Session 2: Defining Goal & Scope ESD.123/3.560: Industrial Ecology – Systems Perspectives Massachusetts Institute of Technology Randolph Kirchain Department of Materials Science & Engineering Introduction: Slide 25 Goal & Scope Definition: Study Goals • Intent: Intended application of the study – For what purpose – Examples • Identifying major problems • Selecting the preferred option • Context: For whom and compared to what • Output: How will results be communicated ESD.123/3.560: Industrial Ecology – Systems Perspectives Massachusetts Institute of Technology Randolph Kirchain Department of Materials Science & Engineering Introduction: Slide 26 1Why Carry Out a Life-Cycle Assessment? • Decision-making • Learning / exploration – Product design – Identifying – Process design improvement opportunities – Purchasing – Identify liability – Policy-making concerns • Communication – Selecting performance – Eco-labeling indicators – Product declarations – Research – Benchmarking ESD.123/3.560: Industrial Ecology – Systems Perspectives Massachusetts Institute of Technology Randolph Kirchain Department of Materials Science & Engineering Introduction: Slide 27 Goal & Scope Definition: Study Scope •Functional Unit (Unit of analysis) •System boundaries: – Conceptual – Geographic – Time period of study •Types of impacts to consider •Required level of detail ESD.123/3.560: Industrial Ecology – Systems Perspectives Massachusetts Institute of Technology Randolph Kirchain Department of Materials Science & Engineering Introduction: Slide 28 2Defining the Functional Unit •Reference flow against which all others are related – Establishes a common level of performance across the systems to be considered •Examples – Light bulbs – Wallpaper vs. paint – Newspapers – Bread ESD.123/3.560: Industrial Ecology – Systems Perspectives Massachusetts Institute of Technology Randolph Kirchain Department of Materials Science & Engineering Introduction: Slide 29 Goal & Scope Definition: How far do we go? • Defining boundaries – No theoretical basis for exclusion – Often broken at environmental flows or economic flows of + value – Generally includes only processes in direct contact with product & raw materials entering that product • Example: Oil Use – Combustion • If electricity, consider: conversion efficiency & transmission eff. – Extraction – Transport – Refining ESD.123/3.560: Industrial Ecology – Systems Perspectives Massachusetts Institute of Technology Randolph Kirchain Department of Materials Science & Engineering Introduction: Slide 30