Essentials of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Session 1: Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment

Overview of LCA and its importance in sustainability

Why use LCA

·         Benefits of LCA

Applications of LCA

·         Where can it be used and for what purpose

·         How can it benefit organizations and their goals

·         Explore how to communicate LCA and its applications to others

·         Introduction to Product Category Rules (PCR) and Environmental Product Declaration(EPD)

·         Regulatory Compliance & ESG Reporting

·         Product Innovation & Eco-Design

·         Competitive Advantage & Consumer Trust

Key concepts: Functional units, system boundaries, impact categories

Methodological Framework for LCA

·         LCA frameworks and standards (ISO 14040/14044)

Integrating LCA into a corporate sustainability program

Session Objective: Understand the fundamental principles and applications of LCA.

Session 2: LCA Data and Data Collection

Explore Use Cases and types of LCAs. How are the results going to be used?

·         Screening LCAs – internal use only

·         Product Design & Development

·         Regulatory Compliance & ESG Reporting

·         Green Building & Construction

·         Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) focused reporting

·         Other topics

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data collection – Iterative Approach

Primary vs. secondary data sources

·         LCA databases 

·         Benefits of one database over the other, depending on use case

    Session Objective: Explore use cases and learn how to identify data sources, collect and organize LCA data effectively.

Session 3: Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)

Environmental impact categories (carbon footprint, water use, toxicity)

Impact assessment methods 

Results Interpretation and Uncertainty Analysis – data quality

·         Qualitative vs quantitative

·         Sensitivity analysis, uncertainty analysis, contribution analysis

    Session Objective: Evaluate and compare the performance of different products and processes.

Session 4: LCA Software and Tools

Overview of LCA software Note: Detailed training on a specific software will not be provided and we will focus especially on open-source options

How automation tools and AI fit in

Conducting a basic LCA study using LCA software & Data:

·         Mapping out the model – use a class example

·         Product System – System Model

·         Life-cycle stages/phases

Where to get data

Session Objective: Understanding LCA tools and software.

Session 5: Applications of LCA in Industry

Organizational LCA and GHG protocol

Carbon Footprint & Climate Strategy

Calculating total emissions (CO2, methane, etc.) across a product’s life cycle

Identifying opportunities for carbon offsetting

Measuring and reducing emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3)

LCA in product design and development

·         Material Selection and Optimization (de-materialization/lightweighting)

·         Energy & Resource Efficiency in Product Manufacturing

·         LCA in supply chain management and procurement – evaluation: Identify hot-spots in the supply-chain; Transportation/logistics

·         Durability & Performance

·         Packaging Sustainability

·         End-of-Life (Extended Producer Responsibility)

Comparative Analysis – marketing & making claims

·         Environmental Product Declaration(EPD)

Engineering consulting - Use as a decision-making tool

Case studies from energy, manufacturing, construction, and consulting

Session Objective: Understand real-world applications of LCA across different industries.

Session 6: Regulatory and Business Considerations – Reporting/Disclosing

Session 6: Regulatory and Business Considerations – Reporting/Disclosing

Best practices for reporting and communicating results

Critical review / review panel, comparative analysis, etc

Regulatory frameworks (EU Green Deal, SEC climate disclosures, EPA guidelines)

Governance – Business Strategy

·         Corporate sustainability strategies and reporting; Embedding Sustainability into Business Strategy

·         Board Level Decision making backed by data

·         Integrating LCA into decision-making processes

·         Compliance with Global Regulations

·         Transparency

·         Managing Risk – in terms of sustainable practices

    Session Objective: Understanding best practices for reporting and communicating. Apply LCA to regulatory compliance and business decision-making.

Registration Date/Time:
2/23/2026 9:30am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 2/23/2026  10:00am - 12:00pm Central Time
• 3/2/2026  10:00am - 12:00pm Central Time
• 3/9/2026  10:00am - 12:00pm Central Time
• 3/16/2026  10:00am - 12:00pm Central Time
• 3/23/2026  10:00am - 12:00pm Central Time
• 3/30/2026  10:00am - 12:00pm Central Time

• Instructors

  Adib Amini

  Program Director

  Adib Amini, Ph.D., PE, ENV SP, BCEE serves as Program Director in the College of Engineering’s Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs, with a focus on Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, and Sustainability. Dr. Amini also works with cities and industries as an engineering consultant, with experience in both drinking water and wastewater treatment. Dr. Amini has expertise in sustainability, engineering design, technology innovation, and renewable energy. Dr. Amini’s work has included the design of novel technologies, including on-site energy systems at facilities. He spearheaded the designs for the first wastewater treatment facilities in Iowa that are 100% powered by on-site renewable energy systems. Dr. Amini invented a novel system for ventilation of rated spaces, such as wastewater headworks buildings, for which he holds a provisional patent. Dr. Amini also has performed award-winning research in technology innovation and sustainability. Dr. Amini has spoken widely at conferences on topics related to water/wastewater treatment, sustainability, PFAS, on-site energy systems, and resilient infrastructure.

  Lisa Peterson

  Lisa Peterson is an engineer and executive manager who has supported the telecommunications, defense, medical, water/wastewater, and plastics industries with an eye toward process efficiency, cost reduction, and continuous improvement.  She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University, a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering specializing in Lasers and Optics from Cornell University, an MBA from National Technological University specializing in International Business, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Drexel University. Lisa’s PhD research focused on sustainability assessment of biofuels, energy, and municipal infrastructure using Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, and Techno Economic Assessment.  She holds Professional Engineering licensure in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Michigan and is a Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt.  She is a member of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Engineering Surveying and Geologists Licensure Board, and a member of the NCEES committee on engineering licensure.  She is currently the Principal Engineer and owner of Aftan Engineering, supporting clients with process improvement, cost reduction, and corporate sustainability initiatives, especially LCAs and reviews of LCAs. She has served and continues to serve on various not-for-profit boards.  As hobbies, Lisa enjoys archery hunting on her farm and traveling internationally to lesser-known locations.

  Rebecca LeBlanc

  Rebecca LeBlanc is a sustainability consultant based north of Boston, Massachusetts. She holds degrees in Business from Endicott College and Technical Management from Wentworth Institute of Technology. Through her consulting practice (LCA Resource) she has worked with companies in the farming/dairy, food, chemical, non-woven, electronics, mining, plastics & automotive sectors helping them provide solid metrics (LCA, PCF) to support their sustainability claims. Most recently she has been certified in climate change risk assessment through GARP and is working towards becoming an En-ROADS Climate Ambassador.

• Program Director

  Adib Amini

No prior experience in LCA is required

The course will be offered as a live online course, with recordings made of each session so that participants can watch them at other times if they are not available at the meeting time. Therefore, this course can be flexible and accommodate a variety of schedules. The course meetings will take place once a week over a 6-week period, for a total of six sessions. Each session will be approximately two hours. There will be minimal work outside of the live sessions.

Fee covers instruction, course materials, morning and afternoon breaks and scheduled lunches.

When two people sign up from the same employer, the course fee is $1,695 per person.

When three or more sign up from the same employer, the course fee is $1645 per person.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.