The research group for environmental informatics and new media at the University of Lueneburg, Germany, is part of the Institute for Sustainability Communication (INFU). Research topics are virtual communities, blended learning and e-learning, man-machine communication, sustainable development in the information age, new media in the domain of sustainability communication etc.

Another field of research are environmental management information systems (EMIS) in industrial metabolisms(Industrial Ecology (IE)) to support cleaner production and green design (eco-design). We develop new methods and instruments to represent and analyse anthropogenic material and energy flows and stocks in different perspective: dynamics, throughput and efficiency. The conceptional basis are the material flow networks. Research topics are: Computer based material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessment using material flow networks, continuous simulation in material flow networks (using the system dynamics approach), sensitivity analysis using monte-carlo simulation, integrated environmental cost accounting, computer-based modeling frameworks, integration of material flow-based environmental information systems (EnvIS), modern concepts and technologies (Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), XML, Web services etc.) in this context.

Umberto is used as software tool supporting MFA and LCA. Members of environmentel informatics division are involved in the development of the software system. Main emphasis is placed on calculation routines, simulation algorithms and materials management components (including bill of materials management).