The CPS and LCA Modelling: An Integrated Approach in the Environmental Sustainability Perspective

Abstract

The present paper clarifies the methodological framework to implement the integration of Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) in the perspective of environmental sustainability. Firstly, authors identify main methodological, software and hardware pre-requisites enabling the use of CPS systems in accordance with the literature and environmental standards. Then, the paper focuses on the main barriers in the case the information is distributed along a flexible supply chain and identifies a methodology to coordinate environmental information from ubiquitous sources by the use of modularization. This methodology is applied in the field of energy management for the steel sector for different production lines. In particular, it is highlighted as the consumption tracking may be linked to the real-time management of suppliers and processing cycles in order to pursue strategies for environmental impact minimization. Results emphasized as the development of the CPS systems that are designed for sustainability can produce relevant results for the effective restrain of industrial environmental impacts.