Life-Cycle Analysis and Sustainability Assessment (250462) – Course 2024/25 PDF

Learning Objectives

Specialization subject in which knowledge on specific competences is intensified. Knowledge and skills at specialization level that permit the development and application of techniques and methodologies at advanced level. Contents of specialization at master level related to research or innovation in the field of engineering. Understanding the following concepts / ideas: - Sustainability involves aspects / variables of very different types and quantified with different units - Multicriteria decision techniques are particularly suitable for assessing / quantifying sustainability - The consideration of the entire life cycle is essential to properly evaluate the environmental impact or sustainability of a process or product - The life cycle analysis tools are currently accepted for assessing the environmental impact of a process or product. Detailed knowledge of the following terms in the field of the subject: - Functional unit, system boundaries, stages of life cycle analysis, life cycle inventory, impact mapping, stages of assessing the impact of the life cycle, classification, characterization, standardization, value function, ranking, weighting , assessment, evaluation, carbon footprints and water Capacity planning and development of the following processes: - Analysis of the complete life cycle of a process or product related to the construction (infrastructure, buildings), including all stages (definition and objectives of the study, functional unit, system boundaries, life cycle inventory, impact, etc.. ), and definition of carbon footprint and water. - Definition of flowcharts arbitrary systems for environmental assessment including a detailed study of the allocation of impacts - Quantification of all the sustainability of a process or product related to the construction (infrastructure, buildings), including all stages (definition of the ranking, weighting, assessment, evaluation, etc..). - Application of multiattribute utility theory and value analysis to arbitrary decision-making processes using different weighting schemes (ordinal, cardinal, analytical hierarchical analysis, etc..), Valuation (various functions, etc.). Knowledge of these aspects within the scope of the subject: - Types of life cycle analysis, standardization of life cycle analysis, software tools available to carry out life cycle analysis, examples of application of life cycle analysis in the field of infrastructure parameters determine the sustainability of infrastructure, ranking procedures, weighting, evaluation and aggregation of decision parameters, examples of application of sustainability assessment in the field of infrastructure, software tools available to carry out life cycle analysis and sustainability assessment, both open (applicable to arbitrary cases) and closed (eg for the assessment of buildings).

Competencies

Especific

Knowledge of all kinds of structures and materials and the ability to design, execute and maintain structures and buildings for civil works.

Transversal

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION: Being aware of and understanding the mechanisms on which scientific research is based, as well as the mechanisms and instruments for transferring results among socio-economic agents involved in research, development and innovation processes.

SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT: Being aware of and understanding the complexity of the economic and social phenomena typical of a welfare society, and being able to relate social welfare to globalisation and sustainability and to use technique, technology, economics and sustainability in a balanced and compatible manner.

TEAMWORK: Being able to work in an interdisciplinary team, whether as a member or as a leader, with the aim of contributing to projects pragmatically and responsibly and making commitments in view of the resources that are available.

Total hours of student work

		Hours	Percentage
Supervised Learning	Large group	25.5h	56.67 %
	Medium group	9.8h	21.67 %
	Laboratory classes	9.8h	21.67 %
Self Study		80h

Teaching Methodology

The course consists of 3 hours per week of classes in the classroom in one group.De three scheduled weekly hours typically devoted two sessions to more exhibitions focusing on conceptual and theoretical and practical aspects in resolution of problems and exercises, including practical informàtiques.S uses material support through the virtual campus Athena (content, programming and evaluation activities of learning and literature). The course is trying to encourage participation of students and their work before and after classes. For classes not taught all the material included in the program but these focus on issues of major importance and difficulty, leaving the rest to work with the help of students' personal notes and additional documentation provided in the context of the subject. Additionally voluntary consultation sessions organized and, eventually, conferences and visits. A class is basically used the blackboard, and complementarily, audiovisual materials (Internet, slides and videos). Although most of the sessions will be given in the language indicated, sessions supported by other occasional guest experts may be held in other languages.

Grading Rules

The evaluation calendar and grading rules will be approved before the start of the course.

The overall result of the course is obtained from all course grades (exams - 30 %, assignments - 60 % and class activities - 15 %). According to the above criteria, those students who participate in the continuous assessment are graded at 105%. In contrast, those who decide to go to the final exam directly, the weighting of the exam is 100% of the grade. There will be at least a final individual exam and a group paper related, the latter, to the life cycle analysis (50 %) and the sustainability assessment (50 %) of civil engineering products, construction solutions or any other subject that may be approved. Exams may include theoretical or applied questions.

Test Rules

To pass the course the student must have completed the course assignment and reach, globally, a score greater than or equal to 5/10 or have passed the individual final exam.

Office Hours

Hours of assistance to students are carried out both during the intervals between classes and through personally agreed hours or agreed hours by e-mail

Bibliography

Basic

World Commission on Environment and Development. Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University, 1987. ISBN 019282080X.
Mulder, K. Desarrollo sostenible para ingenieros. Reimpresión de la primera edición. Barcelona: Edicions UPC, 2007. ISBN 9788483018927.
Scientific Applications International Corporation (SAIC). Life cycle assessment: principles and practice. Cincinnati: National Risk Management Research Laboratory, 2006.
European Commission - Joint Research Centre - Institute for Environment and Sustainability. International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook - General guide for Life Cycle Assessment - Detailed guidance. First edition. Luxembourg.: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. ISBN 978-92-79-19092-6.
Sergio Barba-Romero Casillas y Jean-Charles Pomerol. Multicriterion Decision in Management: Principles and Practice. Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2000. Springer, 2012. ISBN 978-1461370086.
Carlos Romero. Análisis de las Decisiones Multicriterio. Primera edición. Madrid: Isdefe - Ingeniería de Sistemas, 1996. ISBN 84-89338-14-0.

Complementary

Mark Goedkoop, An De Schryver, Michiel Oele, Sipke Durksz y Douwe de Roest. SimaPro 7 - Introduction into LCA. Report version 4.5. Amersfoort, Holanda: Pré Consultants, 2010.
Mark Goedkoop, An De Schryver, Michiel Oele, Douwe de Roest, Marisa Vieira y Sipke Durksz. SimaPro 7 Tutorial. Report version 3.5. Amersfoort, Holanda: Pré Consultants, 2010.
labein-tecnalia - UPV-EHU - UPC. La medida de la sostenibilidad en edificación industrial - Modelo Integrado de Valor de Edificios Sostenibles (MIVES). 1ª Edición. Bilbao: Eduardo Rojí - coordinador, 2006. ISBN 84-690-2629-1.