AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learn about sustainability, life cycle thinking and life cycle assessment as a tool to evaluate potential impacts along the life-cycle of a product for ecodesign purpose.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Module "Life Cycle Assessment and Ecodesign" covers key elements of Life cycle assessment (LCA), a tool for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product or process over a defined life cycle, and ecodesign, systematically incorporating environmental considerations into the design process..

On successful completion of this study, through lessons attendance and training activities such as oral lessons and exercises, the student should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the key steps of ecodesign
• Apply competently the basic principles of Life Cycle Thinking
• Design and assess the sustainability of a product or a process plant using simulation tools
• Work effectively as a member of an ecodesign team developing making judgements, learning and communication skills illustrating an industrial case study

TEACHING METHODS

The course foreseen oral lessons, exercises, educational field trips, use of simulation software.

Novel tools will be used for the active learning of students. The goal is to increase students' skills via interactive, experience-based, learning methodologies (e-learning, teamwork, etc.) for enhanced student participation, using an advanced level of communication that makes the student more aware and indipendent.

Students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs certification are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account the modalities learning opportunities and provide suitable compensatory tools.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Ecodesign: Incorporating of environmental considerations into the design process. Life Cycle Thinking. Sustainability in process engineering design. Environment as an additional design requirement
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): ISO 14040-44 standards. LCA phases: goal and scope definition; inventory analysis; impact assessment; interpretation. LCA applications.
• Life cycle modeling through supporting tools: Presentation of tools used to collect, analyse and monitor the sustainability performance data of products and services; Techniques for modeling and analysis of complex life cycles. Measuring of the environmental impacts of products and services across all life cycle stages. Identification of the hotspots of the supply chain, from extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal. Sustainability reporting, carbon and water footprinting, product design, generating environmental product declarations and determining key performance indicators.
• Case Studies: A number of ecodesign case studies will be carried out using commercial LCA software packages
• Group Project: Teams of students will carry out an ecodesign case study. Each team is expected to present findings and conclusions at various stages and submit a final report for assessment demonstrating making judgements and communication skills

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Teaching material and exercises will be available on Aulaweb platform.

The following book and standards could be useful a follow-up.

1. Gerardo Ruiz Mercado, Heriberto Cabezas. Sustainability in the Design, Synthesis and Analysis of Chemical Engineering Processes. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2016
2. ISO Standards 14040-14044 (2006)
3. ILCD handbook (International Reference Life Cycle Data System). General guide for Life Cycle Assessment – Detailed guidance. JRC European Commission

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ADRIANA DEL BORGHI (President)

MICHELA GALLO

CHIARA PAOLI

PAOLO POVERO

LUCA MORESCHI (President Substitute)

PAOLO VASSALLO (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/10720/p/studenti-orario

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a project ecodesign presentation and of an oral examination. In particular, the project ecodesign consists of the realization and the presentation of the outcome of a Life Cycle Assessment study of an industrial process chosen by the student based on the teacher suggestions. The project will be presented during the oral exam and will be discussed together with the topics covered during the course.​

Three exam sessions will be foreseen during the winter session (January, February and during the Easter didactic stop of the Polytechnic School) and four exam sessions will be foreseen during the summer session (June, July, September and during the fall stop of the Polytechnic School). No extraordinary further exam sessions will be issued outside the regular Polytechnic School periods, with the exceptions of students without didactic activities in their current academic year curriculum.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The learning outcomes are assessed through the presentation of a project ecodesign and an oral exam.

The project design consists of the following steps: 

1.   Choose a process/plant/supply chain within the following: traditional processes (steel mills, refineries, glass and cements production plants, waste treatment), “innovative” processes (photovoltaic, fuel cell, bioplastic, biofuels, circular economy)

2.   Analyze the process through a Life Cycle Assessment study, retrieving data by scientific literature, publications, public reports using spreadsheets and modeling software. 

3.   Identify one or more aspects (substances, materials, emissions, waste) significant from an environmental point of view 

4.   Propose one of more plant/process/supply chain alternatives and study the obtained improvements 

5.   Draw up a sustainability report showing: case study, methodology and results

The ecodesign project will be presented during the oral examination. 

The exam aims to evaluate skills to apply the learning to specific case studies and to critically analyze processes from a comprehensive and holistic point of view. Quality of the presentation, correct terminology, and critical thinking skills will also be evaluated.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Working students and students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs certification are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning modalities.