Life cycle analysis definition

The short summary of the life-cycle method preceding the actual analyses is necessary, because life-cycle analysis is not a standard calculation. In the literature, one finds various definitions ranging from restricted net energy analyses over environmental impact studies to the full consideration of both environmental and social impacts. It is the latter methodology, more fully described in Sorensen (2004a), which will be employed here. 

Manufacturing processes for sustainability can be optimized in the context of life cycle analysis (Shoimard and Hiew 2000). It involves definition of the process boundaries and quantifiable sustainability impacts in the form of established metrics, incorporated into process design and optimization. It has been applied to determining waste treatment options, abatement of pollution, and designing the optimal recipe of solvents. Impact indices, such as ozone depletion potential to human toxicity and eco-toxicity, developed by the EPA, can be used. This method has been applied in a methyl ethyl ketone production plant to determine the effect of recycling on the enviromnent (Shonnard and Hiew 2000). 

ISO, F.nvironmental Management—Life Cycle Assessment—Goal and Scope Definition and Inventory Analysis (ISO 14041). 

The analysis of accidents and disasters in real systems makes it clear that it is not sufficient to consider error and its effects purely from the perspective of individual human failures. Major accidents are almost always the result of multiple errors or combinations of single errors with preexisting vulnerable conditions (Wagenaar et al., 1990). Another perspective from which to define errors is in terms of when in the system life cycle they occur. In the following discussion of the definitions of human error, the initial focus will be from the engineering and the accident analysis perspective. More detailed consideration of the definitions of error will be deferred to later sections in this chapter where the various error models will be described in detail (see Sections 5 and 6). 

ISO 14041 1998 (1998) Environmental Management - Life Cycle Assessment - Goal and Scope Definition and Life Cycle Inventory Analysis. European Commitee for Standardisation, Brussels, Belgium. 

Rebitzer G, Ekvall T, Frischknecht R, Hunkeler D, Norris G, Rydberg T, Schmidt WP, Suh S, Weidema BP, Pennington DW. Life Cycle Assessment Part 1 Framework, Goal and Scope Definition, Inventory Analysis, and Applications. Environment International. 2004 30(5) 701-720. DOI 10.1016/j.envint.2003.11.005... 

ISO (1998) ISO 14041 Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Goal and scope definition and inventory analysis. International Organisation for Standardisation, Geneva... 

The core of LCA is a cradle-to-grave life-cycle inventory analysis that is fundamentally an engineering exercise describing a chemical, material, and energy accounting balance for the entire product system. The various inputs and outputs are collected or inventoried for each unit operation in the defined system (see fig. 4.4). A key qualifier in the figure is the definition of the system boundary, as it will directly affect the quality of the final results and conclusions. The inventory practice and methods are relatively well defined. 

ISO International Standard 14041, 1999E. Environmental management—life cycle assessment—goal and scope, definition and inventory analysis. International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Geneva. 

ISO ISO/TR 14049 Environmental Management—Life Cycle Assessment—Examples of Application of ISO 14041 to Goal and Scope Definition and Inventory Analysis ISO/TR 14049 International Organization for Standardization Geneva, March 15, 2000, 2000. 

Rebitzer G, Ekvall T, Frischknecht R, etal. (2004) Life cycle assessment - Part 1 Framework, goal scope definition, inventory analysis, and applications. Environment International 30 701-720. 

The software life cycle starts with a requirements analysis and product definition. These define the require-... 

ENISO 14041 (1998)Environmentalmanagement-Lifecycleassessment-Goalandscope definition and life cycle inventory analysis... 

ISO/TR 14049 2012 Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Illustrative examples on how to apply ISO 14044 to goal and scope definition and inventory analysis... 

Rebitzer, G., Ekvall, T., Frischknecht, R., Hunkeler, D., Norris, G., Rydberg, T., Schmidt, W.-P., Sub, S., Weidema, B.P., Pennington, D.W., 2004. Life cycle assessment Part 1 framework, goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, and applications. Environment International 30, 701—720. 

ISO. (1998). Environmental management—Life-cycle assessment— Goal and scope definition and inventory analysis (ISO 14041 1998). Intemational Standard Organization, October 1998, pp. 27. Brussels. 

An inventory analysis compiles the flows of materials and energy into and out of the system. Necessary work consists of construction of a flow model, data collection, and calculation of results. In other words, the phase of life-cycle inventory (LCI) provides the systems model of the technical system ( product system ) under study, complying with the goal and scope definition. This model consists of certain elements, which in terminology of the ISO standards are the following ... 

Clause 6 defines the SEP, which is accomplished iteratively to define system products and life cycle processes. Thus, the initial clause defining the subprocesses (requirranents analysis, functional analysis, etc.) includes a mandatory shall statranrait to raisure that an enterprise s SEP addresses each of the subprocesses. The remaining subclauses, when specified within the definition of the subprocesses, include a recommended should statement to provide flexibility in adapting the subprocesses to the purpose of the current iteration of the SEP. During any particular iteration of the SEP, not all of the subclauses need to be accomplished to be in conformance with this standard. Therefore, conformance with Clause 6 requires an raiterprise to establish policies and procedures for accomplishing the subclauses within the subprocesses. 

The definition of cnstomer expectations should be balanced with an analysis of their effects on the overall system design and performance, as well as on the human engineering knowledge, skills, and abilities availability rehability safety and training requirements of the humans required to support life cycle processes. 

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