Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/life-cycle-assessment
In today’s world, understanding the true environmental footprint of products and systems is more critical than ever. Coursera’s ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ course offers a comprehensive and practical approach to this complex subject, equipping learners with the tools to analyze environmental impacts from cradle to grave. This course is an absolute must for anyone interested in sustainability, product design, environmental management, or simply understanding the hidden costs behind the products we use daily.
The course begins by introducing the fundamental concept of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, highlighting its strengths and limitations compared to other environmental assessment tools. It effectively sets the stage by explaining why LCA is essential, especially when considering the vast number of chemicals and products we interact with regularly. The initial modules meticulously detail the first phase of LCA: Goal and System Definition. This involves clearly defining the study’s purpose, scope, the product’s function, and the crucial concept of a ‘functional unit’ – essentially, what service the product provides.
The subsequent weeks delve into the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI), the quantitative backbone of LCA. Part 1 focuses on building the inventory, quantifying resource extractions and emissions from ‘cradle to gate.’ You’ll learn to establish energy and CO2 balances, identifying the most impactful stages in a product’s life. The course also provides a valuable overview of existing databases, with a particular focus on the widely used ecoinvent database, illustrated with a practical car example. Part 2 of the LCI tackles more nuanced topics like the allocation of emissions between co-products and the role of input-output analysis in complementing process-based LCAs.
Following the inventory, the course moves to the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA). This crucial phase translates inventory data into meaningful environmental impacts. The ‘Impact World+’ method is used to explain each step: classification of emissions, characterization of midpoint impacts, and even damage (end-point) characterization. The optional steps of normalization and weighting are also covered, providing a holistic view of impact assessment. The course concludes with an insightful LCA Interpretation module. Here, you’ll learn how to interpret results, implement LCA using SIMAPRO software, and classify products environmentally. Through examples like desktop vs. laptop computers and a hands-drying exercise, the course teaches strategies for checking results, understanding uncertainties, and applying principles for sustainable product design, including reuse, recycling, and waste management strategies.
Overall, Coursera’s ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ course is exceptionally well-structured, informative, and practical. The instructors provide clear explanations and relevant examples, making a potentially daunting subject accessible. The inclusion of software tutorials adds significant value, allowing learners to apply their knowledge directly. I highly recommend this course to students, professionals, and anyone passionate about driving genuine environmental change through informed decision-making.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/life-cycle-assessment