Research line
Life cycle assessment
A process that looks clean at the factory gate may be carrying its burden somewhere else. Life cycle assessment makes that visible.
Why it matters
Environmental claims are easy to make and difficult to verify. Life cycle assessment provides a structured way to compare products and processes across their supply chains. It is particularly important for CO2 utilisation, where the carbon balance of a product depends on energy inputs and the fate of the material.
How we approach it
We define the system boundary and functional unit for each study, build an inventory of material and energy flows, and calculate the impact categories that matter for the decision. The results are used to compare design options and to identify where a process needs to improve. The method is applied to new processes and products, not only to existing ones.
Focus areas
- Goal and scope definition
- Inventory of material and energy flows
- Impact assessment
- Comparison of design options
- Review and communication of results
Selected project context
Life cycle assessment is used across the research lines, from CO2 based products to food packaging and water treatment. It is treated as a design tool, not a final label.
Related laboratories
Work in this line draws on the following laboratory spaces. Projects may use one or several of them, depending on whether the question is computational, analytical or process based.