Admission requirements
None.
Description
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology used to assess the environmental footprint of products and services. It is widely used in science, industry, and policy making to guide decisions, e.g. on investments, policy instruments and technological development directions. LCA takes a lifecycle approach by covering the entire lifecycle of products and services, starting with raw material extraction and ending with recycling or end-of-life waste treatment. LCA is an increasingly important method to measure the actual contribution of technologies or business models for a circular economy. The Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) at Leiden University is one of the globally best known institutes in LCA method development.
Course Objectives
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the field of assessment of the impacts of economic systems, with a focus of life cycle assessment of products, and to develop related academic skills. More specifically, at the end of the course students are able to:
Briefly describe the position of LCA in the broader toolbox of Life cycle sustainability assessment, such as Material flow analysis and Environmental and economic input output analysis.
Define and discuss important concepts in the field of Life cycle assessment;
Describe and discuss the main choices in a practical LCA that can determine or bias the conclusion of a (comparative) product LCA.
Critically evaluate scientific publications or consultancy reports in the field of Life cycle assessment, and defend whether they agree or not with the conclusions made within the publication or report;
Conduct a literature review, give a presentation and report on practical exercises regarding LCA, thereby gaining experience in important scientific skills.
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2020-2021 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
(Online) classes with exercises and discussions.
Assessment Method
Assignments
LCA project
Participation
Final Exam
Reading list
Guinée, J. (ed.) Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment – Operational Guide to the ISO Standards. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 2002 (PDF of the non-typeset manuscript will be made available).
Heijungs. R. and S. Suh. The Computational Structure of Life Cycle Assessment. Springer, Dordrecht, 2002 (PDF of the non-typeset manuscript will be available).
ILCD Handbook. General guide for Life cycle assessment - Provisions and action steps, General guide for Life cycle assessment – Detailed guidance. EU DG JRC IES, 2010, http://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/?page_id=86
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. Bernhard Steubing, b.steubing@cml.leidenuniv.nl
Prof. Arnold Tukker, tukker@cml.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
-