Cycle Thinking Research Articles

The CIRCULAR pathway: a new educational methodology for exploratory circular value chain redesign

The circular economy (CE) is gaining global relevance across countries and institutions as a tool to solve some of the most pressing global challenges derived from linear production and consumption systems. However, transitioning to a CE requires significant changes in how businesses and supply chains operate, including redesigning products, processes, and business models. These changes require that future professionals acquire knowledge and skills on the principles of CE, Life Cycle Thinking, and Systems Thinking. However, research on existing higher education programs signals a need for educational resources to develop these skills and knowledge in real-world settings. This paper outlines a new eight-step methodology to introduce students to the principles of CE through the exploratory redesign of a real-world product and value chain in a project-centered learning environment. This methodology was developed in four iterations and was used to teach 251 students from the BSc. Business Engineering at Maastricht University during the academic years 2020–2022. The findings indicate that this method supports students' understanding of complexity, linearity, and the importance of systemic change across the entire value chain, as well as their critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. The methodology provided in this paper supports and encourages educational bodies to implement Education for CE in their curricula and further strengthens the complementary fields of Education for Environmental Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development. Furthermore, educators, professionals and businesses can make use of this tested methodology for exploratory product redesign toward sustainable circularity transitions.

The Sidac system: Streamlining the assessment of the embodied energy and CO2 of Brazilian construction products

Life cycle indicators are essential for supporting decisions to decarbonize the construction sector. However, the use of such indicators remains limited in the construction industry, particularly in developing countries, partly because of their complexity, high cost, and fragmented life cycle assessment (LCA) tools. Therefore, we have developed the Information System for Environmental Performance in Construction (Sidac) to change this scenario. The system applies a streamlined LCA approach for assessing the cradle-to-gate embodied energy and CO2 emissions of construction products. This online system includes all functionalities to consistently calculate, verify, communicate, and benchmark life cycle indicators. Based on primary data, the system is intended to facilitate the calculation and disclosure of life cycle indicators for construction products. This paper presents the principles and primary functionalities of this system. The first version of the system database contains generic data for 86 Brazilian construction products and 40 basic inputs, including electricity and fuels, and it is ready to receive manufacturer-specific data. By addressing barriers to assessing life cycle indicators of construction products, Sidac represents an important step towards the mainstream consideration of these indicators in the Brazilian construction value chain. This system can aid public policy in promoting low-carbon construction by providing a centralized and reliable environmental performance information system. Moreover, the development of Sidac is aligned with the trend of increasing digitalization and simplification of LCA. This system can serve as a model for developing similar simplified tools to accelerate the adoption of life cycle thinking in other countries and sectors.

Analysis of green certification standards related to recycled materials involving textiles based on life cycle thinking

Enterprises have been increasingly required by international brands to obtain green certification. As green certification has become an important tool for evaluating suppliers and securing environmental performance along the supply chain, and textile-related recycled materials are one of the most affected industries, this study aims to examine the differences among various certification schemes in the recycled materials industry involving textiles. We identify a set of clear and consistent evaluation metrics for the criteria in green certification, and investigate the standardized contents of green certifications for recycled materials-related industries based on life cycle thinking. It is found that “requirements on recycled material content” are required by all the green certifications examined. From the perspective of life cycle stages, the “raw material stage”, “manufacturing stage” and “disposal stage” are emphasized by the green certifications related to the recycling industry. Finally, this study combines an environmental perspective incorporating life cycle thinking (LCT) with a social and economic perspective of implementation feasibility to provide ways to strengthen certification regimes related to recycled materials and promote long-term product life cycle management and supply chain management.

Environmental assessment in concrete pole industries

PurposeCompanies that manufacture poles generate several negative environmental impacts, whose extent needs to be assessed to find ways to mitigate them. MethodsIn this research, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used as a methodology to measure the potential environmental impacts throughout the poles' life cycle. Primary data (amount of cement, gravel, sand, steel rebars, energy, water) were collected from industries located in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, and information from the Ecoinvent 3.7.1 database (transport, solid waste, liquid effluents, particulate matter) was used. Results and discussionThe literature addresses pole production from a different perspective, making this study relevant to disseminate the life cycle thinking in concrete pole production. However, the literature points to a correlation trend for ecotoxicity and human toxicity indicators, as well as the results found in this research. Waste disposal stands out as an important source of impact for these industries, confirming the necessity of efficient management of these materials at the end of their lifespan and during the production process. The scenario analysis showed that is possible to reduce the potential impacts of these industries. ConclusionThe reuse of waste within the industry itself is feasible (using a shredder for this purpose) and can contribute to decreasing the extraction of natural deposits in various production processes related to the poles' life cycle and reducing their accumulation in the environment. The use of inputs from closer suppliers is a strategy that contributes to mitigating the potential impact of gaseous emissions, reducing the impact that generates global warming and climate change. In addition, other papers show viable alternatives in different scenarios, based on complex laboratory studies. Nevertheless, his approach shows how impacts can be mitigated with the adoption of simple actions such as the reuse of effluents and residues from these industries. It is possible to redefine the production process through a scenario close to the ideal, bringing environmental sustainability to the sector.

A General Framework for Sustainability Assessment of Buildings: A Life-Cycle Thinking Approach

Construction is a manufacturing industry that consumes substantial amounts of natural resources, human resources, and social capital. Activities that occur during building construction and utilization negatively impact the environment and have direct and indirect impacts on the surrounding community and society. Properly assessing the sustainability of buildings is critical to the pursuit and achievement of sustainable development goals. Also, construction project decision-makers and stakeholders currently lack an effective tool for comparing the relative sustainability of different materials, design approaches, construction methods, and building operation alternatives. Thus, an integrated framework for assessing building sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social aspects is developed and proposed in this paper based on life cycle thinking. This framework is applicable to different building types and life-cycle assessment scopes and provides a practical tool for construction investment project stakeholders to reference, implement, and use to guide the decision-making process. This framework may also provide a reference for other researchers in the construction field to develop sustainability assessment models optimized for different types of construction projects.

Supporting Environmentally Conscious Consumer Sales Law by Life-cycle Thinking

The circular economy is a core approach driving innovative economic solutions. Although the legal system should support the development of such an economy, scientific methods to assess the environmental impact of legal rules are lacking. Legislators and scholars have highlighted consumer law as an area requiring ecologically efficient solutions. This research aims to design a method to calculate environmental costs related to the exercise of remedies for nonconforming goods under a consumer sales contract. Various environmental impact assessment approaches are reviewed to identify those which can be used when designing a method for calculating the environmental impact of legislative provisions. The Life Cycle Thinking is applied and the Life Cycle Assessment method is chosen and used to compare different remedy-scenarios, that is, when the consumer chooses repair, replacement, price reduction or termination. A formula is devised to determine which remedies should be prioritized and whether it is possible to design an eco-friendly hierarchy of remedies in consumer sales law. Though it proved impossible to design a rigid hierarchy of remedies, which would be optimal in every scenario from the perspective of environmental costs generated as a result of the consumer exercising the rights for non-conforming goods, the environmental costs of exercising each of the rights under the remedies available to the consumer can be assessed not only in concreto but also in abstracto allowing for formulation of specific recommendations for legislator.

Life Cycle Thinking for a Circular Bioeconomy: Current Development, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

The circular bioeconomy (CBE) is an increasingly popular method used to add value to bio-based products. However, these products entail impacts on sustainability that can be assessed by life cycle thinking (LCT). Therefore, this manuscript aims to describe the current development of using LCT for a CBE and to identify challenges and future perspectives with regard to this topic. A systematic literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), analyzing a final portfolio of 57 documents. The results indicated that the use of LCT for a CBE is very recent and has been increasing over the years, is concentrated in Europe, and mainly assesses the conversion of biowastes in biofuels through biorefinery processes, considering mostly environmental concerns, by applying life cycle assessment; thus neglecting economic and social issues. The use of system boundaries, software, databases, and impact assessment methods was reviewed. Five challenges were revealed (the expansion of system boundaries, the consideration of more endpoints, the development and use of regional databases, the development of policies to encourage CBE, and the addition of economic and social issues. Future perspectives will be aimed at considering microalgae, wastewater, and animal biomass in CBE processes, developing more value-added bioproducts and biofuels, and adding cost assessment and more circularity to CBE processes.

Is energy-efficient building sustainable? A case study on individual housing in Canada under BCESC energy updates

Life cycle thinking and holistic sustainability assessment are missing in current building energy codes globally, with primarily focus on operational energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The overall objective and originality of this study is to evaluate the building-level life-cycle environmental and economic impact of building energy code compliance, exploring the trade-offs between energy savings, various environmental impacts and cost effectiveness, taking the British Columbia Energy STEP Code (BCESC) as a case study. An integrated approach of using building information modeling (BIM) with whole building life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) is proposed, and comparisons of life cycle environmental and economic impacts are studied with respect to each energy upgrade level. The findings revealed that while the total energy demand intensity and GHG emissions decreased (by about 50% compared to base scenario) with the code intervention steps, the other environmental impacts may increase due to the embodied materials, production, and upkeep of the upgrades, for example, the ozone depletion potential increased by nearly 800% compared to the baseline. Additionally, the energy-saving measures reduce building operating costs by about C$4,000, which is significantly less than the increased costs in other stages. However, this incremental cost does not always mitigate the effects of specific environmental impact categories. The findings will be of interest to building industry policymakers to develop more holistically sustainable building energy policies, allocating limited funds in a more cost-effective manner to reduce environmental impacts, instead of focusing solely on direct and temporary benefits.

A Sustainability-based Approach for Geotechnical Infrastructure

Urban growth needs large cities, and the current emphasis on landscape preservation makes using underground spaces both an opportunity and a significant necessity. However, underground construction techniques significantly impact the sustainability of the built environment, including infrastructure systems and their entire supply chains. Nowadays, there is a shortage of quantitative methodologies to assess and measure the sustainability of underground building processes that effectively integrate the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic). Thus, this study aims to solve the abovementioned issues by explaining how to incorporate sustainability goals into geotechnical projects to address measure-driven strategies and eco-design-based solutions appropriately. This study illustrates a novel methodology based on the Life Cycle Thinking approach, with a particular emphasis on geotechnical ground improvement techniques. Specifically, the suggested method incorporates the concept of the EU Taxonomy, following the EU Green Deal, with the Envision framework to guide decision-makers toward a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable infrastructure design. In addition, incorporating a cradleto-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) into the suggested methodological approach will improve the quantitative estimation of the performance of construction processes. The definition of the proposed method will provide the guidelines to systematically assess the sustainability of geotechnical infrastructures to allow further the selection of an optimal solution to reduce their impact from an environmental, social, and economic point of view.

Environmentally sustainable plastic food packaging: A holistic life cycle thinking approach for design decisions

Environmentally sustainable plastic food packaging: A holistic life cycle thinking approach for design decisions

수학적 모델링 관점에서 바라본 고등학교 <정보> 교과서의 모델링 과제 분석

Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyze high school information textbooks from the perspective of mathematical modeling, with the goal of gaining insights for designing mathematical modeling tasks using digital resources.
 Methods To achieve this objective, the study selected the ‘modeling’ unit and ‘project unit’ tasks from eight high school information textbooks for analysis, and conducted a literature review. The study examined whether the modeling tasks were related to mathematics or real-life scenarios, and analyzed them through the lens of the mathematical modeling cycle and computational thinking skills, which are increasingly recognized as crucial competencies for the future workforce, including digital literacy.
 Results The material in the ‘Modeling’ unit of the high school <information> textbook was heavily based on ‘mathematics’. <Information> ‘Modeling’ is treated as a method of abstraction in the textbook, and when analyzed as a process of ‘mathematical modeling cycle’, it consists of constructing, simplifying, and mathematizing. The results of the analysis showed that the treatment of ‘modeling’ in the information textbooks was distinct from ‘mathematical modeling,’ as it was seen primarily as a method of abstraction. However, the project tasks in the information textbooks included most of the components of the mathematical modeling cycle and the computational thinking process, and were organized as independent units for a systematic experience of the modeling process.
 Conclusions Based on these findings, the study concludes that a systematic discussion is needed to teach ‘mathematical modeling’ in connection with modeling tasks in the information textbooks in order to foster digital literacy, which is a crucial competency for future societies. Additionally, the modeling and project tasks in the information textbooks can be modified and supplemented to be incorporated into mathematics courses. Finally, the study recommends organizing project tasks related to mathematical modeling into independent units to better structure mathematics textbooks.

Multi-stakeholder perspectives on sustainability transitions in the cosmetic industry

A compelling sustainability vision has shaped today's industries worldwide, including the fast-growing cosmetics sector. Sustainability issues have become even more challenging in a developing country because of greater economic inequalities and regulatory weaknesses. However, with the lack of empirical and holistic evidence in this specific context, this research aims to understand business and policy perspectives on sustainability transitions in Thailand's cosmetic industry where little has been investigated. This qualitative study conducted 12 semi-structured interviews with industry and policy stakeholders. A deductive content-analysis approach was utilized to extend the application of product life cycle thinking and circular economy to sustainability-related practices and policies. We found that multinational cosmetic companies pursue initiatives to improve sustainability dimensions more prominently and holistically as part of their corporate strategies. Meanwhile, local cosmetic companies still lack resources, a holistic understanding of life cycle impacts, and a full integration of sustainability into the core business. From a regulatory perspective, the lack of regulations for green cosmetics highlights the need for a total market approach in policy-making to encourage transparency in business practices and improve the role of trust in the relationship between producers and consumers. Policy recommendations include mandatory sustainability reporting, extended producer responsibility regulations for packaging, a directive on the communication of green claims, and financial incentives for green markets to facilitate sustainability transitions for the cosmetic industry.

FLAVIA-LCT - Framework for systematic literature review to analyse vast InformAtion in life cycle thinking studies

With the increasing interest in Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) applications for assessing the sustainability of processes, products and services, up-to-date syntheses and evidence-based critical outcomes analysis are required to guide future studies and policymakers. The systematic literature review is probably the most suitable approach for highlighting evidence of effects, impacts, and methodological choices, mapping the current knowledge and gaps in LCT fields, including methods such as Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, Social Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment. Although several statements and guidelines for health care and ecology disciplines and one checklist for systematic literature review limited to Life Cycle Assessment (STARR-LCA) exist, it is still missing a framework for conducting systematic literature reviews in LCT field. This paper proposes a “Framework for systematic Literature review to Analyse Vast InformAtion in Life Cycle Thinking studies” (FLAVIA-LCT) to assist and guide researchers in structuring the processes of gathering, synthesising, and reporting outcomes from search strategy development to critical evaluation, considering the essential information to be included in a review manuscript. This framework can be used by anyone planning a literature review on one or more LCT methods.

An environmental management plan for construction waste management

This study presents a proposed environmental management plan (EMP) for construction waste management (CWM). This life cycle thinking (LCT)- based EMP for CWM is set to constitute three sections. The former investigates means of waste minimization via source control strategies. The second section discusses CWM by monitoring and tracking the path of input building materials and output construction waste. The final section presents an input–output quantitative assessment of the CWM strategies undertaken. The proposed LCT-based EMP defines actions and activities for different phases and pinpoints the methods and procedures across the entire building process. Finally, it is applied to two groups of case studies showing the difference between CWM practices for green-certified and non-certified projects. The outcome shows how the proposed plan can present a novel approach integrating environmental management and best practices for CWM. This shall facilitate complying with international standards and building rating systems for achieving environmental stewardship.

A review of research on greening of packaging based on life cycle analysis

This paper examines and retrieves the whole process of packaging products from "cradle to grave" with the whole life cycle thinking, focusing on the stages that are more related to the packaging products themselves, including packaging design stage, packaging manufacturing stage, packaging use stage and packaging end of life stage, and carries out the methodological thinking of the development of green packaging. analysis. The process and technology of production and recycling of the most commonly used paper packaging materials are also discussed in order to promote the green and sustainable development of paper packaging.

Circularity indicators and added value to traditional LCA impact categories: example of pig production

PurposeThe purpose of using circularity indicators is to show the effect of changes from linear to more circular systems. This paper contributes to highlighting the importance of methodological aspects of circularity indicators in the agricultural sector when using a life cycle thinking approach. Selected circularity indicators have been explored and compared with LCA impact categories by using them to evaluate the circularity of a livestock system.MethodsCircularity indicators were tested on a theoretical pig production system where several circularity strategies and associated mitigation actions were applied. The strategies and mitigation actions were as follows: anaerobic digestion of manure (closing resource loops), anaerobic digestion of bread waste (closing resource loops), precision fertilization (narrowing resource loops), use of cover crops in feed production (regenerating resource flows), and use of bread waste as feed (slowing resource loops). The functional unit was 1 kg pork as carcass weight, and the treatment of 1.1 kg bread waste for all impact categories and indicators. For each mitigation action, relevant circularity indicators were tested. Based on this, the functionality and suitability of these indicators were discussed.Results and discussionFour of the circularity indicators were based on nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) substances: N recycling index, partial N balance, consumption of fossil-P fertilizers, and emissions to water bodies (P). Even if the indicators do not capture the impact of emissions of N and P as the eutrophication impact categories, they provide a useful indication of the circularity of a system. The other three circularity indicators tested were as follows: renewable energy production, soil organic carbon, and land use ratio. The renewable energy production indicator is easy to understand and communicate and provides unique information. Soil organic carbon presents a potential for soil carbon sequestration. Land use ratio is based on the same data as land occupation but provides an assessment of whether feed production competes for the suitable area for food production by including production of human-digestible protein.ConclusionsCircularity indicators provide valuable information about the circularity of an agricultural product system. The circularity indicators and LCA impact categories can be used either separately or together, or to complement each other. The choice of indicators depends on the questions raised, i.e., goals and scope, and it is therefore important to have a number of circular indicators to choose from in order to achieve a comprehensive assessment.

Connecting the periodic table to the planet with systems, life cycle and circularity thinking

Reductionist methods of learning and teaching chemistry have indeed advanced the disciplinary knowledge. However, they have proven deficient in connecting the chemical reactions of elements in the periodic table with the significant impacts they have on planetary and societal systems. Therefore, a systems thinking approach is required that integrates an interdisciplinary and complementary understanding of chemical concepts. Systems Oriented Concept Map Extensions (SOCME)s are an effective tool to connect interdisciplinary subsystems to the larger planetary boundaries and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). We present a course activity where undergraduate students of an introductory green chemistry and sustainable synthesis course selected an element from the periodic table and a simple chemical reaction involving that element, to develop a SOCME. Students applied green chemistry principles, life cycle thinking and circular economy concepts to the various subsystems in their SOCME. Students also recommended an alternative greener subsystem based on their integrated understanding and research from primary literature. They connected the impacts from the subsystems of the element/reaction and the alternative greener reaction to the earth, health, economy, and society to address global challenges represented by the UN SDGs. They effectively communicated the science in their SOCME poster through a video presentation in a virtual format. Student survey data indicated that the systems, life cycle and circularity thinking connected to the UN SDGs, improved their knowledge of the wider impacts of chemistry in the world. It also increased their awareness of the role of chemists in promoting environmental and social justice.

Rice Production Chain: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment—A Review

Rice is the most widely used cereal for human consumption, attributing its production as one of the most important activities for the global population. Therefore, given its economic and nutritional value, assessing the sustainability of this production process could be worth noting. In this regard, this research aims to investigate the most recent literature related to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of rice primary production, to clarify the extent to which Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) and thus the three pillars of sustainability have been applied in the rice sector, as well as to highlight possible research gaps. Thus, 40 articles (2012–2022) were analyzed. The main research gaps that were found were, firstly, that there was a lesser tendency to consider multiple functional units, highlighting how little multifunctionality is considered. As to be expected, there was also a great difference in methodological choices, which often leads to a great variability of results, making evaluations and comparisons of impacts uncertain. These were also highly dependent on soil and climate conditions in the various countries, which could in turn affect input utilization, and results. The study of the impacts of primary rice production was then addressed by a few countries, among which some of the largest producers were absent, while the least considered aspects were related to the depletion of abiotic resources and the promotion of organic farming. Finally, sustainability assessments in rice production had little focus on the socio-economic dimension, showing how little LCT is considered. Therefore, based on this consideration, a Social Life Cycle Assessment was integrated into the study, the results of which show that the countries with medium to high social impacts could be India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Bangladesh.

Modelling the net environmental and economic impacts of urban nature-based solutions by combining ecosystem services, system dynamics and life cycle thinking: An application to urban forests

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are gaining relevance as sustainable urban actions because of their potential to provide multiple benefits in the form of ecosystem services (ES), and thus mitigate urban challenges. This paper presents an original semi-dynamic modelling framework that simultaneously considers i) ES supply and demand dynamics, ii) negative environmental impacts, externalities, and financial costs derived from NBS, and iii) life cycle NBS impacts beyond the use phase. Compared to other models, it also aims to be valuable for urban planning actions at site level, i.e., for evaluating the net impacts of specific urban NBS projects. To validate the modelling framework, a proof-of-concept model for urban forests is developed and tested for a case study in Madrid (Spain). The modelling framework is split in two interrelated parts: foreground (dynamic modelling) and background (static modelling). In the foreground, the environmental impacts derived from the use phase of an NBS project are quantified considering its spatio-temporal dynamism, by making use of system dynamics. In the background, the environmental impacts derived from the rest of the life cycle phases of the NBS are quantified making use of steady state life cycle impact assessment. The net economic impact of the NBS project, considering both financial values and externalities, is eventually calculated in the background encompassing all the life cycle phases. Results from the case study illustrate how planning, design, and management decisions over the entire life cycle of an urban forest can influence the net environmental and economic performance of this type of NBS. A discussion is provided to inform on how the modelling framework can help moving beyond the state-of-the-art, and how the derived model can be used for sustainability assessments of urban NBS projects.

The Legal Transition towards a More Circular Electrical and Electronic Equipment Chain—A Case Study of The Netherlands

The transition towards a circular economy in the EU requires that the legal framework does not create (legal) barriers, but rather enables or stimulates this transition. At this moment, however, the existing literature argues that the current legal system that governs the life cycle of materials and products—EU chemicals, product and waste legislation—might hamper the transition. This article looks into the legal framework for the transition of the product stream of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and more specifically into the general and specific applicable EU chemicals, product and waste legislation, as well as its implementation in the Netherlands. By means of both doctrinal and empirical legal research, this article identifies legal barriers, gaps and incentives in the current legal framework that governs the life cycle of EEE in light of the transition towards a circular economy (CE). To enable or stimulate the CE transition in the EEE chain, it appears that it would be desirable to improve the interaction within this legal system and better align it with the objectives of the CE and life cycle thinking. Moreover, this research shows that a different approach within EU chemicals, product and waste legislation could be beneficial for the CE transition. With regard to EEE, a holistic approach could enable a more circular EEE chain, either within the current sector-approach, or with a more product-specific or material-specific approach within the EU chemicals, product and waste legislation governing EEE.