Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment Research Articles

Application of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) to environmental, economic, and social indicators used in BIM workflow to support sustainable design

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) can help to predict the impact of products and services, such as buildings, during their entire life cycle. However, it is an extensive data method. The Building Information Modelling (BIM) method can contribute towards reducing the effort involved and simplifying the data collection relating to the building elements. To this end, databases adjusted to the BIM workflow are needed to systematise and harmonise the structure of the environmental, economic and social data of said elements. This paper provides a solution to this problem by presenting an innovative Triple Bottom Line (TBL) database with environmental, economic, and social indicators of building elements to support the triple assessment adapted to the BIM workflow. An analysis employing Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) was performed for the first time on this type of database to better understand the correlations between the dimensions. The key contributions include correlation detection, 83 % of which were direct, which showed that, overall, the environmental (CO2 emissions), economic (cost), and social (labour) dimensions experience similar growth trends. Strong correlations between economic and social variables were found in 68 % of the cases, followed by those of the economic and environmental (32 %), and social and environmental (18 %) variables. Findings from the correlation analysis between the three dimensions reveal their influence on the type of building system, element and material. Four scenarios were thereby identified in accordance with these correlations, to aid in sustainable decision-making. Various growth trends were detected, which can facilitate the implementation of the LCSA.

Streamlined benefit analysis of products based on the Sustainable Development Goals: Integrating the voice of society into life cycle sustainability assessment

AbstractConducting benefit analyses used to be a controversial endeavor. In the absence of a consistent normative framework, indicators had to be determined on a case‐by‐case basis, requiring time‐consuming stakeholder workshops. The 2030 Agenda provided the missing normative basis to enable the inclusion of benefit aspects in life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). However, given the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their 169 targets, it has remained unclear which of these targets relate to products and services and should therefore be used as indicators in benefit analyses. Against this background, this paper presents a consistent and well‐defined indicator framework for product‐related benefit analyses, developed through a detailed alignment with the 2030 Agenda and comprising a set of 30 indicators. It also describes how benefit analysis can be integrated into the LCSA methodology to provide a sound, evidence‐based framework for research and policy making: First, it outlines a sustainability self‐assessment tool for corporate researchers and designers, embedded in a Stage‐Gate process as a “voice‐of‐society” perspective. Second, it discusses approaches to improve regulatory impact assessment for policy making, particularly in the area of chemicals management. An illustrative case study shows how the developed benefit indicators can address current shortcomings in socio‐economic analysis methodology, such as an unbalanced focus on the economic impacts and insufficient information on human and environmental impacts. Despite its limitations, such as the inherent focus on societal benefits and existing “blind spots” in the 2030 Agenda, the indicator set has the potential to enrich LCSA studies with previously neglected aspects.

Social Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Dryer House for Postharvest Loss Management Technology in Tanzania

Agricultural products are dried to improve their life-span, enable storage stability, and reduce postharvest losses. Open-sun crop drying is the most popular method in Sub-Saharan Africa because it has a lower energy cost. However, this method is more often unsuitable due to climatic conditions in some areas, resulting in poor-quality drying and spoiled food products. Solar dryer house technology is designed to address challenges related to cleaner energy costs for efficient post-harvest loss management. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is a methodology used to integrate a compatible analysis of three pillars of sustainability: economy, environment, and society. Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), on the other hand, is a methodology used to cover the social aspects of sustainability. This article examines the S-LCA of solar dryer house technology for post-harvest loss management. It found that S-LCA is a useful framework for sustainability assessment and social impact estimation for analyzing the effects of products or services on stakeholders at local, national, and global levels beyond environmental and economic impact. The article contributes to knowledge and understanding of UNEP and SETAC guidelines in Africa.

Life cycle sustainability assessment for sustainable development goals

Life cycle sustainability assessment for sustainable development goals

Life cycle sustainability assessment of the platinum supply chain in the European Union

This study investigates the sustainability of platinum, designated a “critical raw material” by the European Commission. Platinum has an essential role in automotive catalysts and hydrogen fuel cells, pivotal for the energy transition. This research examines the sustainability of platinum, extending the scope to incorporate social and economic factors, contrary to the predominant tendency of focusing solely on environmental aspects. First, a Material Flow Analysis (MFA) maps the platinum supply chain, identifying critical nodes within it. Second, a sustainability assessment is performed, including an environmental, social, and economic assessment of the supply chain, in order to evaluate the total impact and therefore the sustainability of the use of platinum. The integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with input-output matrices (Environmentally-Extended Multi-Regional Input-Output or EEMRIO method), allows for a regional analysis to locate the main sources of impact. Finally, an equilibrium range for sustainability assessment (ERSA) is proposed to guide European policies, striving for a balance among environmental, social, and economic impacts, particularly comparing primary with secondary production, and primary production outside and inside the EU. The results show that secondary production of platinum causes a substantial drop in CO2-eq emissions (100.9 %) and labour hours (78.9 %), but the costs increase significantly compared to primary production. A balanced approach between primary and secondary production (50–55 % recycling) is recommended to enhance environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The production of platinum in the European Union (EU) results in a 32 % reduction in CO2-eq emissions and 94 % fewer labour hours, but costs increase by 55.2 % compared to production in non-EU countries. The equilibrium range for sustainability assessment (ERSA) would be such that 27–53 % of the total consumption of platinum in EU is produced within EU countries. Knowledge about the platinum supply chain and the environmental, social, and economic impacts produced (in different stages or countries) is fundamental to establishing short- and long-term economic and environmental strategies.

Life-cycle performance enhancement of deteriorating buildings under recurrent seismic hazards

Buildings are susceptible to reduced performance due to deterioration and recurrent extreme events. Hence, a life-cycle sustainability and resilience enhancement approach is proposed herein for reinforced concrete structures under environmental deterioration and recurrent extreme events. The framework consists of five parts: (1) extreme event modeling to characterize the occurrence uncertainty of the recurrent extreme events, (2) deterioration modeling to assess deterioration initiation and propagation during the investigated time, (3) structural modeling to assess structural response given deterioration and natural hazards, (4) life-cycle sustainability and resilience assessment to determine the consequences, downtimes and functionality during the investigated time given mitigation alternatives, and (5) decision-making to select the optimal retrofit alternative given life-cycle sustainability and resilience performance by utilizing utility decision theory and multi-criteria decision making. The proposed framework is illustrated on an intermediate moment resisting reinforced concrete frame structure prone to carbonation-induced deterioration and stochastically recurring seismic hazards. The methodology highlights the importance of considering life-cycle sustainability and resilience and provides a tool to effectively manage structures under deterioration and recurring extreme events.

A computational framework for modeling socio-technical agents in the life-cycle sustainability assessment of supply networks

Supply networks are now more complex and intertwined than ever, and it is necessary to have the capacity of proposing effective policies that consider aspects of complexity and human behavior. To address this complexity, practitioners commonly rely on Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) as modeling paradigm since it permits to analyze unpredictable system properties that arise from the interaction of agents. Nevertheless, current ABM implementations in life-cycle sustainability studies lack of modularity, meaning that practitioners repeat efforts when modeling socio-technical agents. To deal with this issue, a common framework for modeling production and consumption entities is necessary, for which we propose an algebraic framework for representing computational agents. Our framework provides notions and instructions to set an operational configuration that describes socio-technological agents in a systematic manner to then be used in an ABM model. The framework is rooted on principles of Life Cycle Assessment, and it is a bottom-up generalization of the Stochastic Technology-of-Choice Model. The framework's components are conceived to depict the technical and non-technical relationships of an agent's decision space, while also being suited to handle the logic of different decision problems, such as the sourcing problem. To demonstrate the capabilities of our framework, we provide a proof of concept in which we study the effects of introducing agents with sustainable behaviors (Agents of Change) in a system dominated by profit-driven agents. We evaluated two criteria to introduce Agents of Change: strategic and random. The results indicate that a strategic introduction of Agents of Change can be beneficial from a financial and environmental perspective. We show that for a particular strategy, Agents of Change contribute to the reduction of the financial risk of other Agents of Change, while also decreasing the impact of the system. Finally, this proof of concept shows that our framework can be used to address fundamental sustainability inquiries while still being compatible with current life-oriented methods.

Towards sustainable resource valorization: A life cycle sustainability assessment of metals recovery from sulfidic mining residues in Sweden

The mining industry is crucial to the current global economy; however, it confronts sustainability challenges. Recovering secondary metals from mining residues is a promising opportunity to enhance the sustainability of the mining sector. This paper introduces a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) to evaluate the sustainability of a new valorization process designed for a residue from a sulfidic mine located in Sweden. Results show mixed environmental impacts, with higher climate change (+22%) but lower mineral resource use (-98%) compared to primary mining. Economic analysis suggests that with a CAPEX between 80 M€and 120 M€, the final NPV is between 8.2 M€and 48 M€, depending on the purity of the recovered cobalt. Social analysis reveals fair worker compensation and limited access to local resources as crucial social risks. In the case study presented in this paper, the LCSA provides valuable insights for future cleaner production and more sustainability-oriented decision-making.

The Preferability Framework - Enabling life cycle sustainability assessment meta studies

Reviewing and comparing results from Life Cycle Sustainability Assessments (LCSA) is both crucial and tricky at the same time. Policy decisions, for example, must be based not on single studies but the collective knowledge embodied in the existing literature. However, many degrees of freedom in designing LCSA studies often lead to anecdotal evidence, preventing meaningful resumes and comparisons of studies. In this paper, we develop a framework to overcome the challenges of limited comparability between LCSA studies applying our Preferability Framework. Using especially descriptive statistics, we analyze the obtained results that are not directly influenced by methodological choices or further assumptions within one case study. Results are thus (more) comparable. To test our approach, we apply the framework to the case of timber as a building material compared to suitable alternatives (e.g., steel or concrete). Comparing 45 studies (obtained from a structured literature review), we gain meaningful results in the environmental and economic dimension compared to other approaches, highlighting the preferability of timber over other materials and reinforcing our framework's suitability. Further, we demonstrated the use of our framework reviewing social Life Cycle Assessment studies. With the easy-to-understand but insightful results of our framework, we advance the field of LCSA and enable scientific-based recommendations for economy, policy, and society.

Environmental and Economic Assessment of Membrane Capacitive Deionization (MCDI) and Low-Pressure Reverse Osmosis (LPRO) for Sustainable Irrigation in the Mediterranean Region

Ensuring the sustainability of a product or a system requires a thorough evaluation of its environmental and socioeconomic impacts. In this context, one of the objectives of the EU-PRIMA SmaCuMed project is to evaluate the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the Smart Cube system. The Smart Cube was developed for the PV-powered desalination of brackish groundwater with membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) and low-pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO); it additionally uses smart sensors for controlled irrigation in remote agricultural areas in Morocco, as an example for the North African region. Based on the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment approach, this paper aims to assess the environmental and economic impacts of the Smart Cube, using Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analyses for environmental evaluation. Various scenarios have been defined for both environmental and economic assessments. Based on 1 m3 of produced desalinated water, the LCC results showed that, when using the desalination technologies directly connected to the grid, the prices are lower than those obtained when it was supplied by the PV system. This is only due to the very low energy prices from the Moroccan grid (EUR 0.10/kWh). The LCC results showed that LPRO is a more cost-effective option for producing desalinated water, with a lower total cost compared to MCDI. However, LCA results indicated that LPRO has a higher environmental impact compared to MCDI. If higher water production capacity is a priority, MCDI connected to PV is the best choice, with lower carbon emission but higher overall water costs.

Comparative life-cycle sustainability assessment of centralized and decentralized remediation strategies at the city level

Remediation of contaminated soil at industrial sites has become a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable urban land use, considering the substantial secondary impacts resulting from remediation activities. The design of soil remediation strategies for multi-site remediation from a regional perspective is of great significance for cities with a large number of brownfields. Centralized and decentralized facilities have been studied in different environmental fields, yet limited research has focused on centralized soil remediation, specifically the treatment of contaminated soil from different sites through the construction of shared soil treatment facilities. This study proposes a framework for comparing centralized and decentralized strategies for contaminated soil remediation based on the integration of life-cycle sustainability assessment and multi-objective optimization. With Zhuzhou, an industrial city in China, serving as an example, results show that after optimization, the centralized scenario can reduce total environmental impacts by 25 %–41 %. In addition, the centralized scenario can reduce economic costs by 27 %–39 %, saving up to 176 million USD. The advantages of the centralized soil remediation strategy include: (1) increased use of soil washing, (2) reduced use of off-site disposal, and (3) reduced construction and efficient utilization of soil treatment facilities. In conclusion, the centralized strategy is relatively suitable for cities or areas with a large number of medium or small-sized contaminated sites. The built framework can quantitatively evaluate multiple sites soil remediation at both the city and individual site level, allowing for a straightforward and objective comparison with the optimal remediation design.

SLiCE: An open building data model for scalable high-definition life cycle engineering, dynamic impact assessment, and systematic hotspot analysis

Building construction and operation are responsible for around 40 % of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. To identify emissions reduction and removal potentials as well as wider environmental impacts, researchers, policy, and decision makers need comprehensive life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) insights on individual buildings and building stocks at large.This article proposes an open building data model for Scalable, high-definition Life Cycle Engineering (SLiCE) as a solution to overcome the limitations identified for existing models. The article departs from conceptualizing the problem within the Space-Time-Indicator Nexus; presents the proposed SLiCE data structure; and showcases practical uses of SLiCE data for dynamic assessment of climate change impact as well as for systematic environmental hotspot analysis.The open SLiCE building data model and SLiCE hotspot analysis tool are henceforth available for implementation within life cycle assessment (LCA) of building and building stocks, enabling comprehensive insights on buildings' environmental impacts across spatiotemporal scales.

Current status on utilizing a life cycle system perspective to evaluate renewable energy production systems for achieving UN SDGs

Increased awareness of environmental issues and climate change leads to a proportional increase in research and development of “greener” technologies pertaining to renewable energy. In order to avoid simply creating more issues in the process of solving an outstanding problem, the implementation of proposed alternatives has to be studied methodically and holistically from a cradle-to-grave perspective. Currently, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals provide guidelines for country-level analysis but many of the indicators may not be applicable for technology-, products-, services- and system-level evaluation. Additionally, there is a lack of comprehensive and easily comparable sustainability assessments that can be applied across the different Sustainable Development Goals as well as a paucity of relevant targets for renewable energy technologies. Life cycle sustainability assessment, an extension to the widely applied life cycle assessment, is presented herein as the frame of reference to objectively provide insight into the potential impacts of prospective production systems, such that the Sustainable Development Goals can be met in a truly sustainable manner. An overview of current literature (>80 studies) on research into renewable energy production technologies in the areas of wind, solar and biomass is provided, with possible areas of life cycle sustainability assessment utilization highlighted and applied comprehensively in relation to the relevant Sustainable Development Goals. It is thus demonstrated that a Life Cycle Perspective in the form of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessments can be utilized to evaluate renewable energy technologies in a manner that truly meets the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and the relevant methodology applied to products and services as well.

Evaluating Cleaning Services in Civil Environments: Microbiological and Life Cycle Analysis Comparing Conventional and Sustainable Methods

In response to the growing global concern for environmental sustainability, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was conducted to evaluate the environmental benefits of the “Formula Servizi” GREEN protocol compared to a conventional cleaning protocol, as mandated by the updated Criteria for Environmental Sustainability (CAM—Criteri Ambientali Minimi) for cleaning services. The CAM, effective on 19 June 2021, requires companies to demonstrate the environmental advantages of their cleaning protocols over traditional methods. This study aligns with the new CAM guidelines and employs UNI EN ISO 14040–14044 technical standards for a comprehensive comparative analysis. The study highlights the significance of maintaining hygiene to ensure safety in various contexts, emphasizing the importance of environmental sampling and monitoring to prevent contamination and infection transmission. Despite the complexity and expenses associated with microbiological monitoring, this research affirms its crucial role in validating cleaning procedures, particularly in healthcare facilities, food service areas, and industrial settings. The findings reveal that both the “Traditional” and “GREEN” cleaning protocols demonstrate satisfactory effectiveness in controlling microbiological contamination according to established guidelines. Moreover, the LCA results indicate that the “GREEN” protocol, while exhibiting higher water consumption and wastewater treatment, showcases a strategic use of more sustainable cleaning and laundry detergents. Despite the increased water usage in certain phases, the significantly lower environmental impact per unit of weight demonstrates the potential for optimizing both environmental sustainability and operational efficiency in future Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) endeavors. The comparative LCA further reveals that the “GREEN” protocol enables an annual avoidance of 260 g of CO2-e emissions per square meter of cleaned surface. The most significant reduction in absolute terms is associated with the use of eco-labeled detergents in the laundry system, resulting in the avoidance of 654.1 kg of CO2-e per year of service (−77% compared to traditional laundry detergents).

Sustainability implications of establishing a circular European supply chain of battery materials

The increasing number of electric vehicles worldwide leads to strategic challenges in designing battery supply chains. More sites for raw material extraction, battery production, and recycling will be needed to fulfill the future battery demand and the legislative goals regarding recycling rates, recycled content, CO2-limits, and social standards from the European Union for sustainable batteries. Battery manufacturers must also design their supply chains cost-efficiently to compete with non-European battery manufacturers. The environmental and socio-economic impacts of supply chains depend significantly on the supply chain design, which is expected to change in the upcoming years. Therefore, this study aims to investigate battery supply chains in the status quo and 2035 regarding all three sustainability dimensions using the life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). The status quo is modelled based on current market shares and without circular supply chains. For 2035, circularity is added with secondary materials in the production and more European-centered supply chains by moving the cell production and the recycling fully to Europe. The results provide insights into the design of sustainable battery supply chains. They highlight that moving a big part of the supply chains to Europe has a more significant influence on the environmental, social, and economic impacts than the circularity of materials. However, the results depend on the current supply chain design and future developments of products and processes as well as the electricity mix.

Design of battery supply chains under consideration of environmental and socio-economic criteria

The demand for electric vehicles is increasing worldwide, leading to a high demand for lithium-ion batteries, whose supply chains are associated with high environmental and socio-economic impacts. Therefore, legal regulations, such as the EU Battery Regulation, force battery manufacturers to use secondary materials, comply with CO2-limits and ensure social conditions along their supply chains. These circumstances make it necessary to assess battery supply chains in terms of their environmental, economic, and social impacts. For this purpose, the life cycle sustainability assessment approach can be used. However, the results of this approach often lead to conflicting goals between and within sustainability dimensions, making it challenging to derive recommendations for more sustainable battery supply chain designs. One approach to solving this problem is to use optimization models that take the three sustainability dimensions into account.To this end, this study aims to combine the results of a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of battery supply chains with a decision support model to derive recommendations for action for the design of more sustainable battery supply chains. For this purpose, different spatial-differentiated activities are assessed and included in a decision support model that aims at minimizing the costs of a German battery pack manufacturer, considering environmental, social, and legal restrictions. The decision support model is implemented in Python and solved using Gurobi. The results of the decision support model are compared with the current state of battery supply chains as a benchmark. The result of the study shows that in many of the scenarios studied, the cost, as well as the environmental and social impacts, can be significantly reduced compared to the benchmark. However, if the environmental and social impacts were to be reduced strictly, this would lead to higher costs compared to the benchmark. Furthermore, the results show that a European-centric supply chain would emerge for more environmentally friendly supply chains, while for a more socially friendly supply chain, the focus would be on Japan.

Life cycle sustainability assessment of the agri-food chain: empirical review and bibliometrics

Life cycle sustainability assessment of the agri-food chain: empirical review and bibliometrics

Analyzing the Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability of Prefabricated Components: Modeling and Case Study

The building industry has significant environmental, economic, and social impacts. The trend of construction industrialization to promote sustainable development is becoming increasingly evident. As an essential component of this process, prefabricated components provide a foundation for studying the sustainability of prefabricated buildings. This study proposes a life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) model involving environmental, economic, and social aspects to assess the sustainability of prefabricated components. The sustainability impacts on the raw material extraction and production, off-plant transport, material processing and component manufacturing, on-plant transport, and component storage stages are comprehensively assessed. The LCSA model is applied to four types of prefabricated components: interior wallboards, precast stairs, composite beams, and composite floor slabs. The results show that the precast stairs exhibit the highest sustainability score and that the performances of environmental, economic, and social pillars of four components are slightly different. These findings enhance our understanding of the sustainability of prefabricated components and broaden the scope of LCSA applications. The established sustainability assessment model is expected to help guide prefabrication scheme designs and production plan optimization, further encouraging the wider adoption of sustainable practices in construction.

Prioritizing IoT-driven Sustainability Initiatives in Retail Chains: Exploring Case Studies and Industry Insights

INTRODUCTION: Prioritizing sustainability initiatives is crucial for retail chains as they integrate Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to drive environmental responsibility. Retail chains have responsibility to establish environmental stewardship when they globally expand in terms of operations, supply chain and offerings.  By prioritizing the initiatives retail chains can reduce impacts on environment, resource waster and mitigate risks related to that with the help of concepts like IoT.
 OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to explore how IoT can aid in sustainable practices, mitigate risks, and enhance efficiency while addressing challenges, ultimately providing insights for retail chains to prioritize sustainability in the IoT context.
 METHODS: The research employs a qualitative approach, focusing on in-depth case studies and analysis of industry reports and literature to explore IoT-driven sustainability initiatives in retail chains. It includes a diverse sample of retail chains, such as supermarkets and fashion retail, selected based on data availability related to their use of IoT for sustainability. The study involves descriptive analysis to present an overview of these initiatives and competitive analysis to identify sustainability leaders and areas for improvement. However, limitations include potential data availability issues and reliance on publicly available sources, with findings reflecting data up to the 2018-2021 timeframe.
 RESULTS: The results highlight significant sustainability benefits achieved through IoT integration in various retail chain types. Case studies, such as Sainsbury's and Coca-Cola, demonstrate waste reduction and sustainable practices. Examples from Nordstrom and 7-Eleven showcase energy efficiency improvements. The versatility of IoT technologies across supermarkets, department stores, and convenience stores emphasizes the transformative power of IoT in driving sustainability in the retail industry. The study proposes a prioritization approach, considering key metrics and leveraging frameworks like the Triple Bottom Line, Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, and Sustainability Framework for effective decision-making and goal alignment in IoT-driven sustainability initiatives.
 CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this paper highlights the substantial potential of prioritizing IoT-driven sustainability initiatives in retail chains for positive environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Through case studies, the diverse applications of IoT, such as food waste reduction and energy-efficient lighting, demonstrate tangible benefits. The trend towards sustainable sourcing and materials is evident across various retail chain types. The discussion underscores the need for a systematic approach, utilizing frameworks like the Triple Bottom Line, to align with strategic objectives and optimize resources.

Demonstrating circular life cycle sustainability assessment – a case study of recycled carbon concrete

To counter the high consumption of resources and environmental emissions in the construction sector, innovative materials such as carbon-reinforced concrete (CRC) are needed. CRC has the potential to lower the resource use and emissions of the construction sector and lead to a circular economy (CE). To understand the overall circularity and sustainability performance of such materials, holistic assessments are needed. This study demonstrated the application of the newly developed circular life cycle sustainability assessment (C-LCSA) framework that is based on CE indicators and life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). The framework was applied to an industrial floor that was made from recycled CRC scrap (R–CRC industrial floor) in its development phase – using both the concrete faction and the carbon fiber fraction. The material circularity indicator (MCI) was used for the circularity assessment. It was applied in parallel to a life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), and a social hotspot assessment, using the same functional unit and system boundaries. The cut-off approach used was in line with the technical system boundaries. The results showed that the contribution to the circularity of the R–CRC industrial floor was high (0.8184) due to the use of recycled material and the potential of being recycled again. The global warming potential (GWP, 167 kg CO2 eq.) was lower while the human toxicity potential (HTP) was higher compared to similar products. The production costs far exceeded the current price of a comparable product which might be related to the inefficiencies in the production at the laboratory scale in the development phase of the R–CRC industrial floor. Social risks were found for health and safety, as well as for the social acceptance of the floor due to technical uncertainties. Increasing the circularity further by only using recycled aggregates mostly showed positive effects on the environmental impacts. However, HTP and costs increased. General statements on the interlinkages between a higher circularity and positive impacts on sustainability performance cannot necessarily be made. Instead, a robust and holistic assessment of new products is needed. C-LCSA has demonstrated its effectiveness as a reliable framework for identifying interlinkages and trade-offs between the different sustainability dimensions and circularity. Further studies should be conducted to validate and demonstrate the C-LCSA framework on different products.