Courses

This course will cover the science needed to understand hydrology, the link between hydrology and climate, and why climate change will affect the hydrologic cycle. It will then look at what changes have occurred in the past, and what changes are projected for the future and how these changes may affect other sectors, such as agriculture. The final module of the course will look at adaptation measures to adapt to climate change. The course will be formatted to be a mixture of lectures and seminars, with the lecture portion used to introduce scientific concepts and the seminar portion to discuss and evaluate the readings assigned. At the end of this course, students will the hydrologic cycle and its connection to climate, how changes in climate have affected/will affect how much water is available on land, how water impacts ecosystem services, and how to diagnose the cause of a climate-related water problem and develop solutions to address it.

This course is about cost-benefit analysis and the economic evaluations of policies and projects. Cost benefit analysis (CBA) consists of a comprehensive set of techniques used to evaluate government programs. It is now routinely applied in such program areas as transportation, water projects, health, training and education, criminal justice, environmental protection, urban policy and even in the international arena such as foreign direct investment. Many of the techniques of CBA can also be applied to private sector decision-making. The objective of CBA is to determine whether the benefits of a particular program, policy or decision outweigh its costs. The techniques used to determine this are sometimes quite simple, but on other, increasingly frequent occasions are highly sophisticated. Sophisticated cost benefit studies are based on a framework that utilizes the basic concepts of economic theory. In addition, statistical and econometric analyses are often needed to estimate program effects from diverse available data. The course has two parts: methodology and practice. The goal is for students to be practically adept to undertake an independent cost-benefit analysis.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a methodology to assess the environmental impact of products, services, and industrial processes is an increasingly important tool in corporate sustainability management. This course teaches both the theoretical framework as well as step-by-step practical guidelines of conducting LCAs in companies and organizations. Particular emphasis is placed on separating the more academic, but less practically relevant aspects of LCA (which will receive less focus) from the actual practical challenges of LCA (which will be covered in detail, including case studies). The course also covers the application of LCA metrics in a companies’ management and discusses the methodological weaknesses that make such application difficult, including how these can be overcome. Product carbon footprinting (as one form of LCA) receives particular focus, owing to its widespread practical use in recent and future sustainability management.

The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of trends and best practices in corporate communications relating to sustainability, with a particular focus on global sustainability reporting frameworks and green marketing communications. It is designed for those who hold/will hold positions in organizations with responsibilities for communicating the sustainability goals, challenges and achievements, as well as accurately and honestly communicating the environmental aspects of an organization's products and services. Increasingly, large corporations are creating c-suite roles or dedicated departments to oversee this function. More typically, multiple functions contribute information such as: Corporate Communications, Marketing, Community Affairs, Public Policy, Environmental Health & Safety, R&D, Facilities, Operations and Legal. Benefits of reporting range from building trust with stakeholders, and uncovering risks and opportunities; to contributing to stronger long-term business strategy, and creating new products and services.

In an era of growing environmental and social awareness, supply chains have emerged as a powerful lever for driving
sustainability in operations. Supply chain emissions are, on average, 11.4 times higher than operational emissions (1)
making them a critical focal point for impactful change in operations. This course explores the essential role of supply
chains in achieving sustainable outcomes and equips students with the tools and insights needed to transform
conventional practices into innovative, responsible, and efficient systems. This course is part of a broader curriculum
aimed at cultivating leaders who can integrate sustainability into the heart of business strategy. It is designed for
students from diverse professional and academic backgrounds, no prior experience in operations or supply chain
management is required to excel in this course.

Through this interdisciplinary journey, students will gain a robust foundation in supply chain management, learning
to integrate sustainability principles across operations. The course balances analytical skills with creative problem-
solving, preparing students to address real-world challenges. Upon completing this course, students will gain a
comprehensive skillset to analyze, design, and implement sustainable operations solutions in their future careers.
Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic role of supply chains in modern economies,
including their critical impact in decarbonization efforts. Students will also learn to apply key analytical tools such as
demand forecasting and risk assessment, while mastering strategies for sourcing, supplier management, and logistics
optimization.

Throughout history, societies have discovered resources, designed and developed them into textiles,

tools and structures, and bartered and exchanged these goods based on their respective values.

Economies emerged, driven by each society’s needs and limited by the resources and technology

available to them. Over the last two centuries, global development accelerated due in large part to the

overextraction and use of finite resources, whether for energy or materials, and supported by vast

technological advancements. However, this economic model did not account for the long-term impacts of

the disposal or depletion of these finite resources and instead, carried on unreservedly in a “take-make’-

waste” manner, otherwise known as a linear economy. Despite a more profound understanding of our

planet’s available resources, the environmental impact of disposal and depletion, and the technological

advancements of the last several decades, the economic heritage of the last two centuries persists today;

which begs the question: what alternatives are there to a linear economy?

The premise of this course is that through systems-thinking, interdisciplinary solutions for an alternative

economic future are available to us. By looking at resources’ potential, we can shape alternative methods

of procurement, design, application, and create new market demands that aim to keep materials,

products and components in rotation at their highest utility and value. This elective course will delve into

both the theory of a circular economy - which would be a state of complete systemic regeneration and

restoration as well as an optimized use of resources and zero waste - and the practical applications

required in order to achieve this economic model. Achieving perfect circularity represents potentially

transformative systemic change and requires a fundamental re-think of many of our current economic

structures, systems and processes.

This is a full-semester elective course which is designed to create awareness among sustainability

leaders that those structures, systems and processes which exist today are not those which will carry us

(as rapidly as we need) into a more sustaining future. The class will be comprised of a series of lectures,

supported by readings and case-studies on business models, design thinking and material development

and use, that will familiarize students with the concepts and principles that a circular economy presents.

In so doing, we will also explore the challenges that may arise in the adoption of a circular economy in

different geographical, industrial and economic conditions. While the course is based on innovation and

ideation around the potential of this economic future, students will also develop the knowledge to discuss

the merits of a circular economy and its applications with potential employers or begin to develop

ventures of their own. Students will learn to analyze systems, work to design solutions collaboratively,

and receive and provide constructive feedback to and from their peers. This course will benefit anyone

with an interest in a career in sustainability, particularly (but not exclusively) in material science, design,

strategy or entrepreneurship.

Since the rollback of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), federal subsidies targeting energy conservation and renewables have decreased. These legislative changes are hindering progress within the New York City affordable housing sector in meeting climate goals. However, energy opportunities in affordable housing can still be realized with funding provided by government subsidies used in housing, incentives offered by investor-owned utilities, and private capital from mission-driven financial institutions.

This course will assist students in understanding the complexities of mixing private and public funding to bridge the housing gap while achieving climate goals at the same time. Through a structured hierarchy of debt and equity, called a capital stack, students will explore the ways in which expanding energy investments in affordable housing reduce tenant energy burden and improve building performance.

Students will learn fundamental concepts of real estate finance like project feasibility, the sources and use of capital, and the project development process.