Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering at ASU

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Sustainable Urban Engineering (SUrE)

Areas of Research

Air Quality

Cyberinfrastructure

Environmental Biotechnology

Housing & Construction

Electric Power Systems

Transportation and Infrastructure

Water Quality and Management

Renewable Energy

Academic Units Involved in SUrE Research

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

School of Materials

Del E. Webb School of Construction

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

School of Computing and Informatics

sustainable urban engineering

The central thrust behind sustainability is the capacity of metropolitan areas to grow and prosper without destroying or depleting natural resources. In recent years, more people in large cities and surrounding suburbs has meant added stress to our existing infrastructure—from the electric power grid and transmission lines to highways and water supply systems. Additional issues, such as air quality, housing construction costs and services, high-tech industry growth and land use have also posed their special challenges.

The goal of Sustainable Urban Engineering (SUrE) research is to address these challenges as not isolated problems demanding quick fixes or remediation, but cross-cutting issues benefiting from a comprehensive approach that factor in the complex interplay of demographics, ecology, geopolitics, policy-making, economic viability, and more importantly, our role as responsible stewards of the environment.

Researchers in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering study the dynamics of sustainable systems, innovating new tools and technologies that support smart growth and help alleviate some of the adverse effects associated with population surge and urban sprawl. Included within these efforts are university, industry, state and federally-funded research centers led by engineering faculty:

Housing Research Institute (HRI)

Environmental Fluid Dynamics Group

National Center for Sustainable Water Supply (NCSWS)

Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC)

Water Quality Center

SMART Innovations for Urban Climate and Energy

Fuel Cell Cluster

The Decision Theater

Engineering researchers also contribute to significant efforts within ASU's Sustainability Initiative porfolio, as well as to research centers within the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS) and The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. GIOS incorporates expertise from multiple disciplines to accomplish its goal of becoming a global leader in sustainability research, education and integrated solutions. Interdisciplinary research in the Biodesign Institute is leveraging the promise of nanotechnology to improve water quality and the environment.

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