Life Cycle Assessment Research Articles

A comparative life cycle assessment of kitchen garbage utilization approaches in China

A comparative life cycle assessment of kitchen garbage utilization approaches in China

Environmental impact of intravenous versus oral administration materials for acetaminophen and ketoprofen in a French university hospital: an eco-audit study using a life cycle analysis.

The combination of acetaminophen with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is the cornerstone of perioperative multimodal analgesia. These drugs can be administered intravenously or orally as premedication, consistent with the concept of pre-emptive and preventive analgesia. We aimed to assess the environmental impact of their intravenous and oral administration in a French university hospital. We carried out a life cycle assessment to determine the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and depletion of water resources resulting from the oral vs intravenous administration of 1g acetaminophen and 50mg ketoprofen. We assessed two schemes of intravenous administration, depending on the use of the same or a different infusion set for each drug. At our centre, the intravenous administration of both drugs was associated with the emission of 444-556g CO2 equivalent (CO2e), and with 9.8-12.2 L of water waste. The oral administration of both drugs generated 8.36g of CO2e emissions and consumed 1.16 L of water. At a national level, the switch from intravenous to oral premedication of the drugs could avoid the emission of 2,900-3,700 tons of CO2e and the waste of 58,000-74,000 m3 of water each year. This eco-audit indicates that oral administration of acetaminophen and ketoprofen results in significantly lower carbon emissions and water consumption than intravenous administration. These findings highlight the importance of using the oral route for most patients, limiting intravenous administration for those with specific needs because of higher environmental impact and cost.

Life cycle assessment of carbon capture and utilisation as a negative emission technology: Recommendations and case study

Life cycle assessment of carbon capture and utilisation as a negative emission technology: Recommendations and case study

Environmental impacts of battery electric light-duty vehicles using a dynamic life cycle assessment for qatar’s transport system (2022 to 2050)

Environmental impacts of battery electric light-duty vehicles using a dynamic life cycle assessment for qatar’s transport system (2022 to 2050)

Sustainability assessment of seawater splitting: Prospects, challenges, and future directions

AbstractSeawater splitting is one of the desirable techniques for producing green hydrogen from the vast natural resource. Several reports about designing and fabricating efficient electrocatalysts to boost the oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction have been published. However, they mainly focus on the electrodes, electrocatalysts, cost, and system stability. This article presents an overview of seawater splitting by highlighting the most challenging issues that complicate seawater electrolysis, such as durability, to guide future research in this important area. The strategy to launch life cycle assessments is described to evaluate the short and long‐term impacts. Finally, the current challenges and prospective solutions are discussed.

Performance evaluation of bio-oil and high rubber content modified asphalt: More effective waste utilization

In this study, the bio-oil was used to reduce the viscosity and preparation temperature of high content of rubber-modified asphalt. The high rubber content modified bio-asphalt (RMBA) was prepared, the rubber and bio-oil contents were 20 %-30 % and 5 %-15 % (mass ratio of neat asphalt), respectively. The viscosity, temperature sweep (TS), frequency sweep (FS), multi-stress creep recovery (MSCR), and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests were performed to assess the properties of RMBA. The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Fluorescence microscopy (FM), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests were conducted to explore the microscopic morphology of RMBA. Besides, the economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) were assessed. Bio-oil contributed to the viscosity-reduction of the RMBA. When the rubber content was 30 %, the viscosity decreased by 48.16 % with a bio-oil content of 15 %. The temperature and frequency sensitivity of RMBA were lower than neat asphalt. Rubber improved the creep recovery and anti-rutting deformation behavior for bio-asphalt. The absorption peaks appeared at 1010 and 1038 cm−1, which represented the SO function group. The rubber did not absorb enough bio-oil for solubilization. This resulted in the functional group of SO appeared in 30 %+B-10 % and R-30 %+B-15 %. FM and SEM test results indicated that the rubber in RMBA exists in different states: undissolved rubber and dissolved rubber. The high content rubber could be partially dissolved in bio-asphalt and retained its elastic properties. The dissolved rubber particles exhibited a large crosslinked network structure. The raw material cost of RMBA decreased significantly with the rise of rubber and bio-oil contents. The reasonable application of waste rubber is beneficial to the alleviation of black pollution. The efficient application of rubber and bio-oil could contribute to the development of waste utilization and green transportation.

Going beyond carbon: Influence of structural parameters on the environmental impacts of typical building structures

The construction sector has a large impact on the environment, be it climate change, biodiversity loss or resources depletion. Part of those impacts comes from construction materials, and more specifically, concrete and steel building structures. Early-stage design tools including environmental damage assessment are therefore required to achieve sustainable construction practices. This article presents a parametric approach aiming at studying the influence of early-stage structural parameters on the environmental impacts of a structure. The developed methodology combines parametric structural design with a multicriteria cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment, applied to typical housing structures such as grid based beam column structures with a central core for lateral stability. Results show that span, number of levels and materials greatly influence the environmental impacts of considered structures. Climate change scores per floor area range from 80 kgCO2/m2 for short span timber structure to 215 kgCO2/m2 for long span steel buildings with few levels. Beams and slabs have the largest contribution in such impacts. Changing the production processes of materials is a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, decarbonizing steel production processes or reducing the cement content of concrete participate in burdenshifting with increased scores in several impact categories, such as carcinogenic toxicity or ozone depletion.

A low-carbon dual-functional evaporator with photothermal and catalytic properties for enhanced VOCs removal during water evaporation

Solar interface distillation technologies are widely used for seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, and clean water production. However, during evaporation, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the water often evaporate coincidently with the water vapor, presenting a major pollutant challenge. Combining solar evaporation with advanced oxidation processes (AOP) is a potential solution for simultaneous water purification and VOC degradation. Herein, a dual-functional sponge photothermal evaporator (MBC-SA/MS) was designed to assess the efficacy of this approach. A simple porous sponge embedded with a composite catalyst, comprising MoO3−x, BiOCl, and CNT, was able to demonstrate simultaneous photothermal evaporation and catalytic degradation. MBC-SA/MS exhibited exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency and robust catalytic activity, achieving an evaporation rate of 2.1 kg m−2 h−1 under 1.0 sun intensity. Effective mitigating of phenol emissions was observed through persulfate activation resulting in 90 % phenol degradation. Life cycle assessment (LCA) confirmed this evaporator system had low environmental impact and was sustainable. This research presents a new compelling strategy for tackling VOC pollution and simultaneously enhancing water purification via solar interfacial evaporation.

Between green hills and green bills: Unveiling the green shades of sustainability and burden shifting through multi-objective optimization in Swiss energy system planning

The Paris Agreement is the first-ever universally accepted and legally binding agreement on global climate change. It is a bridge between today’s and climate-neutrality policies and strategies before the end of the century. Critical to this endeavor is energy system modeling, which, while adept at devising cost-effective carbon-neutral strategies, often overlooks the broader environmental and social implications. This study introduces an innovative methodology that integrates life-cycle impact assessment indicators into energy system modeling, enabling a comprehensive assessment of both economic and environmental outcomes. Focusing on Switzerland’s energy system as a case study, the model reveals that optimizing key environomic indicators can lead to significant economic advantages, with system costs potentially decreasing by 15% to 47% by minimizing potential impacts from the current system still operating with fossil technologies to an alternative only relying on renewable and where the impact are mainly related to the construction of the infrastructure. However, a system optimized solely for economic efficiency, despite achieving 63% reduction in carbon footprint compared to 2020, shows a potential risk of burden shift to other environmental issues. The adoption of multi-objective optimization in this approach nuances the exploration of the complex interplay between environomic objectives and technological choices. The results illuminate pathways towards more holistically optimized energy systems, effectively addressing trade-offs across environmental problems and enhancing societal acceptance of the solutions to this century’s defining challenge.

The environmental costs of clean cycles: Quantitative analysis for the case of PVC window profile recycling in Germany

AbstractRecycling schemes for long‐lived products are challenged by the presence of “legacy substances,” which have been used in production in the past, but are nowadays classified as substances of concern. This study quantitatively evaluates the trade‐offs between phasing out legacy substances, increasing circularity levels, and reducing life cycle impacts of polyvinylchloride (PVC) window profiles recycling in Germany based on a comprehensive dynamic material and substance flow analysis coupled with a prospective life cycle assessment. Scenario results indicate that although lead had been phased out in virgin PVC by 2015, lead concentrations in end‐of‐life PVC window profiles will remain above 0.3% until the end of the century without a restriction of lead in recycled PVC and will be by factor 3–5 higher compared to a restriction as stipulated by EU 2023/923. However, the latter is associated with lower recycling rates and higher life cycle environmental impacts of PVC window frame waste management, which cannot be fully compensated by the introduction of new waste treatment pathways using currently available technologies. The study serves to introduce a new comprehensive modeling framework, which allows for the consideration of trade‐offs between substance, material, and environmental impact dimensions as a basis for discussing and developing sustainable waste management strategies.

Addressing the Difficulties and Opportunities to Bridge the Integration Gaps of Bio-Based Insulation Materials in the European Construction Sector: A Systematic Literature Review

Bio-based insulation materials (BbIMs) represent a potential alternative to conventional insulations, with their characteristics that favor a negative-carbon built environment. However, their use may face challenges that could prevent them from being used on a large scale in certain countries. The current study aims to provide focused insights into the practical difficulties and market opportunities for the application of BbIMs in Europe through a systematic literature review (SLR). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used as the basis for the conduct and reporting of this review. A keyword search was performed in Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases to select peer-reviewed English-language articles. HubMeta web tool was used to organize the selection process. The quantitative visualization of the literature was made by the Bibliometrix R package V4.1.4. Data were manually extracted and clustered in an Excel sheet. The review included 28 studies that have revealed interrelated insights. Difficulties range from regulatory and policy limitations and variability in performance, such as microbial growth and inconsistency in the behavior of materials under different conditions, to cost barriers. However, there are promising opportunities, including policy incentives and material performance benefits such as improved energy efficiency and indoor air quality. This research contributes to the literature by providing focused insights into the practical difficulties and market opportunities for the application of BbIMs in Europe. Research gaps and future perspectives point to the need for more field validation experiments, exploration of alternative production processes, and expanding life cycle assessment scopes to optimize their integration and performance. Stakeholders’ perceptions were made with a small sample in certain countries. Stakeholder perceptions were conducted with a small sample in some countries, so insights from stakeholders are needed to confirm or correct current findings.

Modular Microgrid Technology with a Single Development Environment Per Life Cycle

The life cycle of a microgrid covers all the stages from idea to implementation, through exploitation until the end of its life, with a lifespan of around 25 years. Covering them usually requires several software tools, which can make the integration of results from different stages difficult and may imply costs being hard to estimate from the beginning of a project. This paper proposes a unified platform composed of four modules developed in MATLAB 2022b, designed to assist all the processes a microgrid passes through during its lifetime. This entire platform can be used by a user with low IT knowledge, because it is completed with fill-in-the-blank alone, as a major advantage. The authors detail the architecture, functions and development of the platform, either by highlighting the novel integration of existing MATLAB tools or by developing new ones and designing new user interfaces linked with scripts based on its complex mathematical libraries. By consolidating processes into a single platform, the proposed solution enhances integration, reduces complexity and provides better cost predictability throughout the project’s duration. A proof-of-concept for this platform was presented by applying the life-cycle assessment process on a real-case study, a microgrid consisting of a photovoltaic plant, and an office building as the consumer and energy storage units. This platform has also been developed by involving students within summer internships, as a process strengthening the cooperation between industry and academia. Being an open-source application, the platform will be used within the educational process, where the students will have the possibility to add functionalities, improve the graphical representation, create new reports, etc.

Lifecycle Assessment Analysis of Recycled Concrete Aggregate Incorporating Fly Ash and Hemp

The critical roles of recycling are increasing depending on depleted natural resources and its devastating consequences. Concrete has been one of the most used building materials for many years to response the basic need of human beings for shelter. The studies on the recycling of concrete are crucial to minimize negative effects of both the high amount of energy consumed during the production phase and the limited recycling opportunities after destruction. Considering the amount of construction and demolition waste (CDW) after the February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye, it is clear that recycling concrete (RC) may make a positive contribution to environmental sustainability and natural resources usage. In addition, as a result of the ongoing urban transformation projects throughout Türkiye, especially in Istanbul, there is a need to recycle CDW, the majority of which consists of concrete. This paper examines the equivalent CO2 emissions of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) incorporation of various proportion fly ash and hemp based on previous studies by applying the Excel-based GreenConcrete LCA software developed at the University of California Berkeley Campus (UC Berkeley). As a result of the investigations, it is seen that the use of RCA, which is generated in large quantities both as a result of earthquakes and urban transformation projects, reflects positively on the environmental impacts in the LCA analysis. In addition, the use of concrete mixtures that contribute to the recycling of wastes such as fly ash and hemp used as admixtures contributes to reducing the environmental damage of these wastes and improving the concrete content.

Life cycle assessment and generative design: development of a national LCA tool for exterior walls

PurposeThe promotion of sustainable design is demanded globally. The life cycle assessment (LCA) proved its reliability in this mission, but the difficulty and time required to apply it discouraged designers. This research aims to integrate LCA into the building design process through a software tool, taking advantage of generative design features. This will facilitate decision-making by architects and construction professionals.Design/methodology/approachThe study develops the EGY-LCA (http://egy-lca.com/). This prototype tool suggests exterior wall design alternatives for residential buildings in Egypt, using the environmental impact indicators of LCA data and other criteria related to national codes, materials, construction methods and required thermal resistance. Within a generative design process, the algorithm tests every possible wall method with materials and thickness combinations for each layer in compliance with inputs. The paper begins by explaining the tool’s working method. Afterward, different sets of inputs are examined and the values of the resultant environmental impacts of several suggested wall solutions are statistically analyzed. The application demonstrates the importance of the generative design tool. Proposing several solutions based on a set of inputs facilitates the selection of sustainable choices and allows comparisons between alternatives.FindingsThe prototype experiment confirms the research hypothesis. Unlike the available LCA tools, architects can make decisions with limited LCA experience if the data and equations are integrated into a generative design tool. The prototype proves its applicability for exterior wall alternatives.Research limitations/implicationsThe prototype is the initial step toward a whole-building LCA tool. It includes limited LCA stages and materials for the external wall. Future research is required to expand this parametric tool concept to include all the building components. The framework in Section 5 proposes a visualization.Practical implicationsThe prototype tool: EGY-LCA (http://egy-lca.com/). The value added to the design and construction sectors through the uncomplicated LCA application is fostering sustainable design, generative design tools can achieve this.Originality/valueThe novelty of this work is that it is the first initiative offering a parametric LCA tool. It promotes the application of LCA at the design stage using generative design, which contributes to sustainable development.

Study of Physical Mechanical Characteristics, Economic Viability, and Carbon Emission Impacts of Recycled Aggregate

aims: The study aims to evaluate the viability of using recycled aggregate (RA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) as a sustainable alternative to natural aggregates in concrete production. background: Construction and demolition waste constitutes a significant portion of solid waste worldwide, posing considerable environmental challenges. objective: To assess the mechanical properties and economic benefits of concrete made by substituting natural aggregate with recycled aggregate, and to understand the environmental impact through a lifecycle assessment of carbon emissions. method: The research involved analyzing the mechanical properties of RA, including density, water absorption, and crushing strength. A critical threshold for material efficiency was determined by substituting natural aggregate with RA in varying proportions. An economic analysis was performed to evaluate the financial viability, and a lifecycle assessment was conducted to quantify carbon emissions from concrete production to site transportation. result: Recycled aggregate concrete showed lower density, higher water absorption, and reduced crushing strength compared to natural aggregates. Optimal strength was achieved with a 40% replacement rate. Economic analysis indicated a favorable return on investment. Lifecycle assessment revealed that raw materials account for approximately 85% of total emissions in recycled concrete production. conclusion: Recycled aggregate is a feasible alternative to natural aggregate in concrete production up to a 40% substitution rate, offering significant mechanical, economic, and environmental benefits. However, optimizing raw material usage is crucial for enhancing the sustainability of recycled concrete. other: The study highlights the growing role of recycled aggregate in engineering applications and underscores the importance of advances in research and application methods to further integrate recycled materials in construction practices.

An MFA-LCA framework for goal-oriented waste management studies: 'Zero Waste to Landfill' strategies for institutions.

Institutions such as university communities can be considered miniature versions of the larger society in which they exist. Nonetheless even though it should be easier to manage waste at an institution, their waste management (WM) programmes are typically lack an overall goal for improving environmental impact and are not optimally structured or operated. In part this is due to a lack of a framework that promotes a goal-oriented WM strategy. For instance, zero waste (ZW) to landfill studies have gained prominence in recent years, but generally there is a lack of clear guidance on how to carry out ZW strategies effectively at either, municipal or institutional levels. To fill this gap, this study aims to provide a framework that enables institutions to develop a goal-oriented WM strategy applying the principles of material flow analysis and life cycle assessment. The framework assumes that no prior data are available, and a study will therefore begin by collecting primary data followed by secondary data. The case study is presented in this article, along with the introduction of the framework, using ZW management scenarios in the Istanbul Technical University Ayazağa Campus. The results of the case study show that, it is not possible to achieve ZW to landfill on university campuses. And simply diverting waste from landfill (min 74% to max ~100%) does not necessarily lead to circularity (min 20% to max ~66%) or directly address public attitudes towards ZW goals.

Assessing the prospective environmental impacts and circularity potentials of building stocks: An open‐source model from Austria (PULSE‐AT)

AbstractBuilding stock models can provide information on the current and future environmental impacts of buildings. Therefore, these models are useful tools for identifying trajectories that are compatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. However, the models often lack detail, which can lead to underestimations of the actual impacts of national building stocks, resulting in misinformed decision‐making. This study presents the steps needed to create an archetype‐based bottom‐up building stock model that uses Python and Brightway2. Prospective environmental assessments, including circularity assessments, can be performed by combining life cycle assessment (LCA) with material flow analysis (MFA). An important facet of this model is that it supports the development of a practical and easily reproducible method for the high‐precision modeling of a building stock. This model is open source, is readily adaptable to other countries, and does not require programming knowledge. This combined LCA‐MFA method can be used to assess the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Austrian building stock in five future scenarios involving sufficiency, energy, material, and design‐related measures. The results show different reduction potentials for embodied and operational GHG emissions depending on the set of measures taken. In all scenarios, mineral and synthetic materials contribute the most to embodied GHG emissions. Finally, the issue of validating building stock models is addressed, and numerous cross‐evaluations are proposed to ensure the reliability of results.

Environmental Impact of Polyurethane-Based Aerogel Production: Influence of Solvents and Solids Content

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the synthesis of polyurethane (PUR) aerogels. The synthesis process incorporates various solvents and solids contents into the formulation, with the primary objective of enhancing the physical properties of the aerogels for broad industrial applications. Nine experimental scenarios were explored, grouped into two sets based on the variables studied. A detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts of all formulated PUR aerogels. The findings indicate that a solvent solution of 100% ethyl acetate (EtOAc) results in lower environmental impacts compared to other tested formulations. Notably, a solvent solution comprising 75% acetonitrile (ACN) and 25% EtOAc exhibited the highest environmental Key Performance Indicator (εKPI) among the tested material formulations, closely followed by the PUR aerogel obtained using acetone as a solvent. Furthermore, this study underscores the necessity of performing an integrated LCA that considers both environmental and functional aspects. While reducing the solids content is environmentally advantageous, it may present challenges in terms of material functionality. This is illustrated by the PUR aerogel synthesized with the lowest solids content of 3.2 wt.%, which demonstrated high deformability, thereby complicating the determination of a reliable Young’s modulus for analysis.

LCA comparativo en distintos escenarios del edificio NZEB El Salvador, estimación de CO2 para el desempeño térmico

The recent IPCC 2023 report reiterates that humansare responsible for global warming over the past 200 years, causing a rise temperature of 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, as well as an increase in energy demand, which can be avoided with mitigation options, reducing its use in all sectors, especially in the building sector. One of the options is the design based on the NZEB concept, as it has been the case of the laboratory built on the UCA campus, using passive and active energy efficiency strategies, studying the interaction between construction systems and energy savings. One of the NZEB El Salvador project research objectives, was to study the thermal performance of different construction scenarios, therefore, the present work presents the results of the Life-cycle assessment(LCA) in three proposals for popular construction systems in El Salvador, regulated by the national regulatory framework, comparing them with the baseline of its current operation, through 3 iterative calculation tools: structural, thermal and carbon footprint estimation, managing to find importantfindings on how vernacular systems meet the NZEB standard. ILIA: Investigaciones Latinoamericanas en Ingeniería y Arquitectura, No. 01, 2024: 160-166.

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Typical Hydrogen Energy Products

To compare the environmental impact and carbon footprint of gray hydrogen, blue hydrogen, and green hydrogen, inventories were obtained through literature research. Some inventories that were not available in China were obtained through foreign inventories combined with localized power conversion. The localized end-point destructive life cycle impact assessment method was used to calculate the environmental impact potential of the raw material acquisition, transportation, and hydrogen production stages of five hydrogen products. The carbon footprint was calculated, and the sensitivity analysis and uncertainty analysis were carried out and compared with the ReCiPe method. The results showed that： ① The environmental impact from large to small was： gray hydrogen （coal） （1 203 mPt·kg-1） > blue hydrogen （coal） （876 mPt·kg-1） > gray hydrogen （gas） （492 mPt·kg-1） > green hydrogen （323 mPt·kg-1） > blue hydrogen （gas） （252 mPt·kg-1）. The environmental impacts of gray hydrogen and blue hydrogen were mainly concentrated in climate change, fine particulate matter formation, and fossil fuels. The environmental impacts of green hydrogen were mainly concentrated in climate change, fine particulate matter formation, fossil fuels, and mineral resources. ② The carbon footprint from large to small was： gray hydrogen （coal） （23.79 kg·kg-1, measured by CO2eq, the same below） > blue hydrogen （coal） （11.07 kg·kg-1） > gray hydrogen （gas） （10.97 kg·kg-1） > blue hydrogen （gas） （3.47 kg·kg-1） > green hydrogen （1.97 kg·kg-1）. Direct carbon emissions in the production process of gray hydrogen and blue hydrogen accounted for the largest proportion, whereas that of green hydrogen accounted for a large proportion of power input. ③ Measures to reduce environmental impact and carbon emissions include reducing direct emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, reducing power consumption, and strengthening raw material substitution and reduction.