Materials and the Environment: Eco-Informed Material Choice

Addressing the growing global concern for sustainable engineering, Materials and the Environment, 2e is the only book devoted exclusively to the environmental aspects of materials. It explains the ways in which we depend on and use materials and the consequences these have, and it introduces methods for thinking about and designing with materials within the context of minimizing environmental impact. Along with its noted in-depth coverage of material consumption, the material life-cycle, selection strategies, and legislative aspects, the second edition includes new case studies, important new chapters on Materials for Low Carbon Power and Material Efficiency, all illustrated by in-text examples and expanded exercises. This book is intended for instructors and students as well as materials engineers and product designers who need to consider the environmental implications of materials in their designs.


Introduces methods and tools for thinking about and designing with materials within the context of their role in products and the environmental consequences
Contains numerous case studies showing how the methods discussed in the book can be applied to real-world situations
Includes full-color data sheets for 40 of the most widely used materials, featuring such environmentally relevant information as their annual production and reserves, embodied energy and process energies, carbon footprints, and recycling data
New to this edition:



New chapter of Case Studies of Eco-audits illustrating the rapid audit method New chapter on Materials for Low Carbon Power examines the consequences for materials supply of a major shift from fossil-fuel based power to power from renewables New chapter exploring Material Efficiency, or design and management for manufacture to provide the services we need with the least production of materials Recent news-clips from the world press  that help place materials issues into a broader context.are incorporated into all chapters End-of-chapter exercises have been greatly expanded The datasheets of Chapter 15 have been updated and expanded to include natural and man-made fibers