With campus as a test bed, climate action starts and continues at MIT
MIT serves as a laboratory for a multifaceted approach to address the Institute’s own contributions to climate change.
Dec. 18, 2020 • ~10 min
sustainability climate-change energy energy-efficiency emissions research renewable-energy community mechanical-engineering urban-studies-and-planning campus-buildings-and-architecture facilities campus-services
To boost emissions reductions from electric vehicles, know when to charge
MIT researchers develop novel EV emissions model to quantify importance of vehicle charging patterns and impact of ambient temperature on EV emissions levels.
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~8 min
energy carbon-emissions pollution economics policy electricity global-warming energy-efficiency electric-vehicles research mit-energy-initiative energy-storage
It takes a lot of energy for machines to learn – here's why AI is so power-hungry
Training neural networks burns through a lot of energy. As the AI field grows, it's working to keep its carbon foot print from growing with it.
Dec. 14, 2020 • ~8 min
machine-learning computing climate-change artificial-intelligence energy carbon-emissions global-warming energy-efficiency neural-networks reducing-carbon-emissions data-centers
Should you get a heat pump? Here's how they compare to a gas boiler
Heat pumps use electricity to transfer warmth from outside to inside a house.
Dec. 8, 2020 • ~7 min
heating energy-efficiency housing decarbonisation greenhouse-gas-emissions home home-heating heat-pumps
New research will use space telescopes to monitor energy efficiency of buildings
The University of Cambridge is one of 21 organisations awarded a share of over £7 million in funding meant to put the UK at the forefront of the latest
Dec. 7, 2020 • ~5 min
space astronomy climate-change energy energy-efficient
Biden's ambitious energy plan faces headwinds, but can move the US forward
Joe Biden has sweeping plans for a clean energy revolution. Congress will be a big speed bump, but it can't block everything.
Nov. 23, 2020 • ~9 min
climate-change energy electricity fossil-fuels energy-efficiency electric-vehicles renewable-energy energy-transition us-energy-policy oil-and-gas public-lands executive-orders fuel-economy smart-grids
Cracking the secrets of an emerging branch of physics
In a new realm of materials, PhD student Thanh Nguyen uses neutrons to hunt for exotic properties that could power real-world applications.
Nov. 20, 2020 • ~8 min
physics computing climate-change semiconductors electronics quantum-computing quantum-mechanics profile energy-efficiency superconductors research students graduate-postdoctoral school-of-engineering global materials-science-and-engineering nuclear-science-and-engineering
How 10 billion people could live well by 2050 – using as much energy as we did 60 years ago
Flattening inequality between and within countries could allow everyone a good standard of living within a liveable climate.
Oct. 5, 2020 • ~7 min
climate-change energy automation energy-efficiency climate-action renewable-energy energy-consumption global-inequality
Looser standards for showerheads could send a lot of water and money down the drain
The Trump administration is trying to roll back a regulation that requires showerheads to conserve water and saves owners an average of $70 and nearly 3,000 gallons of water yearly per showerhead.
Sept. 2, 2020 • ~8 min
covid-19 water energy-efficiency deregulation drought regulation trump-administration water-conservation water-efficiency us-department-of-energy
Why zero-carbon homes must lead the green recovery from COVID-19
Building a greener economy starts at home.
June 22, 2020 • ~6 min
energy-efficiency housing decarbonisation covid-19-lockdown sustainable-living economic-recovery zero-carbon-homes
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