Books

Click on the links below to see what books are available in the library in some key areas related to Sustainability Issues, Life Cycle Assessment and Management.

• Biomimetic Design
• Biomimicry and Energy efficiency
• Construction Management
• Eco Design
• Eco Design Course Reserves
• Life Cycle and Environment*
• Material Flow Analysis
• Nature and Design and Bio*
• Sustainable Industrial Design
• Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Eco* Design
• Appropriate Technology
• Sustainability
• Energy and Technology

To find additional books, search in our online catalog using Advanced Keyword Searching and using appropriate research keywords.

Electronic Books

Click on the links below to access electronic books (Access only to Drexel faculty and students)

You can access full book chapters using electronic book collections such as ebrary, ENGnetBASE,  Knovel, MATERIALSnetBASE, and MECHANICALnetBASE.

• AccessScience
• CivilENGINEERINGnetBASE
• ebrary
• ElectricalENGINEERINGnetBASE
• ENGnetBASE
• ENVIROnetBASE
• Knovel: Engineering and Scientific Online References
• MATERIALSnetBASE
• MechanicalENGINEERINGnetBASE

Using Summon:

Try Summon to find books, articles and more. See also What is Summon? How can I use it?

• Click on Articles & More Tab in the Library Home page
• For example, type ‘biomimicry and energy efficiency’ and click on Search Library link.
• Refine your search results by selecting an option from the left column. For example, select ‘ebook’ option. You will see a listing with links to  electronic books. You can also limit to articles from scholarly publications, including peer-review.

• See:  Nature’s inspiration: Solving sustainability challenges , Strategic Direction24. 9 (2008): 33-35.

Engineering Databases

Use databases below to find scholarly journal articles on the topic of your research project.

• ASCE Digital Library
• Annual Reviews
• BuildingGreen – (BuildingGreen Suite integrates online versions of GreenSpec, Environmental Building News, and a database of more than 160 high-performance building case studies.)
• Earthquake Engineering Abstracts
• Ei Compendex and INSPEC
• GeoRef
• Google Scholar
• GreenFILE
• Home Depot Smart Home
• IEEE Xplore
• MAD CAD – (NOTE: access to cross-referenced collections of building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire, and maintenance codes from BOCA, SBCCI, ICBO, ICC, and NFPA.)
• ScienceDirect
• Transportation Research Information Services Online
• Web of Science
• How do I obtain full papers from the Proceedings of the SPIE and other conferences that are not available in the library?

ILI Standards Infobase

The ILI standards database is a bibliographic standards database. It covers over 600,000 worldwide standards. Over 250 major Standards issuing authorities are covered, from the US, Europe, the international bodies ISO and IEC to Japan and Australia. Any ASTM standards can also be requested through ILI Standards Infobase.

Interdisciplinary Databases

• Database/Article Indexes for Interdisciplinary Research

Web Resources and Journal Articles

• Life Cycle Assessment (EPA)
• Winter Barley Ethanol receive a “green” rating
• Evaluation of Risks of Metal Flows and Acumulation in Economy and Environment
• Practical Handbook of Material Flow Analysis
• The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to LCA
• Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Goods and Services (Book will be in the Library)
• Life Cycle Energy Analysis of a Water Distribution System
• Sustainability Assessment: Criteria and Processes
• Urban Transformations and Sustainability
• Eco Design checklist

The senior design team of Eric Eisele, Courtney Reid, Dan Pugh, Sarah Byrnes, and Charlie Woods was awarded a Phase II People, Prosperity, and Planet Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  See Senior Design Team wins EPA funding for more details.

Eric and his team used several Library resources over a period of time.  These include:

• ASCE Civil Engineering Database
• ASCE Conference Proceedings Online
• BuildingGreen – (BuildingGreen Suite integrates online versions of GreenSpec, Environmental Building News, and a database of more than 160 high-performance building case studies.)
• DoE Energy Codes
• Ei Compendex and INSPEC
• Environmental Engineering Abstracts
• Google Scholar
• Home Depot Smart Home
• Knovel: Engineering and Scientific Online References
• MAD CAD – (NOTE: access to cross-referenced collections of building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire, and maintenance codes from BOCA, SBCCI, ICBO, ICC, and NFPA.)
• ScienceDirect
• Statistical Resources
• Statistical Resources on the Web-Energy
• Web of Knowledge

Eric also needed some ASTM standards for the Solar Coating project. Using How Do I access ASTM, SAE, ASHRAE, ISO or ANSI standards? Any other standards? Eric was able to obtain ASTM standards that he needed for the project. Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering and Materials Engineering Site include a few resources that may also help in future for other projects. See also Cool Roofs and Cool Roofing Materials Database available from Heat Island Group Resources.

Eric also contributed in creating  Drexel’s web site for Sustainability and Drexel Green.

Congratulations to the Senior Design Team!

Completed in November of 2007, the Smart Home was awarded a LEED-NC Platinum Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its excellence is sustainable design. Several sustainable systems are incorporated into the home including rainwater harvesting, solar hot water heating, photovoltaic power generation, a green roof, rain garden, energy recovery ventilator, and renewable and recycled materials. Alongside these systems, many innovative technologies developed by the students are integrated into the home including voice recognition systems, shower water heat recovery, and energy performance and water usage monitoring systems.

Continue reading at:  Home Depot Smart Home

See also:  The Whole Building Design Techniques and Technologies