Research activities at EES supports innovative environmental and energy technologies, which is primary to CEERE’s mission. Environmental quality research activities focus on energy-related impacts and offsets, building materials and environmental design, industrial processes, pollution prevention, waste minimization, water and air quality control devices, and environmental monitoring. EES environmental research activities closely follow the direction set in Federal and state programs such as the Clean Water and Clean Air Act amendments, environmental certification programs sponsored by EPA and DOE, and state energy initiatives. The following are current EES research initiatives:

• Non-Point Source Pollution - The center is actively involved in a number of projects involving performance evaluations of innovative on-site wastewater treatment technologies and stormwater treatment technologies.
  
• Waste Recycling and Reuse - Studies on beneficial reuse of manufacturing waste products center around waste characterization and impact on human health and the environment.
  
• Pollution Prevention - CEERE is assisting in testing of devices used to minimize air emissions from multiple sources.