Sustainability at a Brazilian university: developing environmentally sustainable practices and a life cycle assessment case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 841-859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murillo Vetroni Barros ◽  
Fabio Neves Puglieri ◽  
Daniel Poletto Tesser ◽  
Oksana Kuczynski ◽  
Cassiano Moro Piekarski
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Environmental Actions ◽  
Disposable Plastic ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Some universities have a commitment to both academic education and sustainable development, and the sustainable development goals can support several sustainable actions that universities may take as principles and attitudes. From this perspective, the purpose of this study is to present environmentally sustainable practices at a federal university in Brazil and to analyze and discuss the potential environmental impacts associated with an environmentally sustainable practice implemented using life cycle assessment (LCA) and its benefits for the university’s decision-makers. Design/methodology/approach To accomplish that, the study combines a description of environmentally sustainable practices at the 13 campuses of the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR) in terms of education, water and electricity consumption, waste management and emissions. As a result of this analysis, one campus identified that a high volume of disposable plastic cups were being disposed of, for which the use of reusable plastic cups was introduced. In addition, an LCA study (ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006) quantified the benefits of the introduction of said reusable plastic cups. Findings The results show that the university is working on environmentally sustainable initiatives and policies to become greener. At the same time, using a systematic LCA made it possible to measure that replacing disposable plastic cups for reusable ones reduced waste generation but increased water consumption on the campus. Faced with this, a sensitization was carried out to reduce water consumption. Finally, the current study provides lessons on the environmental performance to universities interested in sustainable practices, fostering perspectives for a better world. The findings of this study encourage organizations to accomplish environmental actions toward greener universities. The study shows that institutions need to be reflective and analytical about how even “greening” measures have impacts, which can be mitigated if necessary. Practical implications The sustainable practical implications were reported, and an LCA was conducted to assess potential environmental impacts of reusable plastic cups. It was identified that raw material production is the phase that generates most environmental impacts during the life cycle of the product, along with the consumer use phase, due to the quantity of water used to wash the reusable cups. In addition, the practical contributions of this study are to provide insights to institutions that aim to use environmental actions, i.e. suggestions of sustainable paths toward a greener university. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to investigate and discuss sustainable practices at UTFPR/Brazil. The study assessed one of the practices using a scientific technique (LCA) to assess the impacts of reusable plastic cups distributed to the students of one of the 13 campuses. Although there are other studies on LCA in the literature, the value of this study lies in expanding what has already been experienced/found on the use of LCA to assess environmental practices in university campuses.

Sustainability assessment of gas based power generation using a life cycle assessment approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 826-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binita Shah ◽  
Seema Unnikrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Lca Methodology ◽  
Iso 14040 ◽  
Content Type

Purpose India is a developing economy along with an increasing population estimated to be the largest populated country in about seven years. Simultaneously, its power consumption is projected to increase more than double by 2020. Currently, the dependence on coal is relatively high, making it the largest global greenhouse gas emitting sector which is a matter of great concern. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the environmental impacts of the natural gas electricity generation in India and propose a model using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Design/methodology/approach LCA is used as a tool to evaluate the environmental impact of the natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plant, as it adopts a holistic approach towards the whole process. The LCA methodology used in this study follows the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards (ISO 14040: 2009; ISO 14044: 2009). A questionnaire was designed for data collection and validated by expert review primary data for the annual environmental emission was collected by personally visiting the power plant. The study follows a cradle to gate assessment using the CML (2001) methodology. Findings The analysis reveals that the main impacts were during the process of combustion. The Global warming potential is approximately 0.50 kg CO2 equivalents per kWh of electricity generation from this gas-based power plant. These results can be used by stakeholders, experts and members who are authorised to probe positive initiative for the reduction of environmental impacts from the power generation sector. Practical implications Considering the pace of growth of economic development of India, it is the need of the hour to emphasise on the patterns of sustainable energy generation which is an important subject to be addressed considering India’s ratification to the Paris Climate Change Agreement. This paper analyzes the environmental impacts of gas-based electricity generation. Originality/value Presenting this case study is an opportunity to get a glimpse of the challenges associated with gas-based electricity generation in India. It gives a direction and helps us to better understand the right spot which require efforts for the improvement of sustainable energy generation processes, by taking appropriate measures for emission reduction. This paper also proposes a model for gas-based electricity generation in India. It has been developed following an LCA approach. As far as we aware, this is the first study which proposes an LCA model for gas-based electricity generation in India. The model is developed in line with the LCA methodology and focusses on the impact categories specific for gas-based electricity generation.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Produced in Western Washington: The Role of Logistics and Wood Species Mix

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Chen ◽  
Francesca Pierobon ◽  
Indroneil Ganguly
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Wood Species ◽  
Picea Sitchensis ◽  
Wood Products ◽  
Cross Laminated Timber ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Western Washington ◽  
Manufacturing Facilities

The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT), as an environmentally sustainable building material, has generated significant interest among the wood products industry, architects and policy makers in Washington State. However, the environmental impacts of CLT panels can vary significantly depending on material logistics and wood species mix. This study developed a regionally specific cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of CLT produced in western Washington. Specifically, this study focused on transportation logistics, mill location, and relevant wood species mixes to provide a comparative analysis for CLT produced in the region. For this study, five sawmills (potential lamstock suppliers) in western Washington were selected along with two hypothetical CLT mills. The results show that the location of lumber suppliers, in reference to the CLT manufacturing facilities, and the wood species mix are important factors in determining the total environmental impacts of the CLT production. Additionally, changing wood species used for lumber from a heavier species such as Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) to a lighter species such as Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) could generate significant reduction in the global warming potential (GWP) of CLT. Given the size and location of the CLT manufacturing facilities, the mills can achieve up to 14% reduction in the overall GWP of the CLT panels by sourcing the lumber locally and using lighter wood species.

Clusters of key barriers to life cycle assessment adoption in the South African construction industry: perspectives of stakeholders

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Titus Ebenezer Kwofie ◽  
Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa ◽  
Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
South African ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
The South ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The South African Construction Industry (SACI) in recent times has been characterized by a strong emphasis towards achieving sustainable building practices in infrastructural delivery. However, the lack of progress encountered in making gains in achieving sustainable practices has raised concerns over the effectiveness and understanding of the extent to which life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques may aid in meeting requirements of sustainable construction. Most efforts at LCA have been blighted with numerous barriers that have not been rigorously pursued and aggregated. Ironically, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the limitations and barriers to these methodologies, especially in the South African context. The purpose of this study is to delineate the cluster of barriers to the adoption of LCA methodologies in the SACI. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was carried out from a deductive research design elicit primary data based on the experience of purposively sampled stakeholders in LCA in the SACI on the extent they perceived the presence of well-established barriers in LCA adoption culled from the extensive literature review. Findings Through the use of factor analysis, three aggregated clusters of key barriers to LCA adoption in the SACI were identified, which were knowledge and enabling conditions constraints, cost and time constraints and technical constraints. The results confirm that indeed human and technical barriers have been notable in limiting gains in LCA adoption and achieving sustainable practices. Originality/value These findings are, thus, useful in overcoming challenges to LCA methodologies in achieving sustainable building practices in building and infrastructural delivery in SACI.

Comparing environmental impacts of additive manufacturing vs traditional machining via life-cycle assessment

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Faludi ◽  
Cindy Bayley ◽  
Suraj Bhogal ◽  
Myles Iribarne
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Surface Finish ◽  
Numerical Control ◽  
Cutting Fluid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electricity Use

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to compare the environmental impacts of two additive manufacturing machines to a traditional computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine to determine which method is the most sustainable. Design/methodology/approach – A life-cycle assessment (LCA) was performed, comparing a Haas VF0 CNC mill to two methods of additive manufacturing: a Dimension 1200BST FDM and an Objet Connex 350 “inkjet”/“polyjet”. The LCA’s functional unit was the manufacturing of two specific parts in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic or similar polymer, as required by the machines. The scope was cradle to grave, including embodied impacts, transportation, energy used during manufacturing, energy used while idling and in standby, material used in final parts, waste material generated, cutting fluid for CNC, and disposal. Several scenarios were considered, all scored using the ReCiPe Endpoint H and IMPACT 2002+ methodologies. Findings – Results showed that the sustainability of additive manufacturing vs CNC machining depends primarily on the per cent utilization of each machine. Higher utilization both reduces idling energy use and amortizes the embodied impacts of each machine. For both three-dimensional (3D) printers, electricity use is always the dominant impact, but for CNC at maximum utilization, material waste became dominant, and cutting fluid was roughly on par with electricity use. At both high and low utilization, the fused deposition modeling (FDM) machine had the lowest ecological impacts per part. The inkjet machine sometimes performed better and sometimes worse than CNC, depending on idle time/energy and on process parameters. Research limitations/implications – The study only compared additive manufacturing in plastic, and did not include other additive manufacturing technologies, such as selective laser sintering or stereolithography. It also does not include post-processing that might bring the surface finish of FDM parts up to the quality of inkjet or CNC parts. Practical implications – Designers and engineers seeking to minimize the environmental impacts of their prototypes should share high-utilization machines, and are advised to use FDM machines over CNC mills or polyjet machines if they provide sufficient quality of surface finish. Originality/value – This is the first paper quantitatively comparing the environmental impacts of additive manufacturing with traditional machining. It also provides a more comprehensive measurement of environmental impacts than most studies of either milling or additive manufacturing alone – it includes not merely CO2 emissions or waste but also acidification, eutrophication, human toxicity, ecotoxicity and other impact categories. Designers, engineers and job shop managers may use the results to guide sourcing or purchasing decisions related to rapid prototyping.

Comparative process-based life-cycle assessment of bioconcrete and conventional concrete

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 667-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milad Soleimani ◽  
Mohsen Shahandashti
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Global Warming Potential ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Human Toxicity ◽  
Conventional Concrete ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cradle To Gate

Purpose Bioconcrete is widely believed to be environmentally beneficial over conventional concrete. However, the process of bioconcrete production involves several steps, such as waste recovery and treatment, that potentially present significant environmental impacts. Existing life-cycle assessments of bioconcrete are limited in the inventory and impact analysis; therefore, they do not consider all the steps involved in concrete production and the corresponding impacts. The purpose of this study is to extensively study the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of all the production stages of two most common bioconcrete types (i.e. sludge-based bioconcrete and cement kiln dust-rice husk ash (CKD-RHA) bioconcrete) as opposed to conventional concrete. Design/methodology/approach A cradle-to-gate life-cycle assessment process model is implemented to systematically analyze and quantify the resources consumed and the environmental impacts caused by the production of bioconcrete as opposed to the production of conventional concrete. The impacts analyzed in this assessment include global warming potential, ozone depletion potential, eutrophication, acidification, ecotoxicity, smog, fossil fuel use, human toxicity, particulate air and water consumption. Findings The results indicated that sludge-based bioconcrete had higher levels of global warming potential, eutrophication, acidification, ecotoxicity, fossil fuel use, human toxicity and particulate air than both conventional concrete and CKD-RHA bioconcrete. Originality/value The contribution of this study to the state of knowledge is that it sheds light on the hidden impacts of bioconcrete. The contribution to the state of practice is that the results of this study inform the bioconcrete production designers about the production processes with the highest impact.

Analyzing the environmental sustainability of primary schools’ facades within the scope of life cycle assessment in Turkey and recommendations for improvement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cagla Keles ◽  
Fatih Yazicioglu
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the sustainability conditions of primary schools in Turkey within the scope of the life cycle assessment (LCA). It is aimed to develop optimum alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of primary schools and reach environmental sustainability targets of the sustainable development goals in Turkey.Design/methodology/approachFrom the construction project of 103 buildings located in Istanbul, 10 case buildings with various typical plans were chosen for analysis. The results regarding their life cycle energy and carbon emission for material production, operation and maintenance stages were calculated for a lifespan of 50 years. Results were evaluated and compared within the scope of environmental sustainability. Optimum alternatives for improving the environmental sustainability and performances of selected case buildings’ facades were developed, and the life cycle energy and carbon emission for proposed conditions were calculated. The obtained results were evaluated for current and proposed conditions.FindingsResults showed that reinforced concrete material contributes the most to the life cycle-embodied energy and CO2 emission of buildings. Cooling load increases the life cycle operational energy (LCOE) and CO2 emission of buildings. Using high-performance glazing significantly reduces LCOE and CO2 emission. Recycled and fiber-based materials have significant potential for reducing life cycle-embodied energy and CO2 emission.Originality/valueThis study has been developed in response to achieving sustainable development targets on public buildings in Turkey. In this regard, external walls of primary schools were analyzed within the scope of LCA and recommendations were made to contribute to the policies and regulations requested by the Government of Turkey. This study proves that alternative and novel materials have great potential for achieving sustainable public buildings. The study answers to questions about reducing the environmental impact of primary school buildings by using LCA approach with a holistic point of view.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment in Management of Socially Responsible Enterprise

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-82
Author(s):  
Stanisław Tkaczyk ◽  
Joanna Kuzincow ◽  
Grzegorz Ganczewski
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Environment Protection ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Environmental Actions ◽  
Corporate Social

Abstract The following paper presents dangerous and evident phenomenon of communicational chaos in the field of environment protection and sustainable development in a turbulent external environment. It is pointed that this phenomenon gives organizations an opportunity to take pretended pro-environmental actions, such as socially critical greenwashing. As a counterbalance to those practices, a concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is presented, underlining the possibility of developing honest environmental marketing basing on methods such as Life Cycle Assessment.

A taxonomy for Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA)

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-205
Author(s):  
Barbara X. Rodriguez ◽  
Kathrina Simonen ◽  
Monica Huang ◽  
Catherine De Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Rating Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Building Life Cycle ◽  
Global Carbon ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Goal And Scope

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of common parameters in existing tools that provide guidance to carry out Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA) and proposes a new taxonomy, a catalogue of parameters, for the definition of the goal and scope (G&S) in WBLCA. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis approach is used to identify, code and analyze parameters in existing WBLCA tools. Finally, a catalogue of parameters is organized into a new taxonomy. Findings In total, 650 distinct parameter names related to the definition of G&S from 16 WBLCAs tools available in North America, Europe and Australia are identified. Building on the analysis of existing taxonomies, a new taxonomy of 54 parameters is proposed in order to describe the G&S of WBLCA. Research limitations/implications The analysis of parameters in WBLCA tools does not include Green Building Rating Systems and is only limited to tools available in English. Practical implications This research is crucial in life cycle assessment (LCA) method harmonization and to serve as a stepping stone to the identification and categorization of parameters that could contribute to WBLCA comparison necessary to meet current global carbon goals. Social implications The proposed taxonomy enables architecture, engineering and construction practitioners to contribute to current WBLCA practice. Originality/value A study of common parameters in existing tools contributes to identifying the type of data that is required to describe buildings and contribute to build a standardized framework for LCA reporting, which would facilitate consistency across future studies and can serve as a checklist for practitioners when conducting the G&S stage of WBLCA.

Determining corporate direction in sustainable development: a multi-dimensional framework in B2B

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocío Rodríguez ◽  
Göran Svensson ◽  
Greg Wood
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Religious Orientation ◽  
Financial Assets ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to assess the determinants of corporate direction in sustainable development through time in a B2B setting. Design/methodology/approach This study has been conducted in one industry, and overcoming contextual bias as a judgmental sampling was used to select the organizations studied in a Business to Business (B2B) setting. Findings The determinants of sustainable development in this study indicate the existence of different corporate directions in a B2B setting taken through time in the healthcare organizations studied. The determinants found are change in organizational leadership, financial assets of the organization, religious orientation of the organization, organizational connection to the healthcare system, internal values of the organization and top-staff orientation in the organization. Research limitations/implications The empirical findings reported in a B2B setting have disclosed key determinants of corporate direction in sustainable development. Practical implications The determinants provide managerial guidance to assess the corporate direction in a B2B setting taken in the continuing development of sustainable practices in these organizations. Originality/value This study contributes to a multidimensional framework of determinants in a B2B setting to assess the corporate direction taken in sustainable development through time in a B2B setting. The organizational gap between past and present sustainable development provides guidance to assess the corporate direction in B2B taken by an organization into the future.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): principles and practical implications for industrial projects

Management ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Rybaczewska-Blażejowska ◽  
Dmitry Palekhov
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Industrial Projects ◽  
Practical Implications

Summary Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): principles and practical implications for industrial projects This article discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of the application of the life cycle assessment (LCA) technique in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. LCA enables to consider the environmental impacts of the whole production system, including upstream and downstream processes and to estimate their consequences already at the project planning stage. It was illustrated using the case study of the planned furniture production plant representing the industrial sector. The conventional simplified cradle-to-gate LCA analysis, using SimaPro software and the ReCiPe Endpoint method, was performed. It revealed that unlike the findings of EIA made with the support of traditional methods, not waste, airborne emissions and noise, but the particleboard and the fibreboard used by the planned furniture production plant have the most detrimental impact on the environment in all impact categories. The greatest damage it causes in the areas of protection of resources followed by ecosystems. The research proved high applicability of EIALCA approach for the evaluation of the environmental impacts of planned industrial projects.

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