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This 1998 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the U.S. Department of Energy examines how energy-efficient building design—specifically improvements in lighting, heating, and cooling—can lead to significant increases in worker productivity, reduced absenteeism, and improved work quality. Through eight case studies of commercial and industrial facilities, the authors argue that the economic gains from productivity often far exceed the direct energy cost savings, making efficient design a highly cost-effective business strategy.

The Hypercar® is a conceptual vehicle developed by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) that integrates ultralightweight construction, ultra-aerodynamic design, and hybrid-electric propulsion to achieve extreme fuel efficiency without sacrificing safety or performance.

This 1998 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute examines water-saving technologies and practices for residential use, moving beyond the 1992 National Plumbing Standards to explore high-efficiency fixtures, graywater and rainwater systems, and sustainable landscaping.

This case study examines the integration of lean manufacturing principles with environmental management at Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. (HAM), specifically focusing on its Ohio-based plants. It explores how Honda's 'localization' policy and lean philosophy—emphasizing waste reduction, employee empowerment, and continuous improvement—contribute to environmental performance and the company's pursuit of ISO 14000 certification, while comparing these practices to those of its competitor, Toyota.

This case study examines IKEA's integration of environmental sustainability into its global business model, specifically focusing on its partnership with The Natural Step (TNS) and the implementation of these principles within its North American operations during the 1990s.

This teaching note, prepared by Dr. Christine H. Stinson for the World Resources Institute, provides a framework for discussing corporate environmental accounting using the case of Specialty Glass, Inc. It focuses on how traditional cost accounting can distort the perceived cost of products that generate hazardous waste and the associated financial risks and liabilities.

This report examines the application of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in post-apartheid South Africa, reviewing international experiences and local urban challenges. It argues that while the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) identifies environmental design as a key pillar, implementation is limited by a lack of practitioner knowledge and the enduring spatial inequalities created by apartheid planning. The document proposes a 'Safer by Design' strategy based on flexible national guidelines, local pilot projects, and a system of incentives rather than rigid enforcement.

This position paper by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlines twelve principles to guide the implementation of Joint Implementation (JI) under the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). The document argues against moving from the JI pilot phase to full crediting without an independent evaluation and a comprehensive legal framework, highlighting significant technical, environmental, and socio-economic risks associated with the project-by-project approach.

This research paper analyzes the transition of the US-led African Crisis Response Force (ACRF) into the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) in 1997. It examines the ACRI's focus on long-term capacity-building through military training for African battalions to enhance peacekeeping interoperability, while critiquing the initiative's lack of coordination with the OAU and UN, its reliance on US military doctrine, and the absence of a clear mechanism for deploying the trained forces.

This document records the decisions made during the Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on June 11-12, 1997. The meeting focused on administrative approvals, budget requests, the adoption of a science agenda, and the election of Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) members.

This report summarizes a May 1997 search conference convened by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the North-South Institute (NSI). The conference aimed to implement recommendations from the November 1996 'Connecting with the World' report, advocating for the integration of knowledge and information and communication technologies (ICTs) into Canadian foreign policy to enhance international development and Canada's transition to a knowledge-based economy.

This 1997 draft report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the University of Toronto examines the vulnerability of agriculture in the Canadian Prairies to climate change. It analyzes historical droughts, projects future agroclimatic shifts, and discusses the economic and policy adaptations required to maintain sustainability and global competitiveness.

This research paper by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) proposes the 'hypercar'—an ultralight, low-drag, hybrid-electric vehicle platform—as a means to accelerate the adoption of proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). By drastically reducing the energy required for propulsion, the hypercar platform mitigates the traditional challenges of hydrogen storage and fuel-cell cost, potentially allowing for the commercialization of hydrogen-powered transport years earlier than conventional vehicle designs would permit.

This research paper describes the 'hypercar' concept—an ultralight, hybrid-electric vehicle designed using a system-level optimization approach to minimize lifecycle environmental impacts without sacrificing consumer-valued features like performance and price.

This 1997 case study by the World Resources Institute examines the history and strategic evolution of the Weyerhaeuser Company, focusing on its transition from a traditional timber harvester to a leader in High Yield Forestry (HYF) and sustainable forest stewardship.

This case study describes the business model of Distributor Inc., a major independent chemical distributor in the United States, and provides context on the environmental impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), specifically freon, which the company distributed.

This case study examines the impact of the federal Fluorocarbon Tax on Distributor Inc., a large independent chemical distributor in the United States. The document details how the tax on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), intended to protect the stratospheric ozone layer, created accounting challenges and strained customer relationships as costs were passed through the supply chain.

This document is an annotated bibliography prepared for a 1996 conference in Beijing and the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. It summarizes various reports, articles, and books concerning the ISO 14000 series of environmental management standards and their implications for business strategy, international trade, and regulatory shifts.

This 1996 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the development and implications of China's national ecolabelling program. It details the program's structure, its role in reducing domestic environmental stress, and the potential for environmental labels to act as trade barriers for developing countries. The document evaluates the impact of foreign ecolabelling on Chinese exports—specifically in the textile and refrigerator sectors—and provides recommendations for strengthening China's program through increased transparency, the adoption of life-cycle analysis, and international cooperation to achieve mutual recognition of standards.

This 1996 research paper examines the impact of 'hypercars'—ultralight vehicles using advanced composites and hybrid-electric drivesystems—on the recycling industry. While these vehicles offer significant fuel efficiency, emissions reductions, and manufacturing cost advantages, they threaten the economic viability of current recycling systems that rely on steel recovery. The authors propose a shift toward advanced recycling technologies like solvolysis and low-temperature catalytic pyrolysis to recover high-value carbon fibers and resins, suggesting that clean-sheet design for disassembly could ultimately increase overall automotive recyclability.