Matthew Eckelman Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Research, Civil and Environmental Engineering m.eckelman@neu.edu 617.373.4256 Expertise environmental impacts of metals production use emissions and recovery, life cycle assessment of products and services, material and energy use in urban environments and civil infrastructure, systems modeling of bioenergy and bio-based industrial chemicals Matthew Eckelman in the Press We built a fake metropolis to show how extreme cold could wreck cities Power plants aren’t built for extremes, said Matt Eckelman, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern University. They operate best in the middle of the temperature range for which they were designed. Popular Science How bad are incandescent light bulbs for the environment? Only two to three percent of the electricity powering the bulb actually is converted to visible light, says Matthew J. Eckelman, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern University. Hidden harm: US healthcare emits more greenhouse gas than entire UK Their new study, published in PLoS ONE, estimates that damage from pollutants connected to healthcare leads to an annual loss of 405,000 to 470,000 years of healthy life, or so-called disability-adjusted life years. The loss equates to roughly the same number of Americans as die every year from preventable medical errors: 44,000 to 98,000, the […] Concrete is not as strong of a building material as we thought Some of our favorite building materials are also the most vulnerable. Think of glass–floor-to-ceiling windows are awesome, until they fall 18 stories onto the street. But we typically think of concrete as solid. Concrete structures from ancient Rome, like the Pantheon and the Colosseum, are still standing almost 2,000 years later. However, a new study […] For concrete, climate change may mean a shorter lifespan When climate change comes for Boston, many expect it to come by sea, in the form of rising tides and massive storm surges that will sweep Logan Airport into the Atlantic. The city is already beginning to plan its defense, with proposals for “amphibious architecture,” levees, storm baffles, and pumping stations. But a new study […] Matthew Eckelman for Northeastern Global News Ten things to do on Northeastern’s Boston campus for National Engineers Week Ten things to do on Northeastern’s Boston campus for National Engineers Week Learn how industrial engineers are fighting human trafficking. Examine robots that fly, drive, and swim. Tour labs in the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex. Global climate deal to phase out fast-growing pollutant. What happens next? Global climate deal to phase out fast-growing pollutant. What happens next? More than 170 countries reached a landmark climate deal last weekend to limit the use of a chemical used in air conditioners and refrigerators that’s been called the world’s fastest-growing climate pollutant. Northeastern professor Matthew Eckelman weighs in on the deal’s significance and the environmental trade offs that come with replacing one technology with another. Influence of Young Scholars Program reverberates through time Influence of Young Scholars Program reverberates through time Assistant professor Matthew Eckelman has come full circle in his career, hosting young scholars in his lab, guiding them toward STEM careers. Researchers reveal the hidden environmental and public health impacts of the US healthcare sector Researchers reveal the hidden environmental and public health impacts of the US healthcare sector Over the past 10 years, the US healthcare sector’s greenhouse gas emissions grew over 30%, accounting for 9.8% of the national total in 2013. To battle natural hazards, interdisciplinary research team turns to resilient, sustainable buildings To battle natural hazards, interdisciplinary research team turns to resilient, sustainable buildings A team of Northeastern researchers has received a National Science Foundation grant to develop a decision framework for designing buildings that are both resilient and sustainable in the face of multiple environmental hazards like earthquakes, flooding, and heavy winds. The secrets to success in urban design The secrets to success in urban design Experts from academia and the public and private sectors converged at Northeastern for a daylong symposium focused on how to design sustainable cities for the future.
We built a fake metropolis to show how extreme cold could wreck cities Power plants aren’t built for extremes, said Matt Eckelman, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern University. They operate best in the middle of the temperature range for which they were designed.
Popular Science How bad are incandescent light bulbs for the environment? Only two to three percent of the electricity powering the bulb actually is converted to visible light, says Matthew J. Eckelman, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern University.
Hidden harm: US healthcare emits more greenhouse gas than entire UK Their new study, published in PLoS ONE, estimates that damage from pollutants connected to healthcare leads to an annual loss of 405,000 to 470,000 years of healthy life, or so-called disability-adjusted life years. The loss equates to roughly the same number of Americans as die every year from preventable medical errors: 44,000 to 98,000, the […]
Concrete is not as strong of a building material as we thought Some of our favorite building materials are also the most vulnerable. Think of glass–floor-to-ceiling windows are awesome, until they fall 18 stories onto the street. But we typically think of concrete as solid. Concrete structures from ancient Rome, like the Pantheon and the Colosseum, are still standing almost 2,000 years later. However, a new study […]
For concrete, climate change may mean a shorter lifespan When climate change comes for Boston, many expect it to come by sea, in the form of rising tides and massive storm surges that will sweep Logan Airport into the Atlantic. The city is already beginning to plan its defense, with proposals for “amphibious architecture,” levees, storm baffles, and pumping stations. But a new study […]