Library Guides: ME 448/449: Mechanical Engineering Design Concepts/Projects: Exploring Sustainability

Exploring Sustainability in Engineering Databases

Many of the Engineering databases listed in other sections of this guide include material on sustainability. Here are some recommended search words:

CAT (Penn State library catalog):
- Sustainable Engineering
- Green Technology
- Other words recommended by the Library of Congress Subject Headings database.
Compendex:
- Sustainable Development
- Environmental Impact
- Ecodesign
- Energy Efficiency
- Recycling
- Other words recommended in the Compendex "Thesaurus Search."
Other databases:
- Sustain*
- Environment*
- Green
- Other words you've found in your readings on the topic.

Environmental Sciences Databases

In addition to Engineering databases, consider some of the library's Environmental Sciences databases. Some top ones are:

Sustainability Science Abstracts (within the Environmental Science Index) This link opens in a new window
A portion of ProQuest's Agricultural and Environmental Sciences database that focuses specifically on sustainability.
This database contains resources related to sustainable development and conservation of natural resources. Coverage is from 1995 to date.
Environmental Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window
A portion of ProQuest's Agricultural and Environmental Sciences database that focuses on all types of pollution, environmental engineering, waste, and more.
The Environmental Sciences Collection provides abstracts and references to the environment literature covering all areas of air, land, water, and noise pollution as well as bacteriology, ecology, toxicology, risk assessment, environmental engineering, environmental biotechnology, waste management, and water resources from 1967 to the present.

More Sustainability Resources

Librarians at University Park have developed several detailed, online guides for finding literature on sustainability. Many of them provide additional links to handbooks, databases, professional organizations, government resources, and more.