useeior: An Open-Source R Package for Building and Using US Environmentally-Extended Input–Output Models

Abstract

useeior is an open-source R package that builds USEEIO models, a family of environmentally-extended input–output models of US goods and services used for life cycle assessment, environmental footprint estimation, and related applications. USEEIO models have gained a wide user base since their initial release in 2017, but users were often challenged to prepare required input data and undergo a complicated model building approach. To address these challenges, useeior was created. In useeior, economic and environmental data are conveniently retrievable for immediate use. Users can build models simply from given or user-specified model configuration and optional hybridization specifications. The assembly of economic and environmental data and matrix calculations are automatically performed. Users can export model results to desired formats. useeior is a core component of the USEEIO modeling framework. It improves transparency, efficiency, and flexibility in building USEEIO models, and was used to deliver the recent USEEIO model.