Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainability Metrics

In performing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), where extended supply chain comparisons of environmental effects are made between different processes or products that achieve the same function, there are two areas where continuing research is focused: inventory development and impact assessment. In this session presentations will describe the latest methods for achieving quality results in an efficient way. For inventory development, presentations will address the completeness and accuracy of flows, the methods used to acquire the material / energy flows, and the time to prepare the inventory. Impact assessment presentations will consider the range of metrics that can be used to evaluate inventories. Especially desirable are papers that present an advance in sustainability metrics, with particular emphasis on new, improved, and normalized metrics. The methods of inventory and metric development are key issues to be discussed during the session.