Science Inventory

Integration of Life Cycle Assessment Into Decision-Analytic Approaches for Sustainable Technologies

Citation:

Dyson, B. Integration of Life Cycle Assessment Into Decision-Analytic Approaches for Sustainable Technologies. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 1:81-89, (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.10037-5

Impact/Purpose:

The analysis and selection of products and technologies requires methods for estimating the impacts of a proposed selection and their evaluation with respect to sustainability objectives. LCA may not be in a form applicable to decision-maker needs nor be sufficient for stakeholder-defined product sustainability evaluations. Decision analysis, specifically a Structured Decision Making approach, provides tools to structure decision problems and identify relevant impact information, as well as methods to integrate preference for evaluating impacts. The combined interaction of the life cycle assessment and decision analysis approaches has the potential to better incorporate environmental impact when evaluating technologies for sustainability.

Description:

The analysis and selection of products and technologies requires methods for estimating the impacts of a proposed selection and their evaluation with respect to sustainability objectives. LCA may not be in a form applicable to decision-maker needs nor be sufficient for stakeholder-defined product sustainability evaluations. Decision analysis provides tools to structure decision problems and identify relevant impact information, as well as methods to integrate preference for evaluating impacts. The combined interaction of the life cycle assessment and decision analysis approaches has the potential to better incorporate environmental impact when evaluating technologies for sustainability.