforest, scientists find
The Amazon rainforest has been degraded by a much greater extent than scientists previously believed with more than a third of remaining forest affected by humans, according to a new study published on January 27 in the journal Science.
Leveraging machine learning to help predict ship exhaust gas emissions
Ships are a major means of commercial transport, contributing to 80% of global goods and energy trade. However, they emit exhaust gases—from the engines when they are sailing, and from the engines and boiler when they dock in ports.
Scientists find iron cycling key to permafrost greenhouse gas emissions
The interaction of elemental iron with the vast stores of carbon locked away in Arctic soils is key to how greenhouse gases are emitted during thawing and should be included in models used to predict Earth’s climate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists found.
Media Tip: Scientists enhance recyclability of post-consumer plastic
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Institute for Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics (iCOUP) have developed a new method for recycling high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
An integrated, net-negative system captures carbon and produces ethylene
Engineers have built a machine that captures carbon from flue gas and converts it to ethylene. The device integrates a carbon capture system with an ethylene conversation system for the first time.
Post-lockdown auto emissions can’t hide in the grass
University of California scientists have a new way to demonstrate which neighborhoods returned to pre-pandemic levels of air pollution after COVID restrictions ended.
Reliable planning tool for the emissions path to achieving the Paris temperature goal
The central aim of the Paris climate agreement is clear: Limiting man-made global warming to well below 2°C. This limit requires a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.
Earth’s many new lakes
The number of lakes on our planet has increased substantially in recent decades, according to a unique global survey of 3.4 million lakes that the University of Copenhagen has taken part in.
Ceramics that breathe oxygen at lower temperatures help us breathe cleaner air
Although much of the discourse on reducing vehicle emissions centres on electric vehicles (EV), their sales remain low – with EV vehicles accounting for a mere 1% of car purchases in Japan in 2021.