Environmentally Conscious Design

Summary:

Increased emphasis on the well-being of the environment for sustained health, quality of living, and wealth of resources is challenging corporations to innovate products that meet customer needs while minimizing their impact on the environment. We are investigating several aspects of environmentally conscious design. In preliminary work, we developed a set of guiding principles to minimize and eliminate environmental impact at all life cycle stages through efficient product function and architecture. In ongoing research, we are deriving guiding principles from biologically-inspired products and systems. We are also modeling the impact of variability, particiularly with respect to consumer usage patterns, on environmentally conscious design decisions. In complementary work, we are developing system-level modeling and optimization techniques for sustainable off-grid habitations (such as remote military operating bases) and more fuel-efficient, all-electric ships.

Collaborators:

Michael Webber, UT Austin

Tom Kiehne, UT Austin

Related Publications:

Telenko, C., J.M. O’Rourke, M.E. Webber, and C.C. Seepersad, 2015, “A Compilation of Design for Environment Guidelines,” Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 138, No. 2, p. 031102 (11 pages).

O’Rourke, J.M. and C.C. Seepersad, 2015, “Towards a Methodology for Systematically Generating Energy- and Materials-Efficient Concepts Using Biological Analogies,” Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 137, No. 9, p. 091101 (12 pages).

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2014, “Probabilistic Graphical Modeling of Use Stage Energy Consumption: A Lightweight Vehicle Example,” Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 136, No. 10, p. 101403 (11 pages).

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2013, "Probabilistic Graphical Models for Representing Usage Context in Environmentally Conscious Design," ASME IDETC Design Automation Conference, Portland, Oregon, Paper Number: DETC2013-13113.

O'Rourke, J. and C.C. Seepersad, 2013, "Examining Energy and Materials Efficiency in Bio-Inspired Design," ASME IDETC Design Theory and Methodology Conference, Portland, Oregon, Paper Number: DETC2013-13147.

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2012, "A Comparison of the Energy Efficiency of Selective Laser Sintering and Injection Molding of Nylon Parts," Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 18, No. 6, pp. 472-481.

Backlund, Peter B., C. C. Seepersad, and T. M. Kiehne, 2012, "A System-Level Design Framework for All-Electric Ship Thermal Systems," Proceedings of the ASNE Electric Machines Technology Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, May 23-24, 2012.

Putnam, N.H., C.C. Seepersad, and M.E. Webber, 2012, "Designing Resource-Efficient Military Base Camps from a Holistic View—Interactions and Sensitivity," ASME IDETC Design Automation Conference, Chicago, IL, Paper Number: DETC2012-70960.

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2012, "Probabilistic Graphical Models as Tools for Evaluating the Impact of Usage Context on the Environmental Performance of Products," ASME IDETC Design for Manufacturing and the Life Cycle Conference, Chicago, IL, Paper Number: DETC2012-71160.

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2011, "A Comparative Evaluation of Energy Consumption of Selective Laser Sintering and Injection Molding of Nylon Parts," Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, (D. L. Bourell, J. J. Beaman, R. H. Crawford, H. L. Marcus, and C. C. Seepersad, Eds.), Austin, TX.

Gully, B.H., M.E. Webber, and C.C. Seepersad, 2011, "Shaft Motor-Generator Design Assessment for Increased Operational Efficiency in Container Ships," ASME 2011 5th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Washington, DC, Paper Number: ES2011-54475.

Putnam, N.H., M.E. Webber, and C.C. Seepersad, 2011, "Trucks off the Road: A Volumetric Framework for Evaluating Energy Technologies for Forward Operating Military Base Camps," ASME 2011 5th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Washington, DC, Paper Number: ES2011-54459.

O'Rourke, J.M. and C.C. Seepersad, 2011, "A Methodology for Identifying Factors that Contribute to the Sustainability of Bioinspired Engineered Systems," ASME 14th International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE 2011), Denver, Colorado, Paper Number: IMECE2011-62605.

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2010, “A Methodology for Identifying Environmentally Conscious Guidelines for Product Design,” ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 132, No. 9, pp. 091009.

Durand, J., C. Telenko* and C. C. Seepersad, 2010, "How Does Modularity Affect Green Design?" ASME IDETC Design for Manufacturing and the Life Cycle Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Paper Number: DETC2010-28760.

Telenko, C. and C.C. Seepersad, 2010, “Assessing Energy Requirements and Material Flows of Selective Laser Sintering of Nylon Parts,” Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, (D. L. Bourell, J. J. Beaman, R. H. Crawford, H. L. Marcus, and C. C. Seepersad, Eds.), Austin, TX.

Gully, B.H., M.E. Webber, C.C. Seepersad, R.C. Thompson, 2009, "Energy Storage Analysis to Increase Large Ship Fuel Efficiency," 2009 ASME Energy Sustainability Conference, San Francisco, CA, Paper Number: ES2009-90440.

Putnam, N. H., D. D. Jensen, K. L. Wood and C. C. Seepersad, 2009, "A Function-Based Strategy for Analysis of Energy Systems in Transportation Vehicles," ASME IDETC Advances in Design Automation Conference, San Diego, CA, Paper Number: DETC2009-87474.

Telenko, C., C. C. Seepersad and M. E. Webber, 2009, "A Method for Developing Design for Environment Guidelines for Future Product Design," ASME IDETC Design for Manufacturing and the Life Cycle Conference, San Diego, CA, Paper Number: DETC2009-87389.

Telenko, C., C. C. Seepersad and M. E. Weber, 2008, "A Compilation of Design for Environment Principles and Guidelines," ASME IDETC/CIE, Design for Manufacturing and the Life Cycle Conference, New York, NY, Paper Number: DETC2008/49651.