Editorial pubs.acs.org/journal/ascecg
Cite This: ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2018, 6, 7199−7199
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Virtual Special Issue on Systems Analysis, Design, and Optimization for Sustainability
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chieving substantial improvements in the sustainability of the chemical and energy systems requires the integration of fundamental green chemistry research, applied green engineering solutions, and systems analysis, design, and optimization. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering has provided a platform for sustainable systems research since its launch in 2013, highlighting a plethora of methods, tools, and applications for sustainability analysis. In addition to refining classical life cycle assessment and decision support methodologies, the sustainability analysis field has continued to adapt and evolve computational models, optimization algorithms, statistical methods, and other systems engineering tools for assessing and improving sustainability. In our capacity as advisory board members, this virtual special issue (VSI) in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering was organized to highlight these innovations in systems analysis, design, and optimization methodologies for sustainable chemistry and engineering applications (https://pubs.acs.org/ page/ascecg/vi/systems-analysis-optimization.html). The articles in this VSI are contributed by a diverse set of experts in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, covering a variety of topics on sustainable energy, water, food, and manufacturing systems. These articles address sustainability issues in the analysis, design, and optimization of multiscale complex systems that range from molecular design to energy integration and process design and to life cycle optimization, as well as applications in the fields of CO2 capture and separation, shale gas, water treatment, transportation electrification, nationwide energy infrastructure, and ecosystem services. The sustainability assessment methods described in this VSI will both benefit from and contribute to ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering’s ongoing efforts to include quantitative sustainability metrics in the journal’s publications. Indeed, many of the systems analysis, design, and optimization methods described within this VSI develop quantitative metrics related to the performance of sustainable products or processes. Other systems analysis methodologies described in this VSI have the potential to simplify the generation or improve the accuracy of these quantitative metrics. We take this opportunity to extend our sincere appreciation to all the authors for their contributions. We also greatly appreciate the time and efforts taken by the reviewers to comment on the manuscripts and improve the quality of these submissions. We are thankful to the editorial team of ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, specifically, Professor David T. Allen and Dr. Rhea Williams for their efforts. It is hoped that this VSI will serve as a highlight of research in the evolving field of sustainability analysis and sustainable design for process, energy, water, and environmental systems and also encourage more high-quality submissions in this important area to ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
Meagan S. Mauter Carnegie Mellon University, United States
David Shonnard Michigan Technological University, United States
Fengqi You
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
ORCID
Meagan S. Mauter: 0000-0001-6946-7213 Fengqi You: 0000-0001-9609-4299 Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the authors and not necessarily the views of the ACS.
Heriberto Cabezas
Received: May 15, 2018 Published: June 4, 2018
Pazmany Peter Catholic University, Hungary © 2018 American Chemical Society
Cornell University, United States
7199
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b02227 ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2018, 6, 7199−7199
