Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets
Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2016.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107098 |
| _version_ | 1811078613754183680 |
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| author | Alcaraz Ochoa, Maria de Lourdes |
| author2 | Elsa Olivetti. |
| author_facet | Elsa Olivetti. Alcaraz Ochoa, Maria de Lourdes |
| author_sort | Alcaraz Ochoa, Maria de Lourdes |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2016. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:02:59Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/107098 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:02:59Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1070982019-04-12T21:33:14Z Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets Alcaraz Ochoa, Maria de Lourdes Elsa Olivetti. Technology and Policy Program. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division. Technology and Policy Program. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Engineering Systems Division. Technology and Policy Program. Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Technology and Policy Program, 2016. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 59-63). Growing concern about climate change and human impact on the environment have resulted in an increase in interest for evaluating the environmental impact of products and services we consume. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become the most prominent method for environmental evaluation. Life cycle assessment is the quantification of the environmental impacts of a product or service through its whole life cycle, from the extraction of materials to manufacturing and end of life. A carbon footprint is a subset of an LCA. LCAs are required as part of government regulations, used by companies to identify high resource use in their supply chain or to choose between product designs and by consumers to choose between alternative product choices. LCAs provide valuable information; however, they are resource intensive, time consuming and uncertain. Therefore, a methodology that addresses all these issues is needed. This study addresses the following question: Can LCAs be streamlined while still providing useful information? To answer this, an under-specification, probabilistic screening methodology is employed. The screening methodology uses a high level assessment of the footprint, incorporates uncertainty in the inputs, and refines data around the primary drivers of impact. The streamlined LCA procedure is extended to include a Sobol based sensitivity analysis methodology for identifying high impact activities. The effects of partial perfect information in subsequent data acquisition activities on the streamlining methodology are examined. Metrics to determine sufficiency in the data gathering procedure and to determine whether decision makers can sufficiently distinguish between two products or design alternatives are developed. A procedure to quantify the cost of additional information is developed. Finally, an exploration of the scenario space of the impacts is analyzed. The extended streamlined methodology is applied to a case study on tablets, with a focus on integrated circuits. This thesis finds that the streamlined, probabilistic methodology can be used to cost-effectively evaluate the environmental impact of products while still taking uncertainty into account. Metrics to determine sufficiency can be effectively used, and the presence of partial information does not limit the usefulness of the metrics. Furthermore, quantifying the cost of additional information can help determine sufficiency in data collection efforts and can help understand the challenges that companies face when performing an LCA. by Maria de Lourdes Alcaraz Ochoa. S.M. in Technology and Policy 2017-02-22T19:03:27Z 2017-02-22T19:03:27Z 2016 2016 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107098 971254247 eng MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 78 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Engineering Systems Division. Technology and Policy Program. Alcaraz Ochoa, Maria de Lourdes Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets |
| title | Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets |
| title_full | Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets |
| title_fullStr | Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets |
| title_short | Development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments : a case study on tablets |
| title_sort | development of metrics for streamlined life cycle assessments a case study on tablets |
| topic | Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Engineering Systems Division. Technology and Policy Program. |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107098 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alcarazochoamariadelourdes developmentofmetricsforstreamlinedlifecycleassessmentsacasestudyontablets |