Sustainability

Helping Mexico design an effective climate policy

MIT researchers are working with the Mexican government on carbon pricing options to meet the country’s climate goals under the Paris Agreement.

November 17, 2017

"Science is never sufficient to solve an environmental problem but it's always, always necessary," Susan Solomon said at the 7th annual John Carlson Lecture at the New England Aquarium.

A brief history of environmental successes

Susan Solomon's John H. Carlson Lecture examines past environmental challenges in the context of today's fight against climate change.

November 9, 2017

A look at 10 years of the MIT Energy Initiative, by the numbers

3Q: Robert Armstrong on 10 years of energy research at MIT

MIT Energy Initiative Director Robert Armstrong shares perspectives on past successes and ongoing and future energy projects at the Institute.

November 7, 2017

An MIT team won first place for urban design with the Redwood Forest, a series of woodsy habitats enclosed in open, public domes that would reside on the Martian surface.

Mars city living: Designing for the Red Planet

A multidisciplinary team of MIT students and postdocs wins an international competition focused on building sustainably on Mars.

October 31, 2017

Researchers looked at 11 metro areas — including Atlanta, Georgia, pictured — to examine how much local emissions-reductions programs can help combat climate change. They found that there is likely to be greater impact in the area of residential energy rather than transportation, especially given local hurdles against more compact development.

How cities can fight climate change most effectively

Energy-efficient construction is key to lowering urban emissions, study finds.

October 26, 2017

"Strange Weather," appearing at the 2018 Seoul Biennale, focuses on artificial distinctions between interior and exterior.

Innovative MIT projects at the Seoul Biennale

Projects by School of Architecture and Planning faculty, researchers, and alumni explore the exhibition's theme of “Imminent Commons.”

October 26, 2017

“Our technology takes plastic out of the landfill, locks it up in concrete, and also uses less cement to make the concrete, which makes fewer carbon dioxide emissions,” says assistant professor Michael Short.

MIT students fortify concrete by adding recycled plastic

Adding bits of irradiated plastic water bottles could cut cement industry’s carbon emissions.

October 25, 2017

Left to right: Rania Ghosn, Rosalind Williams, and Caroline Jones joined guest lecturer Imre Szeman for a panel discussion after his talk on ways to shift from “petroculture.”

Energy transition through aesthetics and culture

MIT Energy Initiative seminar examines the role of the humanities, design, and aesthetics in catalyzing a fairer, more diverse energy future.

October 24, 2017

A new way to harness wasted methane

Approach developed at MIT could help curb needless “flaring” of potent greenhouse gas.

October 17, 2017

Emily Tow PhD '17, displays equipment she developed to measure the effects of different pressure levels on the way microorganisms build up on membranes used for desalinating water.

Toward efficient high-pressure desalination

Surprisingly, pressurization isn’t to blame for fouling of membranes, study finds.

October 15, 2017

The winning team, named A Salt Solution, won $10,000 for a prototype of a simple, low-cost hydrogel that can be incorporated into water desalination plants or placed directly into bodies of water to collect uranium. The team members are: (left to right) Jasmine Harris, Cynthia Lo, and William “Robin” Lindemann.

Hydrogel that extracts uranium from water wins MADMEC

Teams developing materials solutions for ships and buildings split second and third prizes.

October 13, 2017

A new analysis indicates that, without proper planning, there could be short-term bottlenecks in the supplies of some metals, particularly lithium and cobalt, that could cause temporary slowdowns in lithium-ion battery production. This map shows today’s trade flows of key ingredients for battery production, with exports from each country shown in red and imports in green.

Will metal supplies limit battery expansion?

Rise of electric vehicles and grid storage may cause bottlenecks, but no showstoppers, analysis suggests.

October 11, 2017

MIT researchers have developed an “air-breathing” battery that could store electricity for very long durations for about a third the price of current technologies, with minimal location restraints and zero emissions.

Making renewable power more viable for the grid

“Air-breathing” battery can store electricity for months, for about a fifth the cost of current technologies.

October 11, 2017

The new MIT Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) will streamline the organization of materials research on campus and enhance collaboration, Vice President for Research Maria Zuber (center) says. To Zuber’s left is MRL Director Carl Thompson, the Stavros Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. They are joined by newly named MRL Co-Director Geoffrey Beach, who is an associate pro...

Introducing the Materials Research Laboratory at MIT

Materials Processing Center, Center for Materials Science and Engineering merger brings together formidable resources for advancing next-generation materials.

October 10, 2017

MIT to host summit on climate leadership in northeast U.S., eastern Canada

Michael Bloomberg will deliver keynote address.

September 29, 2017

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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