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General
- EPA Resources on Adapting to Climate Change - "Adaptation is the adjustment that society or ecosystems make to prepare for, or adjust to climate change...Adaptation, coupled with actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is essential to limiting the damages from future climate change."
- WFEO Sustainability Post 2015 - World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) works globally across all of the engineering disciplines and proposes to contribute on the Post-2015 collaborative process to build and implement a true transdisciplinary partnership for sustainable development.
- Engineering for Change - This group seeks suitable technology for particular areas.
Energy-Related
- IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) - IRENA works with areas with challenges in energy access (e.g. in developing countries).
- Energy Policy Coalition: AIME Member Society, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), has established an Energy Policy Coalition.
- RETScreen International Clean Energy Decision Support Centre: The RETScreen International Clean Energy Decision Support Centre seeks to build the capacity of planners, decision-makers and industry to implement renewable energy, cogeneration and energy efficiency projects. This objective is achieved by: developing decision-making tools (i.e. RETScreen Software) that reduce the cost of pre-feasibility studies; disseminating knowledge to help people make better decisions; and by training people to better analyze the technical and financial viability of possible projects.
Water-Related
- Sustainable Water Resources Site - This non-governmental website is to promote and coordinate information about water sustainability
- Chemical Engineering Progress (CEP): AIChE publishes many articles in its CEP magazine for members. Articles related to water include: Understanding the Fundamentals of Wastewater Treatment (Oct 2011, Vol. 107, No. 11), Meeting the Needs of the Water-Energy Nexus and Reduce Your Plant's Water Footprint (April 2011, Vol. 107, No.4), and Wastewater Treatment: Understanding the Activated Sludge Process (Nov. 2009, Vol. 105, No. 11)
- Clean Water Matters Workshop Report: Results from the NSF-funded Clean Water Matters: Challenges and Research Perspectives Workshop organized by the New York Institute of Technology in collaboration with Peking University. The workshop took place in Beijing, China on April 18, 2014.
- EPA's Report on the Environment (ROE): 4/8/2014 - The U.S. EPA recently released a new, online Report on the Environment (ROE) as a draft for public comment. The interactive ROE 2014 website provides detailed information on over 80 environmental indicators that describe the state of the U.S. environment, encompassing air, water, land, human health, ecology, and sustainability.
Also, for the first time, the ROE includes an integrative “Triple Value” framework that shows how these indicators are related to important environmental, economic, and social issues of our time. The framework was developed by Joseph Fiksel, OSU Center for Resilience, who has been serving as Special Assistant for Sustainability to EPA.
- Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI): EESI is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting environmentally sustainable societies. On June 21, 2011, they held a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC about the water impacts of hydraulic fracturing of shale gas deposits. Speakers included representatives from both domestic and international organizations. The full set of results, with audio and video, can be found at the link here.
- Top 40 Science Questions for U.S. Conservation Policy Makers: A wide-ranging group of experts have published a set of 40 key environmental questions to help align scientific research agendas with the needs of natural resource decision makers.
- International Society for Water Solutions (ISWS): The ISWS provides a forum for communication and networking among engineers and scientists who share interests in water research and water technology development. Learn more about the society, its mission and goals here.
- Report: Altered Streamflows Leading to Degraded River Ecosystems Across U.S.: This USGS assessment provides the most geographically extensive analysis to date of streamflow alteration. Findings show that the amount of water flowing in streams and rivers has been significantly altered from land and water management in nearly 90 percent of waters that were assessed in the nationwide USGS study.
- More on Energy-Water Nexus (Virginia Water Resources Research Center): Water and energy systems constitute the foundation for modern infrastructures around the world. Water and energy infrastructure are interdependent. In the U.S., energy production and power generation systems are major users of freshwater resources besides agriculture. The major goal of this report is to show dependency of energy production and power generation systems on water availability.
- Peak Water Limits to Freshwater Withdrawal and Use: This paper presents a detailed assessment and definition of three concepts of “peak water”: peak renewable water, peak nonrenewable water, and peak ecological water. These concepts can help hydrologists, water managers, policy makers, and the public understand and manage different water systems more effectively and sustainably.
- Sustainable Water Resources Management Volume 3: Case Studies on New Water Paradigm: The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), in cooperation with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), has completed a research effort to help communities overcome their challenges. The project, which considered the real-life challenges of two communities in Tucson/Pima County Arizona and Northern Kentucky, developed a new water management paradigm to support communities’ efforts to organize around and operate under key sustainability principles and practices.
- Water Consumption in the Production of Ethanol and Gasoline: Water consumption was analyzed for a number of sources, such as ethanol, conventional fuel feedstocks, oil sands, etc. It appears that water consumption varies not only with region, but also according to the technologies employed, and recovery processes.
- The International Water Association (IWA): The IWA is an organization that brings together people from across the water profession to deliver equitable and sustainable water solutions for our world. For example, in 2009, they hosted a presentation on the impact of biofuel development on water resources. Click here to view the slides.
- U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports: GAO reports on freshwater availability and use as well as climate change carbon offset.
- American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC): an effort of a network of colleges and universities to address global climate change. Participating institutions have committed to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from certain operations and promote reasearch and education to re-stabilize the climate.
Webinars and Videos on Demand
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Power Plant Efficiency: Saving Fuel
Presented by: Tony Licata, Robert Sommerlad, Block Andrews, Michael W. Smiarowski
Originally delivered: Sept. 25, 2014, 2:00-3:30PM EDT
Part of the ASME Energy Forum Series, this free webinar dicussed technology solutions to power plant efficiency improvements to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. -
Water and Energy - Emerging Issues and Challenges
Presented by: Mike Hightower (Sandia National Laboratories)
Originally delivered: Aug. 2, 2011
At a time when fresh water availability is becoming limited in many regions due to changing precipitation patterns, increased ecological and environmental demands for water, and issues over sustainable surface and groundwater withdrawal and use, water consumption demands by the energy sector could expand significantly in the next two decades. -
Life Cycle Analysis Tools and Applications for Sustainability
Presented by: Gregory Keoleian (University of Michigan)
Originally delivered: June 22, 2011
This webinar is designed for a diverse audience interested in understanding the capabilities of life cycle analysis tools for guiding product design, materials selection decisions, purchases and investments, business strategy and government policy. -
Sustainable Development in the Process Industries: Cases and Impact -- An Overview of Real-World Examples
Presented by: Joseph Powell (Shell)
Originally delivered: June 1, 2011
This SEF webinar presents highlights and insights from the book Sustainable Development in the Process Industries: Cases and Impact (John Wiley & Sons, 2010), which describes case studies and real world examples of application of the principles of sustainability in the development and implementation of commercial projects. -
Why Water is Important & How Engineers are Helping
Presented by: Miriam Cortes-Caminero (SBE)
Originally delivered: March 22, 2011 -
The Energy Challenge: Providing Sustainable Supplies to Meet Growing Demand
Presented by: F. Emil Jacobs (ExxonMobil)
Originally delivered: March 14, 2011
The presentation provides an overview of ongoing research and development activity in a broad range of technology areas including algae-based biofuels. It also highlights some of company's current technologies including lithium-ion battery separator films, lightweight plastics that improve automotive efficiency, and processes that could advance carbon capture and storage. -
Overview of Cooperative Efforts in Sustainability
Presented by: Brajendra Mishra (Colorado School of Mines, AIME)
Originally delivered: Jan. 8, 2011 -
Innovative Water Supply Strategies for Sustaining Environmental Health
Presented by: Larry N. Schwartz (Camp Dresser & McKee [CDM]) and Lee Wiseman (CDM)
Archived webinar
This ASCE webinar discussed a wide range of innovative alternative water supply strategies, from reuse of reclaimed wastewater and treated brackish groundwater for public water supply, aquifer recharge and wetland enhancement, to use of management measures, such as wellfield optimization, stormwater capture and reuse and water conservation to lower demand and/or increase supplies. -
Greening Your Building with Wood: Sustainable Design
Presented by: Lisa Podesto
Archived Webinar
Using scientifically-based life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, this webinar demonstrates why wood products are better for the environment than other materials in terms of indicators such as embodied energy, air and water pollution and global warming potential.