By the end of this course, participants will:
1. Understand LCA as a decision-making tool
– Life cycle thinking across cradle-to-gate and cradle-to-grave boundaries
– Purpose and applications (product development, EPDs, compliance)
2. Define a robust LCA study
– Functional unit, system boundaries, cut-off criteria
– Assumptions and limitations
3. Conduct Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) analysis
– Identify and collect input/output data (materials, energy, transport, emissions)
– Use of databases (e.g., Ecoinvent, GaBi, ELCD)
4. Interpret environmental impacts (LCIA)
– Global warming, eutrophication, acidification, human/ecosystem toxicity
– Selection and application of LCIA methods (e.g., ReCiPe, CML, TRACI)
5. Apply LCA results in real-world contexts
– Eco-design, product comparisons, supply chain optimization
– Linking to EPDs and environmental labeling programs