Secure, sustainable, energy-filled living

Climate change, renewable energy, and clean technologies are among the most urgent problems facing our planet today. All of these challenges pose potential long-term consequences for the health of populations—young and old—around the globe.

Building upon long-term institutional strengths in plant science, power, and applied sciences and engineering, WSU researchers pursue interdisciplinary solutions to meet current resource needs without compromising future generations.

As a charter member of the state’s Clean Tech Alliance and ranked among the top ten clean-technology universities by Sustainable World Capital, WSU has been recognized for significant advances in developing accessible and affordable alternative energy resources.

Among the areas of related research in which the University is engaged that potentially impact health:

Air, water, and soil

University experts apply their expertise and research discoveries to collaborations with communities statewide, seeking to help steer the Pacific Northwest toward progressive solutions regarding energy use, building codes, manufacturing emissions, carbon research, and more—all of which contribute to the overall health of our communities.

For example, experts at WSU’s Center for Environmental Research, Education, and Outreach emphasize the integrative study of natural and managed ecosystems and the social and human dimensions of environmental change.

Scientists at the Laboratory for Atmospheric Research seek to understand the effects of agricultural practices on air quality as well as determine the fate of pollutants exported from urban areas. The lab provides daily forecasts of ozone and particulate matter concentrations for the Pacific Northwest.

The State of Washington Water Research Center, jointly managed by WSU and the UW, provides leadership in oversight of the state’s water resources—a resource essential to the physical, social, cultural, and economic health of the state’s residents.

The School of the Environment applies an interdisciplinary research approach to address topical issues critical to the long-term health of our planet and its citizens. The School’s scientists are focused on providing the state, region, and nation with solutions to a wide variety of pressing environmental problems associated with human impacts on natural resources and the earth’s ecosystems.

Sustainable design

Our national and global energy consumption habits are creating ever-increasing environmental, geopolitical, and economic challenges—causing ripple effects across the broad spectrum of healthcare-related issues.

A number of WSU faculty are tackling these challenges, including researchers affiliated with the Institute for Sustainable Design, which seeks to innovate the processes and designs that reduce energy and water footprints, create equity across economic levels, and build trust and share vision within communities.

Experts at the Composite Materials and Engineering Center are developing new building materials and innovative structural systems from sustainable resources. Discoveries made by the Center’s researchers make important contributions to challenges as diverse as public health and energy use.

Precision agriculture

Today’s agricultural practices can take a toll on the environment—emitting greenhouse gases, polluting waterways, gobbling up vast quantities of resources—and compromising our health.

Scientists at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources lead WSU’s institutional efforts focused on the critical, emerging issues that affect the sustainability of agriculture, food, and natural resource systems. Since its inception in 1991, the Center has dedicated efforts to such critical issues as pesticide reduction, sustainable agriculture policy, organic agriculture, climate change, and limited resource farmers—topics with far-reaching health implications regionally, nationally, and globally.

Measure to Manage: Farm and Food Diagnostics for Sustainability and Health is one of the Center’s newest initiatives. It seeks to develop, refine, validate, and apply analytical systems quantifying the impacts of farming systems, technology, and policy on food nutritional quality, food safety, agricultural productivity, economic performance along food value chains, and on natural resources and the environment.

Renewable biofuels and bioproducts

WSU experts seek to develop renewable, environmentally friendly energy systems that span the supply chain in the biofuels industry. Among other benefits, success in these endeavors will reduce pollutants and preserve natural resources, contributing to the health of individuals.

Among the University’s efforts in renewable biofuels and bioproducts is the Center for Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and the Environment. The Federal Aviation Administration selected WSU and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to co-lead the center, which in part will help address the emerging environmental needs of the nation’s aerospace industry as part of its mission.

The Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) is a WSU-led consortium of private industry, educational institutions, and government laboratories that seeks to build a sustainable industry for producing aviation biofuels in the Pacific Northwest. The effort, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, seeks to produce biofuels and co-products from feedstocks as diverse as forest residue and construction waste.

Other faculty partner with industry to develop new fuel cell systems that directly convert bio-based jet fuels to electricity, for on-board power systems employed in new, more electricity-powered aircraft.

The Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory located at the WSU Tri-Cities campus partners with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to develop, demonstrate, and commercialize bioproducts, bioprocesses, and bioenergy. The lab creates new opportunities for agriculture and economic development in the Pacific Northwest while working to protect the environment.