Noblis staff includes climate change and sustainability professionals conversant in all aspects of sustainable development in a carbon- and resource-constrained world. Reducing carbon footprints and growing sustainably are closely intertwined, spanning building efficiency, irrigation, renewable energy, water supply and wastewater treatment, stormwater management, transit-oriented development planning, transportation, landfills and recycling, livestock manure management, and ecosystem management. Our professionals grasp the entire picture from A to Z and bring a systems engineering approach to develop the best greenhouse gas management strategy for a given enterprise, including environmental, cost, productivity, policy and regulatory considerations.
Climate Change Action Planning
Noblis has developed a set of methodologies and tools to address climate change that are suitable for use with entities of all types: local and state governments, federal agencies, military installations, and corporations. One necessary ingredient for such a toolkit is an understanding of climate change impacts projected for the various regions of the country. For this Noblis analyzed the large body of regional climate change modeling research conducted to date for the continental U.S., and synthesized the results into pictures of how climate change will impact different regions of the country by mid-century and late in the century. We also developed frameworks for the processes involved in developing practical, prioritized, system-wide action plans for addressing climate change, both to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The toolkit includes a large set of measures suitable for crafting goals and actions, as well as a concise guide to the myriad opportunities available for improving sustainability while addressing climate change. The strategic approaches in the toolkit encompass best practices in: water resources management (water supply and wastewater treatment), wet infrastructure, stormwater management, flood and erosion control, buildings and grounds, land use planning and transit-oriented development, many aspects of transportation, solid waste management, waste to energy, renewable energy generation, public health and safety, emergency preparedness and response, and ecosystem protection.
Sustainability Energy Management
Noblis capabilities in energy management include strategic planning and program development, energy efficiency improvements, operation and maintenance enhancements, and awareness and training. We are experienced with the development of renewable energy systems ranging from ten kilowatts to one megawatt in size, and technology assessments covering photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, and biomass technologies.
Clean Carbon-Based Energy
Noblis has been providing technical assistance and systems engineering support for over 25 years relating to fossil fuels and energy derived from biomass and hydrogen. Noblis’ strengths include handson experience in complex energy related projects, impartiality in recommending solutions, project management expertise across organizational and geographic boundaries, and industry expertise across a wide range of scientific, engineering, and business areas. Noblis support has taken the form of:
- developing detailed computer simulation models of fossil and biomass energy conversion systems, particularly coal and biomass to liquid fuels;
- independent and unbiased assessments of the potential technical and economic impact of developing certain technologies, including estimates of cost and profitability;
- life cycle analysis;
- validation of technology progress;
- research and development (R&D) guidance;
- program planning and evaluation; and
- cost-benefit analyses.
Water Resources Management
Noblis has extensive capabilities in all aspects of water resources management: water planning and management, water supply assessment, water infrastructure security and sustainability, and watershed management. Noblis has recognized expertise and experience in monitoring and managing natural and municipal water use and quality to include understanding, estimating and modeling the status, uses, changes and value of this critical natural resource. Noblis experts assist regional entities in supply-side management and resource optimization, and assist market sector users through engineering and audit services to optimize their water consumption and right-size total demand. Noblis engineers help clients anticipate, design, oversee and evaluate the performance of water resource controls and systems. Integrated monitoring systems not only help manage costs, but also provide the first line of defense in water quality assurance from disruptive natural and man-made events. Noblis hydrogeologists and hydrologists provide comprehensive evaluation of water supplies and distribution, including compliance with regulatory and public health criteria. Our public health specialists, epidemiologists and anti-terrorism experts assess threat and vulnerability risks and help manage risks to water infrastructure over short and long time-horizons. For watersheds, Noblis engineers, economists and urban planners develop holistic approaches to key watershed inputs, processes, oversight and distribution.
Transportation
Over the past two decades, Noblis has been working with government and industry stakeholders on a broad range of activities to improve transportation systems and reduce urban congestion. Our work has included:
- designing more efficient mass transit systems to ease congestion;
- data mining vast amounts of system usage data for major cities in order to understand traffic trends and support informed strategic decisions;
- partnering with government agencies and auto makers to develop an integrated telecommunications infrastructure that will connect vehicles and the transportation infrastructure like never before;
- analyzing the benefits, costs, and lessons learned across a wide variety of Intelligent Transportation System applications, enabling us to not only provide actionable solutions for our clients, but to advise on outcomes to avoid; and
- pioneering new technologies to protect travelers from bad weather and road hazards.
The work requires us to take on trusted partnership roles in transportation management, policy analysis, all elements of systems analysis and engineering, simulation and modeling, economic and financial analysis, and program and acquisition management. Across the board, our systems thinking approach has been essential in achieving sound and implementable solutions. Noblis primarily provides support at the front and back ends of programs or initiatives. At the front end, we provide strategic planning support, assess the applicability of new technologies to transportation, analyze alternative concepts, develop requirements, and provide acquisition support. On the back-end, we work with our clients to develop appropriate performance metrics and apply our unique analytic capabilities to improve operational performance assessments.
Solid Waste Management
Noblis has considerable experience evaluating landfills in former military installations to determine the most appropriate, cost-effective technologies to contain contaminants and emissions, and in using hydrologic models to design evapotranspiration landfill covers.