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Sustainable Materials
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:29:54
Abstract
The lecture addresses the issue of sustainability in manufacturing, focussing on materials. The most used materials, their production and transformation into a product are analysed in terms of energy consumption and emissions. Emphasis is then placed on alternative design strategies which reduce the use of materials and innovative processes which lower energy consumption and emissions.
Objective
After this lecture students will be able to: • Develop a critical thinking of published sustainability data and facts • Explain where the materials that we use come from, what emissions arise from the different steps of raw material production and product manufacturing • Determine where significant changes can be brought • Develop feasible solutions towards a more sustainable use of materials
Content
• Introduction : what is sustainability, which industrial sectors are responsible for the most CO2 (and other) emissions • The “real” numbers: where to find reliable data and how one can play with the figures • Basics of life cycle analysis • CO2 and other emissions • The most used materials o The 5 most used materials today, their key properties and what they are used for o Evolution of production, consumption and resources • Production, recyclability and new processing routes for Al and steel • Use less material by design • Re-use of materials & prolonging products life • Production of cement, new developments & alternatives • Presentation of students’ projects
Resources
Lecture Notes
Slides distributed and available on Moodle
Literature
References given in the lecture
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture |
Sustainable Materials
The lecture starts in the second week.
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|
2 h weekly |
| independent project | Sustainable Materials | No time listed | 2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing (Focus Coordinator: Prof. Dennis Kochmann To achieve the required 20 credit points for the Focus Specialization Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing, all of the courses listed can be selected. If you wish to take a Master level course, you must obtain the consent of the responsible lecturer. After approval by the focus coordinator, an additional course to the listed courses can be requested. There are recommended lectures for the “Design” track, the “Mechanics” track and the “Manufacturing” track. For recommended courses and further information, please visit the MAVT website for Focus Specialization ( ).)
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