[E&E seminars] LMP Seminar [TODAY] Prof. Tim Gutowski - Manufacturing our Future: the Difference between Eco-efficiency and Sustainability

[Karen L Gibson]

LABORATORY FOR MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTIVITY SEMINAR SERIES
Date:  Tuesday, October 11
Time:  12:00 pm, Rm. 33-116

SPEAKER
Prof. Timothy G. Gutowski
MIT Laboratory for Manufacturing & Productivity

TITLE
 Manufacturing our Future: the Difference between Eco-efficiency and Sustainability

ABSTRACT
To define “Sustainable Manufacturing” first ask, what is sustainable, and then ask, what can manufacturing do to support this. Because the notion of sustainability is not well defined, we are usually left with trying to do the right thing, but not really sure it will help. Connecting the dots between these two is not easy. Manufacturing and sustainability operate at different scales, and different time frames. Manufacturing is about gratifying people today, while sustainability is about not interfering with a future generation’s ability to provide for themselves. In this talk we look at how other large systems disciplines look at sustainability and then try to connect the dots back to manufacturing. The general game plan here is to articulate a measurable framework for sustainability, and then see how manufacturing compares. Some key concepts come forward, such as differentiating between what promotes human well-being today, versus what promotes it for the future. This line of reasoning excludes several well known aggregate measures of human well-being from being measures of sustainability (e.g. Gross Domestic Product, and Human Development Index). When applied to manufacturing, other cherished notions also fall as we sharpen our view on what is sustainable.  If we focus only on energy or carbon, we can be yet more quantitative concerning the connection between actions at the manufacturing level and responses at the global level. Thermodynamic limits come into play and new strategies emerge. Some themes we touch on include collapse and renewal, foresight, aggregation and substitution, institutions, and efficiency and rebound. Manufacturing examples are taken at various scales, from products, to the sector as a whole.  Three key references are:

1) Dasgupta, P. (2001):  Human Well-Being and the Natural Environment, Oxford University Press.
2) Tsao, J.Y., Saunders, H.D., Creighton, J.R., Coltrin, M.E., Simmons, J.A., (2010):  Solid-state lighting: an energy-economics perspective, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, No. 43,  354001, IOP Publishing Ltd.
3) Allwood, J.M., Cullen, J.M. and Milford, R.L. (2010) Options for achieving a 50% cut in industrial carbon emissions by 2050, Environmental Science and Technology, 44(6) 1888-1894.

BIOGRAPHY
 Timothy G. Gutowski is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA. He was the Director of MIT’s Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity (1994-2004), and the Associate Department Head for Mechanical Engineering (2001-2005).  From 1999 to 2001 he was the chairman of the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy panel on Environmentally Benign Manufacturing. He has over 150 technical publications, two books and seven patents and patent applications. His books are: “Thermodynamics and the Destruction of Resources” Cambridge University Press 2011  (with Bhavik R. Bakshi and Dusan P. Sekulic) and  “Advanced Composites Manufacturing”, John Wiley, 1997. His research interests focus on the relationship between manufacturing and sustainability at various scales.

* Food and refreshments will be served afterwards *




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