| 1. |
- Ekvall, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
-
Attributional and consequential LCA in the ILCD handbook
- 2016
-
Ingår i: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer. - 0948-3349 .- 1614-7502. ; 21:3, s. 293-296
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This discussion article aims to highlight two problematic aspects in the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook: its guidance to the choice between attributional and consequential modeling and to the choice between average and marginal data as input to the life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis. We analyze the ILCD guidance by comparing different statements in the handbook with each other and with previous research in this area. We find that the ILCD handbook is internally inconsistent when it comes to recommendations on how to choose between attributional and consequential modeling. We also find that the handbook is inconsistent with much of previous research in this matter, and also in the recommendations on how to choose between average and marginal data in the LCI. Because of the inconsistencies in the ILCD handbook, we recommend that the handbook be revised.
|
|
| 2. |
- Finnveden, Göran, et al.
(författare)
-
Policy Instruments towards a sustainable waste management
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Solid waste management: Policy and planning for a sustainable society. - : Apple Academic Press. - 9781771883740 - 9780429091650 ; , s. 185-246, s. 185-246
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
|
|
| 3. |
- Ahlgren, Serina, et al.
(författare)
-
Review of methodological choices in LCA of biorefinery systems - key issues and recommendations
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. - : Wiley. - 1932-1031 .- 1932-104X. ; 9:5, s. 606-619
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The current trend in biomass conversion technologies is toward more efficient utilization of biomass feedstock in multiproduct biorefineries. Many life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies of biorefinery systems have been performed but differ in how they use the LCA methodology. Based on a review of existing LCA standards and guidelines, this paper provides recommendations on how to handle key methodological issues when performing LCA studies of biorefinery systems. Six key issues were identified: (i) goal definition, (ii) functional unit, (iii) allocation of biorefinery outputs, (iv) allocation of biomass feedstock, (v) land use, and (vi) biogenic carbon and timing of emissions. Many of the standards and guidelines reviewed here provide only general methodological recommendations. Some make more specific methodological recommendations, but these often differ between standards. In this paper we present some clarifications (e.g. examples of research questions and suitable functional units) and methodological recommendations (e.g. on allocation).
|
|
| 4. |
- Ekvall, Tomas
(författare)
-
A systemic and systematic approach to the development of a policy mix for material resource efficiency
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Sustainability. - 2071-1050. ; 8:4, s. 373ff-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increasing material use efficiency is important to mitigate future supply risks and minimize environmental impacts associated with the production of the materials. The policy mix presented in this paper aims to contribute to reducing the use of virgin metals in the EU by 80 percent by 2050 without significant shifting of burdens to other material resources, environmental impacts, or parts of the world. We used a heuristic framework and a systems perspective for designing the policy mix that combines primary instruments designed to increase material efficiency, recycling and substitution of materials (a materials tax, the extended producer responsibility, technical regulations, and environmental taxes) and supportive instruments aimed to reduce barriers to implementing the primary instruments and to contribute towards the policy objectives (e.g., research and development support, and advanced recycling centers). Furthermore, instruments were designed so as to increase political feasibility: e.g., taxes were gradually increased as part of a green fiscal reform, and border-tax adjustments were introduced to reduce impacts on competitiveness. However, even in such a policy mix design ongoing ex-ante assessments indicate that the policy mix will be politically difficult to implement — and also fall short of achieving the 80 percent reduction target. Nonetheless, we suggest combining primary and supportive instruments into coherent and dynamic policy mixes as a promising step towards system reconfigurations for sustainability.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- Ekvall, Tomas
(författare)
-
Miljöbedömning av energibärare - vägledning för livscykelanalyser
- 2018
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bokföringsberäkning eller konsekvensanalys, marginal eller medel, allokering? Begreppen är många när det gäller miljöbedömning av energi och beslut krävs i många olika metodfrågor. I denna rapport reder IVL ut några centrala begrepp kring miljöbedömning av energi i ett livscykelperspektiv. Där det är möjligt ger vi också rekommendationer för några av de viktigaste metodvalen. Stora delar av diskussionen är giltig också för livscykelanalyser av annat än energibärare.
|
|
| 7. |
- Ekvall, Tomas
(författare)
-
Open Space workshop on sustainability indicators for bio-based products
- 2017
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This report presents an Open Space workshop aiming to identify and discuss indicators and aspects that are important in a sustainability assessment of bio-based products. After an initial individual brainstorming, the 19 workshop participants formed five small groups, each of which selected 3-5 sustainability indicators that they considered important for assessments of bio-based products. The ideas were presented for the rest of the workshop participants and posted on a wall. Once all sustainability indicators were identified, overlaps were eliminated, and we were left with ideas for 15 potentially important indicators to include in a sustainability assessment (see table below). Most of these are related to environmental impacts and resources.
|
|
| 8. |
- Ekvall, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
-
Open Space workshop on sustainability indicators for buildings
- 2017
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This report presents an Open Space workshop aiming to identify and discuss indicators and aspects that are important in a sustainability assessment of bio-based products. The workshop was held towards the end of the WoodRise Congress, a conference on medium and high-rise wood buildings. The 26 workshop participants included a mix of environmental researchers, sustainability consultants, architects, policy makers, etc. They generated ideas for 14 potentially important indicators to include in a sustainability assessment (see table below). Nine of these were selected for in-depth group discussions with an aim to agree on why the indicator is important, and on what aspects and facts should be considered and accounted for when including the indicator in a sustainability assessment of buildings. At the end of the workshop, each participant was given 6 yes-votes and 2 no-votes to freely distribute among all ideas for sustainability indicators, and all aspects and facts identified in the group discussions.
|
|
| 9. |
- Ekvall, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
-
Participatory life cycle sustainability analysis
- 2016
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This presentation aims to contribute to the development and demonstration of an operational approach to life cycle sustainability analysis (LCSA). This approach originates from the framework developed within the EU project CALCAS. The framework is different from the life cycle sustainability assessment outlined by Klöpffer in that it not only broadens the scope of life cycle assessment (LCA) to include economic and social aspects, but also allows for deepening of the analysis. It is also different in that it does not predefine the LCSA to be the sum of LCA, life cycle costing (LCC) and social LCA. Instead, the sustainability indicators, the systems investigated and the methods used for the analysis are all decided case by case. Our LCSA approach has two distinct features: 1. the case-specific research questions are defined in a participatory procedure that involves an Open Space workshop; 2. the analyses are carried through by a network of researchers and experts. A network is necessary because the research questions are not known in advance. We applied the approach in a sustainability assessment of a 50 km pipeline for transfer of residual heat from industries to a large district-heating system. The LCSA included 14 research questions on economic, environmental and social aspects. The results indicate that the pipeline is likely to reduce the total costs of the system, but the expected profit is rather small and uncertain, and it is difficult to find a market model that ensures everyone a share of this profit. The environmental benefits of the pipeline are highly dependent on what electricity production increases when the use of residual heat in the DH systems reduces the combined heat and power production in these systems. The pipeline is likely to have no significant impact on the employment and a somewhat negative impact on the land owners. In conclusion, our LCSA approach proved to be operational. The Open Space format for workshops can generate a good basis for the research questions; however, care must be taken to ensure a balanced participation at the workshop, and complementary research questions might have to be added after the workshop. We found that an LCSA that is the sum of LCA, LCC and social LCA does not cover all sustainability aspects that stakeholders can consider important. We also found that the sustainability of a pipeline for residual heat is uncertain in this specific system and in the time frame investigated. Den här rapporten finns endast på engelska. Svensk sammanfattning finns i rapporten.
|
|
| 10. |
- Ekvall, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
-
Physical and environmental assessment
- 2016
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The project DYNAMIX aims to identify and assess dynamic and robust policy mixes to shift the European Union (EU) onto a pathway to absolute decoupling of long-term economic growth from resource use and environmental impacts and to a sustainable future. To support this objective we established the following five targets for the year 2050: * Reduce the consumption of virgin metals by 80% * Limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per capita per year * Eliminate net demand of non-EU arable land * Reduce nitrogen and phosphorus surpluses in the EU to levels that can be achieved by the best available techniques * Eliminate water stress in the EU Our results indicate that R&D, changes in diets and feebate systems have a large potential for resource efficiency and/or environmental improvements. We carried through a material pinch analysis to estimate how improved car dismantling can increase actual copper recycling and the maximum recycling of steel in the very long term. We assumed that an improved dismantling process can reduce the copper content in the steel scrap from cars by 75%. If such improved car dismantling is applied globally, the increase in copper recycling corresponds to 5-10% of the current use of virgin metals in the EU. Our results indicate that the long-term increase in maximum steel recycling is in the same order of magnitude. Spending on R&D on improved car dismantling alone could potentially give noticeable contributions to reducing the dependency on extraction of metal ores.
|
|
