Descriptif

Understanding and use of Life Cycle Assessment for ecodesign

The aim of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) course is to describe this main environmental management methodology to assess and improve environmental performances of technologies. It provides the fundamental notions required to perform LCA, to use LCA software and to interpret and use LCA results in decision-making process. A focus will be made on LCA and advanced practices as uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. Students will have to carry out a LCA of a specific case study (wastewater treatment plant and sludge recovery). 

Teaching staff

- Lynda Aissani, Research Engineer, INRAE

- Marilys Pradel, Research Engineer, INRAE

- Amir Nafi, University Lecturer, ENGEES

- Anne Ventura, Researcher, IFSTTAR

- Tristan Senga Kiessé, Researcher, INRAE

Course outline

• Concepts about environment

- Definition of some concepts as “environment”, “anthroposystem” and “ecosystem”

- Definition and description of environmental impacts

- Case study presentation

• Concepts of life cycle assessment (LCA)

- LCA steps description

- Focus on methodological key points

- Beginning of case study modeling

• LCA software training

- Getting started with the software

- Case study modeling thanks to the software

• Introduction to uncertainty and sensitivity analyses and matrix calculation in LCA

- Concepts and methods to consider uncertainty and sensitivity analyses

- Matrix calculation

- Identification of sensitive parameters of the case study

• Sensitive analysis: scenario and Monte Carlo approaches

- Presentation of scenario and Monte Carlo approaches

- Application of these approaches through case study

• LCA results interpretation and decision-making

- Principles of LCA results interpretation

- Understanding of the use of LCA results in decision-making process

- Application of these approaches through case study

• Oral presentation of case study resolution

- Students present the LCA of the case study

The module includes 22 hours of courses and 18 hours of practical work.

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Level required: Basic knowledge of environmental management

Language: English

Credits ECTS: 6

Supervisor: Lynda Aissani