Project Summary
This project relates to the second research thrust area of ‘Environmental impact assessment’. As various technologies, practices, designs, etc. are researched in the four other thrust areas of the center, there remains the overarching question of ‘so what does this mean with respect to environmental sustainability in a more holistic sense?’
One way to approach this question is through the process of environmental life cycle assessment or LCA. There is a need to look through the transportation focused LCA options used, or under consideration for use, by the CESTiCC researchers, compare them to a suite of the standard LCA program options and develop a comparative analysis that the Center and others in transportation research can use to understand the ease, effectiveness and breadth of the tool they opt to employ. There is also a need to provide LCA learning for the Center.
Therefore the objectives are:
A: To survey what LCA tools are available, from general to transportation specific foci.
B: Prepare comparative analyses of these LCA tools.
C: Prepare LCA learning material for the Center.
