Podcast
Questions and Answers
What does Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) emphasize?
What does Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) emphasize?
In which levels can Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) be applied?
In which levels can Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) be applied?
Which of the following best represents the goal of Sustainable Development in relation to LCT?
Which of the following best represents the goal of Sustainable Development in relation to LCT?
Which stage of the product life cycle does LCT encourage to improve resource consumption?
Which stage of the product life cycle does LCT encourage to improve resource consumption?
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How can pollution transfer be avoided according to Life Cycle Thinking?
How can pollution transfer be avoided according to Life Cycle Thinking?
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What is the relationship between Life Cycle Management and LCT?
What is the relationship between Life Cycle Management and LCT?
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What role does each actor have in the context of Life Cycle Thinking?
What role does each actor have in the context of Life Cycle Thinking?
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What does the term 'cut-off rules' refer to in the context of system boundaries?
What does the term 'cut-off rules' refer to in the context of system boundaries?
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Which of the following is NOT a defined LC phase according to the system boundaries?
Which of the following is NOT a defined LC phase according to the system boundaries?
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In the context of LCA, what aspect does the 'level of scrutiny' refer to?
In the context of LCA, what aspect does the 'level of scrutiny' refer to?
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How does the example of the MIT LCA study on hand dryers define the primary region of focus?
How does the example of the MIT LCA study on hand dryers define the primary region of focus?
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Which aspect is NOT considered in the system boundaries of an LCA study?
Which aspect is NOT considered in the system boundaries of an LCA study?
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What is the primary purpose of setting the goal in Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)?
What is the primary purpose of setting the goal in Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)?
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Which question is NOT part of defining the goal and scope in an LCA?
Which question is NOT part of defining the goal and scope in an LCA?
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In the context of the example study on hand dryers, who is the primary target audience?
In the context of the example study on hand dryers, who is the primary target audience?
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What is a potential outcome of conducting an LCA according to the identified goals?
What is a potential outcome of conducting an LCA according to the identified goals?
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Why is it important to identify impact drivers in an LCA?
Why is it important to identify impact drivers in an LCA?
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Which of the following is NOT a reason for conducting an LCA?
Which of the following is NOT a reason for conducting an LCA?
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How does addressing the 'WHY' question in an LCA help the study?
How does addressing the 'WHY' question in an LCA help the study?
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Which aspect is crucial when deciding 'WHO' the results of an LCA will be for?
Which aspect is crucial when deciding 'WHO' the results of an LCA will be for?
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What is a benefit of informing product design decisions through LCA?
What is a benefit of informing product design decisions through LCA?
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Who is considered the first audience for life cycle environmental impact analysis?
Who is considered the first audience for life cycle environmental impact analysis?
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What must be established in the goal and scope of a Life Cycle Assessment?
What must be established in the goal and scope of a Life Cycle Assessment?
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Which of the following describes a product's function in a Life Cycle Assessment?
Which of the following describes a product's function in a Life Cycle Assessment?
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What are basic functions in the context of a product's function?
What are basic functions in the context of a product's function?
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Which of the following best describes a functional unit in a Life Cycle Assessment?
Which of the following best describes a functional unit in a Life Cycle Assessment?
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What is a crucial aspect of selecting a functional unit for a Life Cycle Assessment?
What is a crucial aspect of selecting a functional unit for a Life Cycle Assessment?
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Which example is NOT considered a basic function for the Node chair?
Which example is NOT considered a basic function for the Node chair?
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Additional functions of a product refer to which of the following?
Additional functions of a product refer to which of the following?
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In life cycle assessment, who are the Dyson engineers primarily focused on?
In life cycle assessment, who are the Dyson engineers primarily focused on?
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What is a common mistake in defining functional units?
What is a common mistake in defining functional units?
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Which represents an overly restrictive definition of a functional unit?
Which represents an overly restrictive definition of a functional unit?
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What are system boundaries in LCA related to?
What are system boundaries in LCA related to?
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What defines elementary flows in the context of LCA?
What defines elementary flows in the context of LCA?
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What are non-elementary flows characterized by?
What are non-elementary flows characterized by?
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Which of the following is NOT a mistake when defining functional units?
Which of the following is NOT a mistake when defining functional units?
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In LCA, what does 'cradle to gate' refer to?
In LCA, what does 'cradle to gate' refer to?
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Why are incorrect uses of technical standards often a mistake in functional unit definition?
Why are incorrect uses of technical standards often a mistake in functional unit definition?
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Which of the following best exemplifies an incorrect interpretation of a functional unit?
Which of the following best exemplifies an incorrect interpretation of a functional unit?
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What is an example of a common misconception regarding functional units?
What is an example of a common misconception regarding functional units?
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Study Notes
SKEMA Business School - Key Skills for Corporate Transition: Life Cycle Assessment
- This presentation is about key skills for corporate transition, with a focus on life cycle assessment (LCA).
- The presenter is Professor Yoann Guntzburger, Ph.D.
- The target audience is SKEMA PGE M1 S1 - 2024 students.
Introduction
- There is a QR code to access a participation platform (wooclap.com)
- The event code is LCAPGE
- Participants can also use SMS by sending @LCAPGE to 06 44 60 96 62.
Session's Overview
- Life cycle approaches are important for sustainable business decisions.
- LCA is used to move beyond life cycle thinking by systematically assessing all impacts over the product's entire life cycle.
- LCA frameworks and limitations are also discussed.
Importance of Life Cycle Approaches to Sustainable Business Decisions
- Sustainability is a megatrend currently transforming companies due to various pressures.
- These pressures include: Regulation, Investor (ESG), Consumer/Stakeholder, Employee, Competition, Cost & Risk, and Awareness-raising.
Sustainable Value Creation
- Companies improve sustainability performance by gaining competitive advantages and enhancing reputation.
- Strategies include reducing risks and costs of scarce resources, developing more sustainable (e.g., environmental/social) products and processes, and targeting specific environmental and social needs.
Sustainable Value Creation: Value Creation
- It describes actions using both tangible and intangible organizational assets to increase the worth of goods/services or a business as a whole.
- Value equals monetary worth.
Sustainable Value Creation: Sustainable Value Creation
- It's about the organization's actions that increase the economic, social, and environmental value of goods and services within the business while ensuring sustainable value creation capacity.
The Big Question Remains...
- The key question is how to make sure sustainable decisions are made.
5 Main Purposes of LCA Applications
- Decision support for product and process development (R&D)
- Marketing purposes (e.g., eco-labeling)
- Developing and selecting environmental indicators for product/plant monitoring
- Selection of suppliers/subcontractors
- Strategic planning
Two Levels of Applications
- Products (goods and services) level
- Corporate level: Organizational LCA (O-LCA)
From Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- A visual diagram shows the phases of a product's life, from raw materials to end-of-life, including manufacturing, use, and disposal.
- The diagram indicates different environmental impacts at each stage, e.g., carbon footprint, water footprint, and impact on ecosystems.
From LCT to LCA
- A simplified diagram of the steps required to successfully implement Life Cycle Management (LCM) in a business.
- Breakdown of Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) into the stages of Mindset, Integration into Practice, Management, and LCA.
- LCM touches on Policy/Strategy, Processes, Concepts/Programs, Tools/Tech, and Data/Models.
Life Cycle Thinking
- Definition: LCT is a holistic perspective beyond production, encompassing product impacts over the entire life cycle.
- Sustainable development is both the origin and objective of LCT.
Life Cycle Thinking: Lifecycle Diagram
- Presents a typical product life cycle diagram.
- Highlights the potential for reducing resource consumption and improving product performance at each stage of the product life cycle.
- Emphasizes the need to consider the entire life cycle system to avoid pollution transfer.
- Each actor from "cradle to grave" has a role to play.
Life Cycle Thinking: Example: The Life Cycle of a T-Shirt
- Asks what the stages of the T-shirt life cycle are and the main environmental impact of each stage.
- Shows a diagram of a T-shirt Lifecycle and the environmental issues.
Life Cycle Thinking: Lifecycle of a T-Shirt: Social Issues
- Diagram showing the social issues during the T-shirt Lifecycle, including child labor, low wages, worker health & safety. Discusses labor rights issues and community health impacts.
Life Cycle Thinking
- Shift in mindset: a holistic perceptive.
- Recognizing how choices influence all life cycle steps.
- Innovation potential: considering both opportunities and risks from raw materials to disposal.
Life Cycle Thinking (Quiz) – Participation Platform
- Instructions on how to access the quiz through a website (wooclap.com)
- Event code provided (LCAPGE)
Life Cycle Management (LCM)
- A set of practices used to target, organize, analyze and manage product/service related info/activities toward continuous improvement.
- Includes systematic integration of sustainable strategies into product design, development, and purchasing decisions.
- Fosters a holistic perspective of interdependencies within and between businesses.
Life Cycle Management
- Diagram of a circular flow of various concepts and tools/techniques like Sustainable Development, Triple Bottom Line, Dematerialization, etc, within a life cycle management context.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- LCA is a quantitative method to assess environmental impacts associated with a product's life cycle (or product – process – service).
- It's a decision-making tool for sustainability management, aiding in evaluating multiple options.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Strengths of LCA: scientifically based and data-driven, comprehensive integration of impact categories (like climate change, resource depletion), and framed by international standards (ISO 14040 series).
- Prevents pollution shifting.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) – Pollution Shifting
- Diagram illustrating the concept of pollution shifting, showing potential environmental impacts at different stages.
LCA - How Does It Work?
- Diagram outlining the process of LCA, illustrating how product/service system data are used with environmental models and impact results are processed through calculation.
- Provides an overview of the software & databases used in LCA studies (ecoinvent, Gabi, USDA).
Full LCA – A Standardized Process
- Description of the history, development, and key organizations (SETAC, UNEP, ISO) involved in standardizing LCA methodology.
- Discusses the ISO standards relevant in environmental management systems and Life Cycle Assessment.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology
- Description of a 4+1 step LCA methodology: goal, scope definition, inventory analysis (LCI), impact assessment, interpretation & critical review
LCA – Step 1: Goal & Scope
- 4 questions (WHY, WHO, WHAT, WHERE) to define the LCA goals and scope.
- Examples of LCA studies (e.g., hand dryers).
- Discusses target audiences and the importance of defining the functional unit and the system boundaries.
LCA – Step 1: Goal & Scope
- Importance of establishing a clear goal for the LCA, including identifying the specific questions & objectives.
- Example from a MIT study commissioned by Dyson about hand-dryer systems.
- Details on who the target audience was for this specific study.
LCA – Step 1: Functional Unit
- LCA requires a fair basis to compare options.
- A product's function is an action describing its purpose or components' purpose(s)
- A simple way to describe a function is: verb + complements.
- Illustrative examples of functions are provided (node chair).
LCA – Step 1: Functional Unit (Examples)
- Examples of functional units, with a focus on clarifying the intended use in the study, emphasizing the relation between the function of a product and the quantity of service provided.
- Three common mistakes when defining FU are pointed out.
LCA – Step 1: System Boundaries
- System boundaries are introduced, focusing on defining and quantifying environmental impacts from the different phases and sources of the system.
- Distinguishes between "cradle to gate" and "cradle to grave" or "cradle to cradle."
LCA – Step 1: System Boundaries (Cut-Off Rules)
- Guidelines for defining cut-off rules for the scope of a given LCA study, such as those concerned with weight, cost, or environmental aspects contribution.
LCA – Step 2: Life Cycle Inventories (LCI)
- An LCI is a list of quantified elementary flows (resources and emissions), and secondary flows (intermediate and final products/waste) needed for the functional unit.
- The data is categorized by inputs (materials, energy, water, air) and outputs (waste, effluents, emissions).
LCA – Step 3: Impact Assessment (LCIA)
- The objectives are to understand and evaluate the magnitude and significance of potential environmental impacts and choice of databases and specific impact assessment methods.
- Methods and considerations when choosing the appropriate database and impact assessment method.
- Importance of the impact categories (midpoint and endpoint).
- Categories, relevant regulations, and the company's environmental agenda are vital considerations.
- Example: IMPACT 2002+ categories and endpoint categories of protection.
LCA – Step 3: Impact Assessment - Databases
- Presentation of various LCA databases like IMPACT 2002+, Eco-Indicator 99, CML 2001, and other relevant impact assessment methods and databases.
LCA – Step 3: Impact Assessment - Categorization
- Three main steps to reconcile different flow quantities into specific impact categories.
- Categorization, characterization, normalization, and weighting, which relate to the quantities of flows (from LCI) in terms of equivalent quantities of reference substances and consideration of the importance (weighting).
LCA – Step 3: Impact Assessment - Normalization and Weighting
- The use of reference exposure and weighting schemes (average annual impact, weights associated with relative and subjective importance).
- The transformation of the results to create a single score in 'points' (Pt) to measure and combine damage/environmental impacts.
- Examples of impact results are provided. (e.g., chart showing results of Normalized IMPACT 2002+).
LCA – Step 4: Interpretation & Conclusion
- Objectives of the interpretation and conclusion: Analyze results & make recommendations using a sensitivity & uncertainty analysis.
- How sensitivity and uncertainty analysis can be performed and considerations to be made regarding the interpretation of data and potential limitations.
- Diagrams illustrating the process.
Limitations: Decision Making
- Many decisions are made in an LCA study regarding the functional unit, scope, type of LCA, cut-offs, impact categories, allocations, and weighting.
Limitations: Data and Model Quality
- LCA data/model quality issues affecting the process accuracy and reliability, e.g., uncertainties related to parameters, scenarios, or models.
- Examples of uncertainty source related to the IT sector are considered.
Limitations of LCA vs Sustainability
- LCA alone cannot fully determine sustainability.
- Environmental impacts are only a part of the assessment, although two methods are introduced to help address the sustainability gap, i.e., eLCC (Environmental Life Cycle Costing) and S-LCA (Social Life Cycle Analysis).
- Additional methods for a more complete sustainability assessment to fill the gap, aligned with ISO 14040 standards. (eLCC and S-LCA)
Main Challenges to LCA Development
- Barriers and challenges in implementing sustainability management tools, including LCA, by SMEs are presented, i.e., lack of awareness, knowledge, resources, incentives, flexibility of organizational routines and tool complexity.
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