3 credits
Fall 2025 Lecture Upper DivisionThis course covers the basic concept of life cycle thinking, framework and computational structure of process and economic input-output based life cycle assessment (LCA), state-of-the-art LCA software tools, industrial case studies, and recent advances in LCA methodology. Students are required to complete a group project that could potentially facilitate the adaptation of LCA tools in engineering research, education, or practice.
Learning Outcomes1Conduct an LCA study using state-of-the-art software tools and databases according to ISO I4040 standards.
2Identify the limitations and weakness of an existing LCA study.
3Develop customized inventory dataset using information available in literature and current inventory databases.
4Develop a simplified yet functional LCA software tool tailored for an enterprise or organization.
5Combine LCA results with economic and social impact analysis to support decision making.