Cradle to Cradle Systems Analysis for Chemical and Biological Engineers: The Role of Progressive Sampling in Possibility Envelope for Value Added Manufacturing Design and Chemical Process Applications

The mathematical framework of the principles of holistic systems interactions is demonstrated by facilitating experiential learning with specific industrial case study examples. Two industrial case study examples are introduced as potential interactive teaching tools. Industrial case studies play an increasingly important role in the teaching of systems engineering and sustainability within an industrial ecological framework utilizing metacognitive and experiential learning principles. Each individual case study example makes use of the “closed loop” optimization of material and energy inflows and outflows to minimize waste and harmful environmental emissions. The attainment of the “closed loop” is achieved by facilitating successive progressive stages of materials and energy recovery and re-processing coupled with the re-utilization and regeneration of intermediate byproducts and waste from each successive processing stage. The options that can be exercised to minimize harmful environmental impacts are explored by progressive sampling within the possibility envelope. The learner is expected to demonstrate the systematic process of “narrowing down” of the options and choices through a decision making process starting off with the lead activity lifecycle which defines the outermost boundary of the possibility envelope. The scope of all possible actions and consequences is explored and reduced successively by the introduction and consideration of all other life cycles; progressing along a decision pathway that updates and integrates the considerations made under each of the materials and energy life cycles