Cambridge, July 2003

CES4.1 EDUPACK introduces eco-properties of materials

CES4.1 EDUPACK, the latest version of the Cambridge Engineering Selector materials teaching software, includes new content to help professors introduce environmentally conscious design into the curriculum.

Since its launch in mid-2002, CES4 EDUPACK has been adopted by over 300 academic institutions worldwide as standard materials teaching software for engineers and designers.

CES EDUPACK is structured into three teaching levels, covering first year to Masters, each Level with increasing sophistication. Level 2 with 66 materials, covering second-year to fourth-year, now includes eco-properties. They include: product energy, carbon dioxide per kg of material, suitability of a material for recycling, downcycling, biodegrading, incineration, landfill, renewability, recycle mark and a short description.

Professor Mike Ashby of Cambridge University and architect of the EDUPACK says that teachers are increasingly looking for ways to introduce eco-design concepts into the curriculum and that students find them appealing to learn.

"Environmental impact is a strong force for change in materials today and student engineers and designers want to know about it. In the latest version of EDUPACK, we've aimed to provide enough information for students to get started without being overwhelmed."