34479 - Industrial Ecology M

Learning outcomes

Analysis of the links among environmental, economical and societal aspects in the framework of the sustainable development perspective;

Policies and tools for environmental protection (EMS, Integrated Product policies, product and process LCA, permitting procedures);

Tools for identifying and assessing the key environmental impacts due to an industrial activity

Course contents

The course is organized in two parts:

Part A (in class lessons)

· the environmental protection in the framework of sustainable development

· productive systems and ecosystems

· LCA procedure in the analysis of products and processes

· pollution phenomena on a large (planetary) scale: greenhouse gases and ozone depletion

· pollution phenomena on a regional scale: photochemical smog formation

· the environmental policy of the EU;

· voluntary actions to improve the environmental performance of sites and products: Environmental Management systems (EMAS, ISO 14001), product policies (environmental labels, IPP, DfE, products fate at the end of their useful life)

· permitting procedures (environmental  IMPACT  Assessment, strategic  Impact assessment, IED /IPPC)

· externalities and environmental accounting

· seminars by invited speakers from industry and authorities

 

Part B (tutorials)

· LCA application and sustainability indicators

· selected case studies

· LCA project

Readings/Bibliography

• T.E. Graedel and B.R. Allenby. Industrial Ecology, (2nd ed.). 2003, Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River.
• D.T. Allen and D.R. Shonnard. Green Engineering. 2002, Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River.
• E.S. Rubin. Introduction to engineering & the environment. 2001, McGrow-Hill: New York.
• T.E. Graedel and J.A. Howard-Grenville. Greening the industrial facility. 2005, Springer: New York.

Teaching methods

In class lessons

Tutoials

Project-work

Assessment methods

The final exam consists in an oral examination. A study-project developed under part B must be presented and discussed before the oral examination.

The exam is set to evaluate the students' knowledge-level, analyzing and synthesizing abilities, and technical communication skills.
Higher grades will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, and a clear and concise presentation of the contents.
To obtain a passing grade, students are required to at least demonstrate a knowledge of the key concepts of the subject, some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language.
A failing grade will be awarded if the student shows knowledge gaps in key-concepts of the subject, inappropriate use of language, and/or logic failures in the analysis of the subject.

Teaching tools

Handouts of  the material presented during the lessons and other integrative material can be downloaded  from http://campus.unibo.it
A mailing list will be available for communications (https://www.dsa.unibo.it/). Password will be comunicated on the first lesson of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Tugnoli

See the website of Gigliola Spadoni