GESA0014-1 : Life cycle analysis

Study Programmes 2015-2016

GESA0014-1

Life cycle analysis

Duration :

12h Th, 12h Pr

Number of credits :

Master in agriculture and bio-industries (120 ECTS)		2
Master in agriculture and bio-industries (120 ECTS)		2

Lecturer :

Sandra Belboom, Angélique Léonard

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Course contents :

This course presents the Life Cycle Assessment methodology (LCA), allowing to evaluate the environmental impact of a process, product, service, following a 'cradle to grave' approach. The LCA related environmental communication is also considered (Environmental Product Declarations, ecolabels, ...).
It combines theoretical courses, case studies, software demonstrations and one personal (or group depending on the number of students) work.
The course is structured as follows:

Introduction to environmental impacts and LCA
Presentation of standards related to the realisation of an ACV
Environmental communication
LCA and ecodesign
Case studies
Introduction to one LCA software

Learning outcomes of the course :

At the end of the course, the student will be able to
- show his understanding and his knowledge of the LCA methodology and related standards;
- to explain the advantages, potential applications, and limitations of the this methodology;
- to understand and interpret the results of an LCA study;
- to explain the environmental communication concept;
- to explain the ecodesign approach;
- to realize a basic LCA study on the basis on data available in demo cases.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Engineering bachelor level scientific background.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

The course is based on 'ex-cathedra' lectures, software demo sessions one personal work.
The individual work will be the object of a written report which will be presented and defended during the oral examination.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face lectures.