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Greg Keoleian
Peter M. Wege Endowed Professor of Sustainable Systems; Director, Center for Sustainable Systems
Climate + Energy
Food Systems
Cities + Mobility + Built Environment
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
Websites