Life Cycle Assessment for Civil Systems

Catalog description

Covers fundamental and advanced concepts of the life cycle assessment framework exploring products, services, activities and infrastructure systems. Examines key concepts for system boundary selection, functional unit selection, inventorying, impact assessment and interpretation stages with a focus on energy and environmental assessment. Advanced concepts include allocation of effects, problem formulation for assessing footprints versus decisions or policies, and assessment of infrastructure interdependencies and supply chains. Exposes tools and data sources and presents approaches for evaluation of sensitivity and uncertainty of results. Encourages students with broad sustainability interests to enroll and explore how life cycle assessment can aid their work by shifting their views from direct to cradle-to-grave effects.