Life Cycle Engineering as a decision-making aid for more sustainability

An entrepreneur's hand points to the dashboard digital screen as he controls and reduces Greenhouse gas emissions to create an eco-friendly company or a greener ESG performance. Companies with environmental concerns, carbon credit and zero emissions.
© Teerasan - stock.adobe.com

Measurability of sustainability as a success factor

Managerial decisions within the framework of the sustainability strategy require a reliable database as well as directionally sound and scientifically robust methods to measure the sustainability performance of the company and estimate the costs of achieving sustainability goals. 

At Fraunhofer IST, we develop methods and tools for our customers and partners within the framework of life-cycle engineering that help reduce the carbon footprint and other environmental impacts and to make sustainable decisions.

 

Methods of Life Cycle Engineering on the basis of international standards

Our methodology toolbox for the implementation of life-cycle engineering principles for reducing the environmental impact of technologies encompasses both life-cycle assessment (LCA) and life-cycle costing (LCC) and is applied as early as the conceptual design phase. We analyze sustainability performance using the life-cycle assessment (LCA) tool in accordance with ISO 14040. On the basis of hotspot analyses, we identify the areas in the life cycle of products that offer the greatest potential for optimization. By means of life-cycle engineering, we then derive the technical measures required in order to achieve ecological goals, and prepare scenario analyses in which we also estimate the corresponding costs (e.g. €/t CO2).

Our tools support, in particular, early business processes such as production planning, product development or procurement. For this purpose, we develop tools for quantifying the product carbon footprint (PCF) and the corporate carbon footprint (CCF), as well as for measuring other sustainability parameters such as resource consumption, water footprint or local air quality. Our methodology toolbox is based on internationally recognized standards and methods such as ISO 14001, ISO 14040ff, the Science Based Targets initiative, and Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Furthermore, we are working across the EU and in collaboration with large industry consortia on a Europe-wide LCA approach for zero-emission road transport for the automotive industry, in which standardization approaches for methods, tools and databases are being developed. 

In order to establish and anchor life-cycle assessments and related methods in companies, we offer customer-specific learning and teaching modules within the area of further training.which standardization approaches for methods, tools and databases are being developed.

In order to establish and anchor Life Cycle Assessments and related methods in companies, we offer customer-specific learning and teaching modules within the area of further training.

Please do not hesitate to contact us!

Selected reference projects

 

Reference project

Materials for sustainable tandem solar cells with maximum conversion efficiency

 

Reference project

CO₂-saving lightweight-construction solutions for next-generation battery housings