Life Cycle Assessment of a Power Tower Concentrating Solar Plant and the Impacts of Key Design Alternatives

This paper discusses the significant percentage increase of environmental impact generated in the manufacturing phase as a result of changes in the key material selection during the product design process. The findings in this paper are important for product designers. They need to pay extra attention when choosing plastics or metals when assessing design alternatives that can reduce the environmental impact. Four products were analysed in this case study namely water pump, hot pot, plastic kettle and stainless steel kettle. The environmental impacts of these four products are assessed by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the CML approach from Institute of Environmental Sciences is adopted as the Life Cycle Impact Assessment method.

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A knowledge-based approximate life cycle assessment system for evaluating environmental impacts of product design alternatives in a collaborative design environment

Advanced Engineering Informatics ◽

10.1016/j.aei.2005.09.003 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 147-154 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Ji-Hyung Park ◽

Kwang-Kyu Seo

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Product Design ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Collaborative Design ◽

Assessment System ◽

Design Environment ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Design Alternatives

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Decision Support in Selecting Airfield Pavement Design Alternatives Using Life Cycle Assessment: Case Study of Nashville Airport

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13010299 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 299

Author(s):

Ali Azhar Butt ◽

John Harvey ◽

Arash Saboori ◽

Maryam Ostovar ◽

Manuel Bejarano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Life Cycle Cost ◽

Energy Use ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Federal Aviation Administration ◽

The United States ◽

Primary Data ◽

Design Alternatives

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken measures to improve safety, reduce costs, increase resilience, and improve the sustainability of the United States (U.S.) airfield infrastructure by using a life-cycle cost analysis methodology to increase the efficient use of economic resources needed for expanding and preserving the airfield system. However, a life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach for evaluating the environmental impacts of decisions regarding airfield infrastructure has yet to be fully developed and applied. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the use of the airfield LCA framework that was developed for the FAA and can be used by U.S. airports. The comparison of alternative pavement designs at Nashville International Airport (BNA) is presented. The scope of the study was from cradle to laid; materials, materials transportation, and construction stages of the pavement life cycle are considered, and the maintenance, use and end of life stages are not considered. Primary data were acquired from BNA and secondary data were used in situations of unavailability of primary data. The case study showed that performing LCA provides opportunities for airports to consider energy use and environment-related impacts in the decision-making process.

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