Materials Selection for Economic and Environmental Sustainability

Every material choice you make when designing a product has lasting financial and environmental consequences. From resource extraction to end-of-life disposal, selecting the wrong material can lead to high manufacturing costs and a massive carbon footprint. This course provides a clear, structured approach to evaluating these complex tradeoffs, helping you make smarter, more sustainable design decisions. You will learn how to balance engineering requirements with economic viability and modern environmental standards. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles of materials selection and life-cycle thinking - Apply engineering economics to calculate manufacturing costs and long-term financial viability - Conduct simplified life-cycle assessments (LCA) to measure environmental impact and carbon footprint - Analyze materials processing methods and their associated energy consumption - Evaluate modern circular economy concepts, including recycling, reuse, and material substitution strategies - Balance competing economic and environmental constraints to select the optimal material for any product This course begins with foundational concepts in materials science, environmental metrics, and engineering economics. You will then progress through practical evaluation models, analyzing real-world scenarios to see how material choices influence both the balance sheet and the planet. This text-based program is designed for engineering students, product designers, and sustainability professionals who are new to materials selection and want to build a solid, practical foundation. No prior background in economics or environmental science is required. Start making informed, sustainable engineering decisions today.