COI Spotlight—Environmental and Energy Systems
In this issue of Highlights, we continue our series COI Spotlight, which provides an overview of each new Center of Innovation (COI) within the Volpe Center. Featured this month is the Environmental and Energy Systems COI, headed by Director Gregg G. Fleming.
New policies and technological innovations relating to minimizing the dependency on petroleum are needed to improve the way that people and goods move around the country and the world and to reduce our nation's carbon footprint. With energy independence at the forefront, our future transportation enterprise will need to efficiently and costeffectively accommodate new energy-saving technologies. Our transportation system will also need to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and be prepared for the potential impacts of climate variability and climate change.
The Environmental and Energy Systems COI provides technical and analytical support for decision-making at all levels of government and industry in three main areas:
- Transportation-related environmental and energy policies, primarily concerning climate variability, air, noise, and environmental compliance, engineering and remediation, and hazardous materials.
- The role of transportation in achieving energy independence both as a consumer of energy and as the critical element in the energy supply chain.
- R&D capabilities supporting all modes of transportation and other Volpe Center COIs.
The cutting-edge knowledge and hands-on expertise of the world-class COI staff provide clients with the tools to envision the future of energy and transportation more clearly and to evaluate future program applications.
The Volpe Center maintains a staff of internationally recognized experts in environment and energy poised to support the new administration on initiatives related to fuel efficiency standards, green technologies, and carbon neutral growth.
- Gregg G. Fleming, Director Environmental and Energy Systems COI
COI clients include the FAA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Park Service (NPS), NASA, the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The COI’s robust portfolio includes projects in areas such as:
- U.S. and international aviation system: provide NextGen support for FAA and NASA and international policymaking support within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- Alternative fuels technologies: developed the alternative fuels roadmap to provide strategic guidance to U.S. DOT on the transportation implications of natural gas, hydrogen, biomass, and electricity.
- Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to regulate and increase the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks sold in the U.S.: developed the CAFE Compliance and Effects Modeling System, which calculates fuel savings and compliance costs.
- Highway traffic noise: researched quiet pavement materials and developed the Traffic Noise Model software to predict highway noise as a resource for highway noise barrier design.
- Environmental assessments and impact statements: researched and wrote Air Tour Management Plans to mitigate adverse impacts on NPS natural and cultural resources; researched mercury contamination mitigation as well as environmental impacts associated with commercial motor vehicle collisions.
- Environmental remediation and cleanup: managed large-scale environmental cleanup operations for a top-priority EPA superfund site.
- Environmental and marine engineering and naval architecture: provided engineering, logistics, acquisition and program management for the decommissioning of the nuclear ship Savannah, including decontamination and remediation programs.
Noise measurement equipment used in the development of Air Tour Management Plans. (
Volpe Center photo)
