Introduction to life cycle assessment - distance course
This course gives you an understanding of the basic principles of life cycle assessment. In it, independent study and calculation exercises are mixed with discussion sessions, held remotely. This course covers important concepts such as goal and scope, system boundaries, functional units, allocation, inventory analysis, and environmental impact assessment.
After this course, you will have knowledge about how life cycle assessments are planned and carried out, their strengths and weaknesses, and the importance of transparency in life cycle assessment reports and how these analyses should be interpreted.
Note
The aim of this course is for students to develop the skills of life cycle thinking in environmental issues and to gain an understanding of the principles and structure of a life cycle assessment (LCA). The course covers the five stages of the LCA framework, namely goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment and interpretation. It also covers important concepts such as definition of the functional unit, identification and delimitation of the system boundaries, and allocation problems.