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Greg Keoleian

Greg Keoleian
Peter M. Wege Endowed Professor of Sustainable Systems; Director, Center for Sustainable Systems
Sustainable Systems
Climate + Energy
Food Systems
Cities + Mobility + Built Environment
gregak@umich.edu
(734)-764-3194
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About

Dr. Keoleian co-founded and serves as director of the Center for Sustainable Systems. His research focuses on the development and application of life cycle models and metrics to enhance the sustainability of products and technology. He has pioneered new methods in life cycle design, life cycle optimization of product replacement, life cycle cost analysis and life cycle based sustainability assessments ranging from energy analysis and carbon footprints to social indicators. Systems studied include alternative vehicle technology, renewable energy systems such as wind farms, photovoltaics and willow biomass electricity, buildings and infrastructure, information technology, food and agricultural systems, household appliances, and packaging alternatives.

Professor Keoleian currently teaches interdisciplinary graduate courses on Sustainable Energy Systems and Industrial Ecology and co-directs the Engineering Sustainable Systems Dual Degree Program and the Rackham Graduate Certificate Program in Industry Ecology.

Publications

  • Kemp, Nicholas J., Gregory A. Keoleian, Xiaoyi He, and Akshat Kasliwal. (2020) “Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Impacts of a Connected and Automated SUV and Van.” Transportation Research Part D 83(102375): 1-11.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102375
  • Porras, Gabriela Y., G.A. Keoleian, G.M. Lewis, Seeba, N. (2020) “A guide to household manual and machine dishwashing through a life cycle perspective.” Environmental Research Communications 2(2)024002: 1-13.   https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ab716b
  • Heller, Martin, Gregory Keoleian, and Diego Rose. (2020) “Implications of Future US Diet Scenarios on Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” CSS Report, University of Michigan: Ann Arbor 1-24.   http://css.umich.edu/publication/implications-future-us-diet-scenarios-greenhouse-gas-emissions
  • Arbabzadeh, Maryam, Ramteen Sioshansi, Jeremiah Johnson, and Gregory Keoleian. (2019) “The role of energy storage in deep decarbonization of electricity production.” Nature Communications 10(3413): 1-11.   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11161-5

Read more publications here.

Research
  • Circular Economy Framework, Metrics, and Application, Sponsor: CERC-CVC (Clean Energy Research Center, Clean Vehicles Consortium) and Argonne National Lab
  • Sustainability Assessment of Automated Urban Delivery Systems, Sponsor: Ford Motor Company
  • The Global Co2 Initiative: Transforming a Liability into an Opportunity, Sponsor: Michigan Engineering Blue Sky Initiative
  • Strategies to Limit Degradation and Maximize Battery Service, Sponsor: Responsible Battery Coalition
  • Plastics Waste Reduction Research and Fellowship, Sponsor: Morgan Stanley Services Group, Inc.
  • Long Haul Trucking Energy Systems Analysis, Sponsor: Amazon.com, Inc.
  • Thermal Modification of Blue Stained, Fire Salvaged Timber, Sponsor: USDA Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC)
  • Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Urine Derived Fertilizer, Sponsor: Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF)
  • Linking Health and Environmental Outcomes to Dietary Behaviours in the United States, Sponsor:  Wellcome Trust, Tulane University
  • Carbon accounting framework and GHG emissions modeling, Sponsor: University of Michigan President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality
Accolades
  • Environmental Research Letters Best Articles of 2018 (Heller, Martin C., Amelia Willits-Smith, Robert Meyer, Gregory A. Keoleian and Donald Rose. (2018) “Greenhouse gas emissions and energy use associated with production of individual self-selected US diets.” Environmental Research Letters 13(4):1-11)
  • Environmental Science and Technology Runner up Best Paper Environmental Policy in 2018 (James H. Gawron, Gregory A. Keoleian, Robert D. De Kleine, Timothy J. Wallington, and Hyung Chul Kim. Life Cycle Assessment of Connected and Automated Vehicles: Sensing and Computing Subsystem and Vehicle Level Effects) .
  • Energy and Buildings Best Research Paper Award for 1998-2007 (Schuer, C., G.A.Keoleian, P. Reppe “Life cycle energy and environmental performance of a new university building: modeling challenges and design implications")
  • Journal of Industrial Ecology Best Paper Prize (Heller, M.C., and G.A. Keoleian, “Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimates of U.S. Dietary Choices and Food Loss.” Journal of Industrial Ecology (2015) 19(3): 391–401) announced in 2017.
  • Rackham Master’s Mentoring Award, Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan, 2015
Education

PhD, University of Michigan (chemical engineering)

MSE, University of Michigan (chemical engineering)

BSE, University of Michigan (chemical engineering)

BS, University of Michigan (chemistry)

Affiliations
  • Committee Member, Planning Committee Workshop on Exploring the True Costs of Food, Institute of Medicine (2011-12).
  • International Society for Industrial Ecology, Member and President (two year term: 2011-2012).
     - President Elect (2009-2010); Immediate Past President (2013-2014).
In the News
U-M study finds reusable take-out food containers can significantly reduce plastic waste, emissions, costs
January 18, 2023

U-M study finds reusable take-out food containers can significantly reduce plastic waste, emissions, costs

ANN ARBOR—In the effort to reduce plastic waste in the restaurant industry—single-use takeout containers specifically—University of Michigan researchers compared the...

change in transportation energy burden
January 11, 2023

EV transition will benefit most US vehicle owners, but lowest-income Americans could get left behind

Contact: Jim Erickson ANN ARBOR—More than 90% of vehicle-owning households in the United States would see a reduction in the percentage of income spent on transportation...

DOE Hydrogen
December 8, 2022

Hydrogen initiative to focus on clean, just energy transitions

Hydrogen is an important energy carrier that can play a key role in reducing carbon emissions from heavy-duty vehicles and aviation, heating and distributed power, and...

COP27 climate conference in Egypt: U-M experts available to discuss
November 18, 2022

COP27 climate conference in Egypt: U-M experts available to discuss

EXPERTS ADVISORY Global climate talks in Egypt are heading into the home stretch with many issues still unresolved. Negotiators from nearly 200 countries have gathered in...

Study: Blue-stained pine can recover value through thermal modification processing
November 15, 2022

Study: Blue-stained pine can add value through thermal modification processing

A recent paper comparing blue stain pine processed using thermal modification (TM) instead of a conventional chemical treatment method demonstrates the environmental...

charging EV
October 27, 2022

Responsible Battery Coalition and U-M CSS announce study to compare electric and gas vehicle lifetime costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Responsible Battery Coalition (RBC) today announced the launch of a comprehensive research project with the University of Michigan Center for...

factsheets
October 11, 2022

Now available: 2022 edition of peer-reviewed Sustainability Factsheet Collection covering consumption patterns, impacts and solutions

Did you know that the average North American household uses roughly 240 gallons of water daily? Or that the Department of Energy estimates that 75% of U.S. energy will...

U-M CSS Researchers Awarded USDA Grant for Maple Syrup Production Life Cycle Analysis
October 6, 2022

U-M CSS researchers awarded USDA grant for maple syrup production life cycle analysis

A University of Michigan-led team of researchers, together with maple syrup industry professionals, has received a $500,000 research grant through the United States...

In the Media
01/30/2023
Greg Keoleian
Returnable takeout food containers would help the environment. Just don’t wash them. (MLive)
01/27/2023
Greg Keoleian
Takeout has a plastic problem. But just how much do reusable containers really help? (Anthropocene)
01/24/2023
Greg Keoleian
Making Plant-Based Meat Price-Competitive is Key to Pushing Animal Products Out of the Market (One Green Planet)
01/24/2023
Greg Keoleian
We still use appliances like it’s 1970. There’s a better way. (The Washington Post)
01/11/2023
Greg Keoleian
Joshua Newell
Switching to EVs will save nearly everyone money and reduce carbon emissions, study says (MLive)
01/11/2023
Greg Keoleian
Nearly all U.S. households could cut energy cost burden by using EVs -study (Reuters)
12/22/2022
Greg Keoleian
Electrifying the US postal fleet was always a no-brainer (Quartz)
12/08/2022
Greg Keoleian
Hydrogen initiative to focus on clean, just energy transitions (University Record)
11/30/2022
Greg Keoleian
Issues of the Environment: The potential for hydrogen in moving away from fossil fuels
11/29/2022
Greg Keoleian
Researchers tested 72 ways to get groceries to your doorstep. So which is most climate-friendly? (Anthropocene)
11/03/2022
Greg Keoleian
Hydrogen Could be Critical Fuel for Trucks, Ferries and Freighters in Michigan (Hydrogen Central)
10/20/2022
Greg Keoleian
New Zealand may be the first country to carbon price cow farts
10/19/2022
Greg Keoleian
E.V.s Start With a Bigger Carbon Footprint. But That Doesn’t Last. (The New York Times)
09/27/2022
Greg Keoleian
Hydrogen could be critical fuel for trucks, ferries and freighters in Michigan (MLive)
09/26/2022
Greg Keoleian
Report: Hydrogen Ecosystem in Michigan Needed to Power Trucks, Trains, and Ships (DBusiness Magazine)
09/26/2022
Greg Keoleian
Eating seafood can be more sustainable and healthy than red meat (Popular Science)
09/02/2022
Greg Keoleian
Your beverage cup, my next sweater (The Christian Science Monitor)
08/19/2022
Greg Keoleian
You’re charging wrong: 5 ways to make gadget batteries last longer (The Washington Post)
08/11/2022
Greg Keoleian
This is why Dodge's Hellcats are disappearing and EVs are coming (The Detroit News)
08/11/2022
Greg Keoleian
Supermarket delivery by robot better for the climate (Cosmos Magazine)
08/10/2022
Greg Keoleian
How Ford, DTE energy deal will cut carbon emissions, boost state's solar capacity (The Detroit News)
07/22/2022
Greg Keoleian
Could wind energy really power 3 million homes? (News Nation)
06/22/2022
Greg Keoleian
What the future holds for western Canadian oil producers (The Intelligencer)
05/13/2022
Greg Keoleian
How much CO2 do EVs cut? Size matters (E&E News)
05/02/2022
Greg Keoleian
Which Plant-Based Milk Is Best for the Planet (And You)? (Discover Magazine)
04/22/2022
Greg Keoleian
On this 52nd Earth Day, the US reveals it’s lagging behind on critical climate pledges (The Hill)
04/10/2022
Greg Keoleian
States' registration plans could accelerate electric vehicle adoption (ABC News)
04/09/2022
Greg Keoleian
How Ford’s Electric F-150 Pickup Truck Will Cut Carbon Pollution (BNN Bloomberg)
03/23/2022
Greg Keoleian
Issues of the Environment: The ecological impacts of reading and how best to make a difference for the environment (WEMU-FM)
03/15/2022
Greg Keoleian
Greenhouse gas emissions drop nearly two-thirds when motorists switch to EV pickups or SUVs (MLive)
03/14/2022
Greg Keoleian
Study: Concern Over EVs Emitting More Carbon than Combustion Engine Vehicles Unfounded (dBusiness)
03/10/2022
Greg Keoleian
University of Michigan, Ford study examines potential greenhouse gas savings tied to EVs (WDET)
03/09/2022
Greg Keoleian
To cut emissions, focus on electrifying pickup trucks? (Futurity)
03/08/2022
Greg Keoleian
Electric Cars and Light Trucks Have 64% Lower Life Cycle Carbon Emissions (Treehugger)
03/08/2022
Greg Keoleian
New Study finds greater greenhouse gas reductions for electric pickup trucks (Transportation Today)
03/08/2022
Greg Keoleian
Study compares greenhouse gas reductions for light-duty vehicles (University Record)
03/08/2022
Greg Keoleian
Stateside: Tuesday, March 8, 2022 (Michigan Radio)
03/07/2022
Greg Keoleian
UM report: Light electric trucks have lower life-cycle emissions than similar gas-powered vehicles (Michigan Radio)
03/07/2022
Greg Keoleian
Electric Vehicles Are Reshaping The Auto Industry (CleanTechnica)
03/05/2022
Greg Keoleian
Ford, U Mich study finds greater greenhouse gas reductions for pickup truck electrification than for other light-duty vehicles (Green Car Congress)
03/04/2022
Greg Keoleian
Greater greenhouse gas reductions for pickup truck electrification than for other light-duty vehicles (Science Daily)
03/04/2022
Greg Keoleian
Study: Greater Greenhouse Gas Reductions for Pickup Truck Electrification Than for Other Light-Duty Vehicles (Environmental News Network)
02/17/2022
Greg Keoleian
You may need to read dozens of books each year to offset that new e-reader (Popular Science)
12/29/2021
Greg Keoleian
What kind of container should be used for milk? (Michigan Radio)
12/22/2021
Greg Keoleian
A car made from recycled plastic? This could be the future (ABC News)
12/14/2021
Greg Keoleian
Glass, Plastic, Or PLA? Dairies Struggle to Replace Single-Use Bottles (Civil Eats)
11/19/2021
Greg Keoleian
Autonomous Package Deliveries May Not Reduce Emissions (Inside Science)
10/21/2021
Greg Keoleian
In the transition to renewables, energy storage is a hot topic (Marketplace)
10/17/2021
Greg Keoleian
Here’s What a Climate Scientist Really Thinks of Your Everyday Home Habits (Apartment Therapy)
10/07/2021
Greg Keoleian
Ford Gives Michigan a ‘Wake-Up Call’ With Out-of-State EV Expansion (Bloomberg News)
09/28/2021
Greg Keoleian
Michigan lost out on Ford's $11.4B EV investment. Here's why (The Detroit News)
08/12/2021
Greg Keoleian
Kristen Bell says she doesn't shower often for environmental reasons. Experts weigh in. (Yahoo Life)
07/13/2021
Greg Keoleian
Electric delivery vehicle emissions depend on charging (Futurity)
07/13/2021
Greg Keoleian
How Electric Vehicles are Charged Relates to Decrease in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (AZO Cleantech)
06/26/2021
Greg Keoleian
Here are 8 easy ways to save money by going green (CNBC)
06/25/2021
Greg Keoleian
Recycling is only one part of solution to plastic waste, experts say (Chemical and Engineering News)
06/24/2021
Greg Keoleian
Will charging my EV to 100% really damage the battery? (The Globe and Mail)
06/01/2021
Greg Keoleian
Consumers Energy electricity rate increases 50% during peak hours (The Detroit News)
04/30/2021
Greg Keoleian
Martin Heller
The real story behind the Biden burger-ban rumor (Popular Science)
04/30/2021
Greg Keoleian
How to start tackling your home’s water — and climate — footprint (The Washington Post)
04/26/2021
Greg Keoleian
Martin Heller
Fox News’s latest straw man is made of red meat (The Washington Post)
04/26/2021
Greg Keoleian
Martin Heller
Beer, Brussels Sprouts, Bernie Madoff and Today’s G.O.P. (The New York Times)
04/26/2021
Greg Keoleian
Martin Heller
Biden’s fake burger ban and the rising culture war over meat (Vox)
04/26/2021
Martin Heller
Greg Keoleian
Biden climate plans don’t include red meat restrictions (Associated Press)
03/18/2021
Jonathan T. Overpeck
Greg Keoleian
University of Michigan’s carbon neutrality commission releases 'bold, visionary plan' (WDIV Click on Detroit)
03/15/2021
Greg Keoleian
Ann Arbor exploring reduced trash pickup to reduce carbon emissions, limit climate change effects (WXYZ Detroit)
12/22/2020
Greg Keoleian
Researchers have hit on a widely available solution for decarbonizing fertilizer production (Anthropocene)
12/09/2020
Greg Keoleian
Issues Of The Environment: U-M Team Outlines The First Circular Economy For Vehicles (WEMU)
09/30/2020
Greg Keoleian
University of Michigan Study Informs on Plastic Waste, Barriers and Opportunities (Waste 360)
08/04/2020
Greg Keoleian
Why Biden's car plan might not be a 'clunker' (E&E News)
12/01/2018
Greg Keoleian
Despite the Paris Agreement, CO2 emissions are rising again
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