Essentials of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

This course introduces the principles and practices of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), including ISO standards, data collection, impact assessment, and software tools. Participants will explore real-world applications across industries such as manufacturing, construction, energy, and product design. Through hands-on exercises and expert-led discussions, you'll gain the skills to interpret LCA results, support ESG reporting, and integrate sustainability into business strategy.

• Engineers, product designers, and environmental consultants applying LCA in technical or design roles.
• Sustainability officers, compliance managers, and CSR professionals integrating LCA into business strategy.
• Procurement, supply chain, and operations professionals seeking to evaluate environmental performance and make data-driven decisions.

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.

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 (e.g., Ecoinvent, GaBi, SimaPro)
• 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 (e.g., TRACI, ReCiPe, etc.)

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 (SimaPro, GaBi, OpenLCA, Umberto, etc) Note: Detailed training on a specific software will not be provided

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

Overview of GaBi, SimaPro, Umbert0, Open LCA, Spreadsheet based approach

Where to get data

Session Objective: Understanding commonly used 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

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.

Adib Amini

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.