Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is an ISO standardized framework (ISO 14040/44) for comprehensively examining and assessing the environmental impacts associated with industrial products and systems. It has been widely used by businesses and governments to support decision-making for product design and development, ecolabelling, public policy and planning, and environmental impact assessment for new technology. This course introduces the concepts and procedures of LCA, and critically reviews empirical LCA studies at both the product and systems levels, with a special focus on material cycles (mining, processing, metallurgy, metals, manufacturing, end-use, and recycling). Case-study-based learning activities are incorporated to explore the appropriate use and limitations of LCA databases and software as a tool for sustainability assessment. Topics include: systems thinking of sustainability and sustainable development; greenhouse gas (GHG) and carbon footprint accounting; the ISO LCA framework and its requirements; methods of life-cycle inventory analysis; methods of life-cycle impact assessment; interpretation of LCA results; uncertainty and sensitivity in LCA; LCA applications in assessing low-carbon technologies and products; life-cycle cost analysis; social life-cycle assessment; life-cycle management and its contribution to the circular economy and SDGs.
(Lec: 3, Lab: 0, Tut: 1)