scholarly journals Evaluating Life Cycle of Buildings Using an Integrated Approach Based on Quantitative-Qualitative and Simplified Best-Worst Methods (QQM-SBWM)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4487
Author(s):  
Maghsoud Amiri ◽  
Mohammad Hashemi-Tabatabaei ◽  
Mohammad Ghahremanloo ◽  
Mehdi Keshavarz-Ghorabaee ◽  
Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Computer Software ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Combination Method ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Numerical Examples ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Time Required

Evaluating the life cycle of buildings is a valuable tool for assessing sustainability and analyzing environmental consequences throughout the construction operations of buildings. In this study, in order to determine the importance of building life cycle evaluation indicators, a new combination method was used based on a quantitative-qualitative method (QQM) and a simplified best-worst method (SBWM). The SBWM method was used because it simplifies BWM calculations and does not require solving complex mathematical models. Reducing the time required to perform calculations and eliminating the need for complicated computer software are among the advantages of the proposed method. The QQM method has also been used due to its ability to evaluate quantitative and qualitative criteria simultaneously. The feasibility and applicability of the SBWM were examined using three numerical examples and a case study, and the results were evaluated. The results of the case study showed that the criteria of the estimated cost, comfort level, and basic floor area were, in order, the most important criteria among the others. The results of the numerical examples and the case study showed that the proposed method had a lower total deviation (TD) compared to the basic BWM. Sensitivity analysis results also confirmed that the proposed approach has a high degree of robustness for ranking and weighting criteria.

An integrated approach to assess both risk and impacts related with geo-resources exploration and exploitation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Vittoria Gargiulo ◽  
Alexander Garcia ◽  
Ortensia Amoroso ◽  
Paolo Capuano
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Risk Sources ◽  
New Perspective

<p>To the welfare of both economy and communities, our society widely exploits geo-resources. Nevertheless, with benefits come risks and even impacts. Understanding how a given project intrinsically bares such risks and impacts is of critical importance for both industry and society. In particular, it is fundamental to distinguish between the specific impacts related to exploiting a given energy resource and those shared with the exploitation of other energy resources. In order to do so, it is useful to differentiate impacts in two categories: routine impacts – caused by ordinary routine operations, investigated by Life-cycle assessment with a deterministic approach – and risk impacts – caused by incidents due to system failure or external events, investigated by risk assessments with a probabilistic approach. The latter category is extremely interesting because it includes low probability/high consequences events, which may not be completely independent or unrelated, causing the most disastrous and unexpected damages. For this reason, it is becoming more and more crucial to develop a strategy to assess not only the single risks but also their possible interaction and to harmonize the result obtained for different risk sources. Of particular interest for this purpose is the Multi-Hazard/Multi-Risk Assessment.</p><p>The aim of our work is to present an approach for a comprehensive analysis of impacts of geo-resource development projects. Routine operations as well as risks related to extreme events (as e.g.,seismic or meteorological) are linked using a Multi-Hazard Risk (MHR) approach built upon a Life-Cycle analysis (LCA). Given the complexity of the analysis, it is useful to adopt a multi-level approach: (a) an analysis of routine operations, (b) a qualitative identification of risk scenarios and (c) a quantitative multi-risk analysis performed adopting a bow-tie approach. In particular, after studying the two tools, i.e. LCA and MRA, we have implemented a protocol to interface them and to evaluate certain and potential impacts.</p><p>The performance of the proposed approach is illustrated on a virtual site (based on a real one) for geothermal energy production. As a result, we analyse the outcome of the LCA, identify risk-bearing elements and events, to finally obtain harmonised risk matrices for the case study. Such approach, on the one hand, can be used to assess both deterministic and stochastic impacts, on the other hand, can also open new perspective in harmonizing them. Using the LCA outputs as inputs of the MRA can allow the analyst to focus on particular risk pathways that could otherwise seem less relevant but can open new perspective in the risk/impact evaluation of single elements, as we show in this case study.</p><p>This work has been supported by S4CE ("Science for Clean Energy") project, funded from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 - R&I Framework Programme, under grant agreement No 764810 and by PRIN-MATISSE (20177EPPN2) project funded by Italian Ministry of Education and Research.</p>

A Rapid Automatic Life Cycle Assessment Tool for Eco-Design

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongxian Zhu ◽  
Fu Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
Manufacturing Enterprises ◽  
Environmental Footprints ◽  
Time Required

Increasing concerns about global warming, resource depletion, and ecosystem degradation are pushing manufacturing enterprises to consider environmental impacts of the products they make. Tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been developed to quantify environmental performance of a product, yet the implementation of LCA requires a significant amount of time/resources and its potential in assisting eco-design has been limited. Research has been done to conduct automatic LCA using the simplified database for electronics or to investigate the environmental impact of electricity consumption in a manufacturing process. However, a comprehensive and automated approach is in need to perform LCA analysis for a product considering all related materials and manufacturing processes. In this research, a framework for automating LCA analysis for eco-friendly product design has been developed and implemented with a computer program. A case study has been conducted using the proposed automatic LCA tool to perform life cycle analysis in the design process. The result of the tool can, with minimal time required, provide detailed distribution of life cycle impact indicators among direct inputs and assist in making design decisions to reduce the environmental footprints.

An Integrated Approach to Pipeline Buoyancy Control and Implementation

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance N. Thomas ◽  
James Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Life Cycle Costs ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Construction Strategies ◽  
Buoyancy Control

A case study approach clearly demonstrates how to integrate various investigative methods with design, procurement, contracting and construction strategies to significantly reduce life cycle costs for a recently constructed operating pipeline. Emergent strategies based on lessons learned throughout the process are presented based on an after construction review.

Integrated Approach to Product and Process Design Based on Life Cycle Engineering

2011 ◽  
pp. 394-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Peças ◽  
Elsa Henriques ◽  
Inês Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Process Design ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Design Team ◽  
Life Cycle Engineering ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Life Cycle Perspective ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Product And Process

An integrated approach to product and process design and development based on Life Cycle Engineering principles is proposed. The aim is to make available a structured framework to drive the design team in their discussions and analysis towards the creation of purposeful design concepts and process alternatives and in their global evaluations towards informed decisions on a life cycle perspective. A case study is presented based on a cloths peg already in the market, which is intended to be redesigned in order to reduce its cost and increase its attractiveness. The simplicity of the product allows giving emphasis to the models and its methods. Considering several design and process alternatives, it is revealed how the proposed approach is applied and the type of conclusions and findings of such type of methodology.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF REFURBISHMENT VERSUS DEMOLITION AND RECONSTRUCTION: A COMPARATIVE LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF AN ITALIAN CASE STUDY

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 155-172
Author(s):  
Francesco Pittau ◽  
Dayana Giacomel ◽  
Giuliana Iannaccone ◽  
Laura Malighetti
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Italian Case

ABSTRACT In the building sector, new standards for energy efficiency are reducing the energy consumption and the carbon emissions for building operation to nearly zero. As a result, the greenhouse gas emissions and related environmental impacts from materials production, and especially insulation, are becoming key factors. In the near future, most of the building stock is expected to be refurbished and a great amount of construction materials will be consequently required. A relevant share of waste is generated from building construction and demolition and limiting the volume is a priority of the EU community. In this work the renovation of industrial buildings in a dismissed area located in Lecco, Italy, was considered as a case study. Five alternative construction systems (EPS, WOOD, ROCK, PU, HEMP) for renovating the building envelopes were assumed, and a life cycle assessment (LCA) adopted in order to measure the environmental impact of each alternative. The results were compared with a scenario which included demolition and reconstruction of a similar building with the same net volume and thermal resistance. The results showed that timber and concrete are the most environmentally friendly materials to rebuild the structures in case of demolition, contrary to steel which leads generally to higher environmental impacts, except land use. In general, EPS, WOOD and HEMP technological alternatives accounted for the highest scores, both in terms of burdens on the ecosystems and on depletion of resources, while ROCK accounted for the lowest scores. Finally, refurbishment scenarios generally accounted for a lower global warming potential (GWP) even if demolition, waste treatment and the benefit from recycling/reuse are taken into account.

scholarly journals Use of Bio-Based Plastics in the Fruit Supply Chain: An Integrated Approach to Assess Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Blanc ◽  
Stefano Massaglia ◽  
Filippo Brun ◽  
Cristiana Peano ◽  
Angela Mosso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Economic ◽  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Reduction Of Emissions

The challenge of developing a sustainable production system includes the reduction of emissions, the efficient use of resources, and the transition to renewable energy. The bioeconomy proposes a development model aimed at reducing impacts and risks associated with the use of non-renewable resources considering the life cycle of products. The European Union is promoting products from renewable sources focused on biochemicals and bio-based plastics, which are high added value products when compared to biofuels. The aim of this paper is to consider sustainability in terms of the environmental, economic, and social aspects of use of bio-based plastics in the fruit chain, considering the case study of raspberry supply chains in northwestern Italy. Different analyses (life-cycle assessment (LCA), life-cycle costing (LCC), and externality assessment (ExA)) were used to assess the impacts along the whole chain by means of an integrated approach. The results show that the bio-based plastic scenario has lower environmental and social impacts than the conventional one, whereas the latter is the best choice according to a classic economic approach. The introduction of bio-based plastics as a replacement for traditional plastics in agri-food chains is the first step toward the use of renewable resources with a low impact on society.

scholarly journals LCA as a tool for environmental management: a life cycle inventory case study from the Greek market

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-106
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Cycle Inventory ◽  
Life Cycle Stage ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Resource Requirements

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a technique for holistic environmental assessments of products and processes. The unique feature of this methodology is its focus on the entire life cycle of a product, from raw material extraction to final disposition. In order to assess the role of LCA in environmental management, a comprehensive overview of its theoretical background (including recent aspects of its principles and framework) is presented in this paper. From this overview it is obvious that, in spite of its drawbacks, LCA is recognized as a valuable methodology in environmental management, capable of analysing and assessing in a scientifical way the environmental consequences of various products and activities. Complementary to this analysis, a life cycle inventory (LCI) case study from the Greek market is also presented. In this LCI application, all the methodological issues and guidelines are taken into consideration in order to calculate the resource requirements and the environmental loadings of ten alternative packaging products while some of them are presented by each life cycle stage. The results of this LCI case study cover a long list of inflows and outflows. Notwithstanding that these results are difficult to interpret, they are very detailed and not affected by uncertainties introduced by impact assessment.

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