- Carnegie Mellon University, Engineering and Public Policy, Faculty Memberadd
- Scott is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Engineering and P... moreScott is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. His work intends to facilitate policy-relevant decision making under uncertainty via large datasets, computation, and visualization methods. He has contributed to development of tools for environmental and energy life-cycle assessment of products and processes (such as the EIO-LCA model), estimating and tracking environmental effects across global supply chains (such as carbon footprinting), and infrastructure systems. His current area of focus is on emerging data flows in passenger vehicle transportation.edit
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Abstract As the construction industry transitions towards green buildings, and the number of LEED certified facilities continues to increase, the question of how to evaluate asbuilt energy performance becomes more important. Most... more
Abstract As the construction industry transitions towards green buildings, and the number of LEED certified facilities continues to increase, the question of how to evaluate asbuilt energy performance becomes more important. Most homeowners rely on a monthly bill to determine their electric consumption, which is not an effective way to understand the results of most energy-saving strategies. Real-time feedback and appliance-level information is necessary, but most solutions require extensive hardware sub-metering, with a high price due to the ...
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Companies are increasingly estimating and reporting their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) for voluntary and mandatory purposes. This paper includes a review of the quality of company GHG reporting for the global telecommunications sector.... more
Companies are increasingly estimating and reporting their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) for voluntary and mandatory purposes. This paper includes a review of the quality of company GHG reporting for the global telecommunications sector. We find that company emissions vary significantly, from 3 metric tons CO2 equivalent per million dollars operating revenue (MTCO2e/$M) to 215 MTCO2e/$M. We find that company reported
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Abstract Interdependencies among critical infrastructures become more and more complex as technology advances. Through interdependencies the disruption of one infrastructure can cascade into other infrastructures. With the rapid growth in... more
Abstract Interdependencies among critical infrastructures become more and more complex as technology advances. Through interdependencies the disruption of one infrastructure can cascade into other infrastructures. With the rapid growth in demand of electricity, vulnerability assessment of electricity production and its availability has become essential. One of the critical components of the electricity production value chain is extraction and delivery of fuels. This paper presents the preliminary results of a research project that aims ...
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The narrow scope of the U.S. renewable fuel standard (RFS2) is a missed opportunity to spur a wider range of biomass use. This is especially relevant as RFS2 targets are being missed due to demand-side limitations for ethanol consumption.... more
The narrow scope of the U.S. renewable fuel standard (RFS2) is a missed opportunity to spur a wider range of biomass use. This is especially relevant as RFS2 targets are being missed due to demand-side limitations for ethanol consumption. This paper examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) implications of a more flexible policy based on RFS2, which includes credits for chemical use of bioethanol (to produce bioethylene). A Monte Carlo simulation is employed to estimate the life-cycle GHG emissions of conventional low-density polyethylene (LDPE), made from natural gas derived ethane (mean: 1.8 kg CO2e/kg LDPE). The life-cycle GHG emissions from bioethanol and bio-LDPE are examined for three biomass feedstocks: U.S. corn (mean: 97g CO2e/MJ and 2.6 kg CO2e/kg LDPE), U.S. switchgrass (mean: -18g CO2e/MJ and -2.9 kg CO2e/kg LDPE), and Brazilian sugar cane (mean: 33g CO2e/MJ and -1.3 kg CO2e/kg LDPE); bioproduct and fossil-product emissions are compared. Results suggest that neither corn product...
Research Interests: Engineering, Pharmacology, Environmental Science, Monte Carlo Simulation, Biotechnology, and 15 moreBiomass, BIOETHANOL, Air pollution, Medicine, GHG Emissions, Multidisciplinary, Biofuels, Natural Gas, Biofuel, Ethanol, Greenhouse Gas, Greenhouse Effect, GHG reductions, Monte Carlo Method, and Low Density Polyethylene
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Critical infrastructures maintain our society's stability, security, and quality of life. These systems are also interdependent, which means that the disruption of one infrastructure system can significantly... more
Critical infrastructures maintain our society's stability, security, and quality of life. These systems are also interdependent, which means that the disruption of one infrastructure system can significantly impact the operation of other systems. Because of the heavy reliance on electricity production, it is important to assess possible vulnerabilities. Determining the source of these vulnerabilities can provide insight for risk management and emergency response efforts. This research uses data warehousing and visualization ...
Research Interests: Engineering, Civil Engineering, Assessment, Data Mining, Data Analysis, and 15 moreData Management, Data Warehousing, Electricity, Data Warehouse, Emergency Response, Coal Mining, Fossil Fuels, Geospatial Analysis, Application, Critical Infrastructure, Electric Power, Decision Maker, Geographic Information System, Geographic Information Systems, and Distributed Networks
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This paper presents a nonintrusive electricity load-monitoring approach that provides feedback on the energy consumption and operational schedule of electrical appliances in a residential building. This approach utilizes simple algorithms... more
This paper presents a nonintrusive electricity load-monitoring approach that provides feedback on the energy consumption and operational schedule of electrical appliances in a residential building. This approach utilizes simple algorithms for detecting and classifying electrical events on the basis of voltage and current measurements obtained at the main circuit panel of the home. To address the necessary training and calibration, this approach is designed around the end-user and relies on user input to continuously improve its ...
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Research Interests: Environmental Science, Biomass, Biodiesel, Agriculture, Water Pollution, and 15 moreMedicine, Multidisciplinary, Environmental science and technology, Cellulosic Ethanol, Cellulose, Biofuels, Ethanol Fuel, Anoxia, Biofuel, Nitrates, Crop Production, Poaceae, Gulf of Mexico, Southeastern United States, and corn stover
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Research Interests: Economics, International Economics, International Trade, International Cooperation, Medicine, and 11 moreMultidisciplinary, Environmental science and technology, United States, Environmental Effect, Environmental Impact, Greenhouse Gas, Greenhouse gases, Environmental Pollutants, Input Output, Trade Volume, and CO Emission
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Research Interests: Business, Engineering, Environmental Economics, Carbon, Modeling, and 15 moreEnvironmental Monitoring, Air pollution, Categorization, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Environmental science and technology, Carbon Footprint, Industry, Air Transportation, Greenhouse Gas, Greenhouse gases, Footprint, Footprinting, Air Pollutants, and Manufacturing Industries
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Research Interests: Economics, Energy Policy, Energy Consumption, Energy efficiency, Multidisciplinary, and 15 moreOptimization, Electricity, Natural Gas, Climate Change Mitigation, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Greenhouse Gas, Energy efficient, Program Design, Energy Efficiency, Investment Strategies, Decision Maker, Budget Constraint, Costs and Benefits, Constraint optimization, and Present value
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Research Interests: Economics, Climate Change, International Trade, Ecological Economics, Life Cycle Assessment, and 11 moreIncome Distribution, Applied Economics, Natural Resource Economics, Input-Output Analysis, Carbon Footprint, Elasticity, Household Consumption, Carbon Tax, Environmental Impact, Footprint, and ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
METHODS We developed a Infrastructure Flow Analysis model of the electricity sector that estimates estimates the amount of electricity capacity retirement and new construction needed in the US each year to simultaneously meet demand and... more
METHODS We developed a Infrastructure Flow Analysis model of the electricity sector that estimates estimates the amount of electricity capacity retirement and new construction needed in the US each year to simultaneously meet demand and an exogenously specified GHG emission constraint as a function of the timing of those constraints. For example, in the case of an emissions scenario that requires the electricity sector to reduce total emissions to 80% below 2005 levels by 2050, we estimate the implied retirement and construction ...
Abstract: Apparatus and method including acquiring a signal indicative of power consumption; detecting a transient in the signal; extracting a feature indicative of the transient, wherein extracting the feature includes: fitting a... more
Abstract: Apparatus and method including acquiring a signal indicative of power consumption; detecting a transient in the signal; extracting a feature indicative of the transient, wherein extracting the feature includes: fitting a plurality of models to the transient, selecting one of the plurality of models as a model for the transient, and defining the feature indicative of the transient based on at least one parameter of the model for the transient; and classifying the transient based on the feature.
In this paper we explore the synergetic relationship that could exist between the building commissioning process and the necessary training for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) algorithms. First we describe the application of NILM as... more
In this paper we explore the synergetic relationship that could exist between the building commissioning process and the necessary training for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) algorithms. First we describe the application of NILM as a tool to support building commissioning, by obtaining individual electrical load profiles and equipment health indicators from a single measurement point in the building. Then we argue that, since the training process is usually one of the stumbling blocks for the deployment of NILM ...
The idea of sustainable or green buildings generally stops after the design and construction phases. Little effort is made to continuously monitor and control the energy profile throughout the life-cycle of these facilities. To... more
The idea of sustainable or green buildings generally stops after the design and construction phases. Little effort is made to continuously monitor and control the energy profile throughout the life-cycle of these facilities. To effectively identify opportunities for consumption reduction, measurement and feedback of current energy use is necessary. Monthly utility bills are inadequate for planning conservation programs, or even for assessing their effectiveness once implemented. Extensive hardware sub-metering, ...
Abstract. Renewed emphasis on the cost and environmental impacts of electricity are leading to a greater awareness for the need to measure and manage loads in buildings of all types. In this paper we focus on the residential buildings... more
Abstract. Renewed emphasis on the cost and environmental impacts of electricity are leading to a greater awareness for the need to measure and manage loads in buildings of all types. In this paper we focus on the residential buildings sector by looking at best available technologies for the commercial sector and discuss how they can be best applied to residences, by looking for effective solutions that can identify and track electricity use by the most important loads.
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Although much has been said about promoting industrial ecology, little has been done to specify how to incorporate the broad goals of promoting environmental friendliness into a model of profit maximizing behavior for the firm. We outline... more
Although much has been said about promoting industrial ecology, little has been done to specify how to incorporate the broad goals of promoting environmental friendliness into a model of profit maximizing behavior for the firm. We outline such a model for products that can be repaired, remanufactured, or recycled. One way to promote optimal product use is to set a
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Research Interests: Wireless Sensor Networks, Energy Consumption, Optimization Problem, Sensor networks, INTELLIGENT BUILDING, and 12 moreEnergy Saving, Efficient Algorithm for ECG Coding, Sensor Network, Energy Expenditure, Active Sensing, Wireless Sensor, Control Strategy, Sensor Networks, Energy Cost, Wireless Sensor Network, Mobile Sensors, and Proof of Concept
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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become critical components of global infrastructure over the past few decades, and computers are now fundamental to most business processes. The global adoption of the Internet has... more
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become critical components of global infrastructure over the past few decades, and computers are now fundamental to most business processes. The global adoption of the Internet has only accelerated the transition from physical to digital infrastructure. More generally, the use of information and communication technologies has resulted in far-reaching changes in production processes and product characteristics.
Abstract High-brightness light-emitting diodes (LEDs) form the basis for solid-state lighting (SSL) systems. SSL systems have the potential to reduce electricity consumption of lighting systems as they are much more efficient than current... more
Abstract High-brightness light-emitting diodes (LEDs) form the basis for solid-state lighting (SSL) systems. SSL systems have the potential to reduce electricity consumption of lighting systems as they are much more efficient than current lighting technologies. One concern is that the full life-cycle energy requirements of SSL systems, including the production of the materials and LED components, may negate any savings during the use phase. As a start to estimating the life-cycle energy requirements of SSL systems, we present an estimate for ...
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The impacts of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the environment have been a rich area for research in recent years. ICT has substantially affected commerce, enabling new methods for connecting... more
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The impacts of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the environment have been a rich area for research in recent years. ICT has substantially affected commerce, enabling new methods for connecting producers and consumers (ie, ecommerce) and creating new electronic products. A prime example is the continuing rise of digital music delivery, which has obvious potential for reducing the energy and environmental impacts of producing and delivering music to final consumers.
Abstract This scoping study takes a broad look at how Information Technology-enabled monitoring and control systems in residences could play a role in mitigating energy use. Managing the residential sector is an important priority for... more
Abstract This scoping study takes a broad look at how Information Technology-enabled monitoring and control systems in residences could play a role in mitigating energy use. Managing the residential sector is an important priority for addressing energy use, as use in homes represents 21% of US total energy demand, up 16% from 1994. Much energy is apparently wasted in delivering energy services not actually used by residents.
Abstract In this paper we show that financial information can be used to sense many aspects of human activity. This simple technique gives people information about their daily lives, is easily accessible to many at no extra cost, requires... more
Abstract In this paper we show that financial information can be used to sense many aspects of human activity. This simple technique gives people information about their daily lives, is easily accessible to many at no extra cost, requires little setup, and does not require the manufacture of any external devices. We will focus on how financial data can be used to show users where they spend their time, when they accomplish certain habits, and what the impact of their activities is on the environment.
Abstract Although much has been said about promoting industrial ecology, little has been done to specify how to incorporate the broad goals of promoting environmental friendliness into a model of profit maximizing behavior for the firm.... more
Abstract Although much has been said about promoting industrial ecology, little has been done to specify how to incorporate the broad goals of promoting environmental friendliness into a model of profit maximizing behavior for the firm. We outline such a model for products that can be repaired, remanufactured, or recycled. One way to promote optimal product use is to set a price that declines each time the product is reused. Another is a deposit fee that declines with each use.
Abstract Bringing input-output based techniques for environmental research to a broader audience requires better understanding and communication of the uncertainty associated with their results. Here we discuss uncertainties in... more
Abstract Bringing input-output based techniques for environmental research to a broader audience requires better understanding and communication of the uncertainty associated with their results. Here we discuss uncertainties in input-output life cycle assessment models based on our experience in developing the Mixed-Unit Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment (MUIO-LCA) model for the US economy.
Methods The ERCOT, MISO, and PJM areas were selected for the analsysis, since a significant fraction of electricity in these areas was generated by coal plants in 2007. While these areas had substantial natural gas capacity in 2007, much... more
Methods The ERCOT, MISO, and PJM areas were selected for the analsysis, since a significant fraction of electricity in these areas was generated by coal plants in 2007. While these areas had substantial natural gas capacity in 2007, much of this capacity was underutilized. This suggests that there are short-term opportunities in these areas to move away from coal-fired generation by using existing natural gas capacity.
Abstract The risks associated with releases of heavy metals are of great concern for companies, regulators, and society at large. Understanding how and why we use these toxic chemicals can help us use them more efficiently. Here LCA and... more
Abstract The risks associated with releases of heavy metals are of great concern for companies, regulators, and society at large. Understanding how and why we use these toxic chemicals can help us use them more efficiently. Here LCA and MFA are combined in the formulation of a mixed-unit, input-output life-cycle assessment (MUIO-LCA) model to help improve environmental decision-making with respect to heavy metals.
JUly 15, 2007/EnvironmEntal SciEncE & tEchnology n 4847© 2007 american chemical Society zation has led to a fast-expanding and tremendously variable customer base. Concurrently, the availability of inexpensive natural resources appears to... more
JUly 15, 2007/EnvironmEntal SciEncE & tEchnology n 4847© 2007 american chemical Society zation has led to a fast-expanding and tremendously variable customer base. Concurrently, the availability of inexpensive natural resources appears to be contracting. Therefore, the next generation of engineers must be able to design with a narrowing and diminishing set of natural resources for a wider variety and greater number of end users.
Increasing concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States have spurred interest in alternate low carbon fuel sources, such as natural gas. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methods can be used to estimate potential emissions... more
Increasing concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States have spurred interest in alternate low carbon fuel sources, such as natural gas. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methods can be used to estimate potential emissions reductions through the use of such fuels. Some recent policies have used the results of LCAs to encourage the use of low carbon fuels to meet future energy demands in the US, without, however, acknowledging and addressing the uncertainty and variability prevalent in LCA.
This paper presents a linear programming (LP) methodology for estimating the cost of reducing a state's coal-fired power plant carbon dioxide emissions by cofiring switchgrass and coal. LP modeling allows interplay between regionally... more
This paper presents a linear programming (LP) methodology for estimating the cost of reducing a state's coal-fired power plant carbon dioxide emissions by cofiring switchgrass and coal. LP modeling allows interplay between regionally specific switchgrass production forecasts, coal plant locations, and individual coal plant historic performance data to determine an allocation of switchgrass minimizing cost or maximizing carbon reduction.
The field of engineering is changing rapidly as the growing global population puts added demands on the earth's resources: engineering decisions must now account for limitations in materials and energy as well as the need to reduce... more
The field of engineering is changing rapidly as the growing global population puts added demands on the earth's resources: engineering decisions must now account for limitations in materials and energy as well as the need to reduce discharges of wastes. This means educators must revise courses and curricula so engineering graduates are prepared for the new challenges as practicing engineers.
Background The Green Design Institute received a grant from the National Science Foundation as part of the Materials Use: Science, Engineering, and Society (MUSES) program to analyze infrastructure requirements and best technologies for a... more
Background The Green Design Institute received a grant from the National Science Foundation as part of the Materials Use: Science, Engineering, and Society (MUSES) program to analyze infrastructure requirements and best technologies for a future of sustainable alternative fuels. The adoption of any alternative fuel requires changes throughout the supply chain. Even a liquid fuel such as ethanol, that is compatible with current infrastructure, can induce dramatic changes.
Abstract The ultimate fate of products is an important issue in conducting environmental life cycle assessments, setting public policy on product disposal and tracing materials flows over time. This case study illustrates a methodology... more
Abstract The ultimate fate of products is an important issue in conducting environmental life cycle assessments, setting public policy on product disposal and tracing materials flows over time. This case study illustrates a methodology for estimating the fate of such products, focusing on personal computers. The methodology can be applied to a wide range of consumer products.