Abstract
We present the Yale Stocks and Flows Database (YSTAFDB), which comprises most of the material stocks and flows (STAF) data generated at the Center for Industrial Ecology at Yale University since the early 2000s. These data describe material cycles, criticality, and recycling in terms of 62 elements and various engineering materials, e.g., steel, on spatial scales and timeframes ranging from cities to global and the 1800s to ca. 2013. YSTAFDB integrates this diverse collection of STAF data, previously scattered across various non-uniformly formatted electronic files, into a single data structure and file format. Here, we discuss this data structure as well as the usage and formatting of data records in YSTAFDB. YSTAFDB contains 100,000+ data records that are all situated in their systems contexts, with additional metadata included as available. YSTAFDB offers a comprehensive basis upon which STAF data can be accumulated, integrated, and exchanged, and thereby improves their accessibility. Therefore, YSTAFDB facilitates deeper understanding of sustainable materials use and management, which are key goals of contemporary sustainability science.
Highlights
Background & SummarySustainability science studies are becoming increasingly data intense
This paper presents the Yale stocks and flows (STAF) Database (YSTAFDB), which contains most of the STAF data associated with studies of material cycles, recycling, and criticality conducted by Graedel and colleagues at the Center for Industrial Ecology at Yale University since the early 2000s
The STAF Project was conducted among a wider industrial ecology research community effort to understand material systems: this community notably applied material flow analysis (MFA) as a basis for analysis of environmental and policy issues. Other exemplars of this community effort include: work done by Baccini, Brunner, and colleagues, who were key players in defining MFA methodology in a systematic way and applying it to understand the metabolism of anthropogenic systems such as cities and local regions[17,18]; and coordinated studies conducted at institute (e.g., Wuppertal Institute) to international (e.g., Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) levels to improve material efficiency, at the national economy scale
Summary
Sustainability science studies are becoming increasingly data intense. Concurrently, the need for these studies is growing amid heightened concerns for issues such as material scarcity, climate change, waste reduction, and equitable economic growth and development. The STAF Project was conducted among a wider industrial ecology research community effort to understand material systems: this community notably applied MFA as a basis for analysis of environmental and policy issues Other exemplars of this community effort include: work done by Baccini, Brunner, and colleagues, who were key players in defining MFA methodology in a systematic way and applying it to understand the metabolism of anthropogenic systems such as cities and local regions[17,18]; and coordinated studies conducted at institute (e.g., Wuppertal Institute) to international (e.g., Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) levels to improve material efficiency, at the national economy scale. The following sections of this paper describe the methods used to create YSTAFDB, its properties and the data records in the csv files as released, and its usage
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
