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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

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
‘Peecycling’ payoff: Urine diversion shows multiple environmental benefits when used at city scale
December 15, 2020

'Peecycling' payoff: Urine diversion shows multiple environmental benefits when used at city scale

ANN ARBOR—Diverting urine away from municipal wastewater treatment plants and recycling the nutrient-rich liquid to make crop fertilizer would result in multiple...

A Circular Economy Framework for Automobiles
November 20, 2020

A Circular Economy Framework for Automobiles

Today’s automobiles rely heavily on the extraction of virgin raw materials for manufacturing and fossil fuels for vehicle operation. However, industry investment in...

Carbon accounting group quantifies U-M emissions
October 23, 2020

Carbon accounting group quantifies U-M emissions

Achieving carbon neutrality at U-M means reducing emissions across a number of different areas—from improving building energy efficiency standards to electrifying U-M...

Plastics, waste and recycling: It's not just a packaging problem
August 25, 2020

Plastics, waste and recycling: It's not just a packaging problem

ANN ARBOR—Discussions of the growing plastic waste problem often focus on reducing the volume of single-use plastic packaging items such as bags, bottles, tubs, and films...

Study focuses on life cycle greenhouse gas impacts of a connected and automated SUV and van
June 10, 2020

Study Focuses on Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Impacts of a Connected and Automated SUV and Van

A new U-M Center for Sustainable Systems (CSS) study published in Transportation Research Part D examines the life cycle greenhouse gas impacts of a connected and automated SUV and van.

February 1, 2020

Tips for extending the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries

ANN ARBOR—Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere these days, used in everything from cellphones and laptops to cordless power tools and electric vehicles. And though they...

February 1, 2020

Fighting climate change at the sink: A guide to greener dishwashing

ANN ARBOR—If you're an environmentally conscious consumer, you've probably heard that today's highly efficient dishwashers use less energy and water than traditional hand...

Sustainable gift wrapping
December 1, 2019

Greg Keoleian shares tips for sustainable holidays on CNN

In the Dec. 19 CNN online article, "How to have a stylish, sustainable Christmas," SEAS Professor Greg Keoleian shares his advice on how to reduce our carbon footprint...

In the Media
12/22/2020
Researchers have hit on a widely available solution for decarbonizing fertilizer production (Anthropocene)
12/09/2020
Issues Of The Environment: U-M Team Outlines The First Circular Economy For Vehicles (WEMU)
09/30/2020
University of Michigan Study Informs on Plastic Waste, Barriers and Opportunities (Waste 360)
08/04/2020
Why Biden's car plan might not be a 'clunker' (E&E News)
12/01/2018
Despite the Paris Agreement, CO2 emissions are rising again
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