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This report is a follow on of the first phase of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-sponsored project to evaluate lateral ballast behavior and how mechanics-based track geometry deterioration models forecast field behavior. In Phase II of the project, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. modified the Railway Track Lifecycle Model (RTLM) by adding tamp lift height and a site?specific factor and split the model between a logarithmic settlement and a linear surface profile model. The research team also compared forecasting model projections against multiple field measurement locations at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC). The ballast settlement mechanism at most locations was ballast re-compaction and the RTLM captured the settlement behavior if only the tamp lift height parameter was used. If the settlement mechanism was degraded ballast, the logarithmic settlement curve did not capture abrupt changes in settlement rate from wetting and drying so more linear models, such as the surface profile model, should be used.

Energy-targeted biorefineries (ETBs) are in high demand for renewable and clean energy provision. However, ETBs have low economic performances due to the low economic value of energy products (e.g., ethanol, biogas, and electricity) against high feedstock transportation, capital, and operational costs. In addition, the ETBs have low environmental performance associated with feedstock transportation and operational requirements. Operating ETBs as integrated satellite biorefineries (SB) could potentially increase economic and environmental performance by minimizing feedstock transportation and emissions while diversifying into high-value products can increase profitability. Therefore, comparative techno-economic analysis (TEA), and life cycle analysis (LCA) were performed to quantify the economic and environmental benefits of SB and diversification of energy products (DEP) with the inclusion of high-value chemical products (HVCP). Three biorefinery scenarios (S1–S3) were simulated (in Aspen Plus ®) to evaluate the impact of satellites and product diversification. S1 involved producing only energy products i.e., ethanol, biogas, & electricity (EBE) at varying SB capacities (90–4368 kt/y) and centralized biorefinery (CB) at a capacity of 8 736 kt/y. S2 involved the inclusion of lactic acid (LA) in the products in S1. S3 involved the replacement of ethanol in S1 with LA. The economic performance was assessed based on net present values (NPV), annual profits (AP), and minimum product selling price (MPSP). The environmental performance was assessed via fossil resource depletion (FRD), global warming (GW), and terrestrial acidification (TA) impact categories. The SB and DEP demonstrate better economic performance compared to CB. Notably, SB coupled with DEP provides 286, 362, and 57 % improvement in NPV, AP, and FRD, respectively. For example, at the capacity of 1107 kt/y for S1 & S2 and 728 kt/y for S3 the SB increases NPV of CB from -$17280 to -$10754, $3144 to

In this study the mechanical, thermal, surface properties and fracture behvaiour of ALQEMITE® material containing 10% and 15% recycled industrial spill are evaluated and compared to the control group made of virgin ALQEMITE®. Additionally, this study explores potential sustainable applications for these materials without determining an optimal mixture. The study includes a Life Cycle Analysis to evaluate the environmental advantages of using recycled ALQEMITE® in the development of possible applications, thus promoting sustainable manufacturing practices. The methodology adopted involves a comprehensive analysis of the properties of the material and an evaluation of potential applications. Initially, mechanical properties are examined to assess the tensile and flexural strength, fracture toughness and hardness of the material. The thermal properties are evaluated to ascertain the materials' short-term heat resistance, stiffness and thermal stability. Furthermore, surface finish and fractography are used to analyse surface roughness and fracture behaviour respectively, to individualize surface parameters and to understand the causes of failure. Subsequently, potential applications are evaluated, leading to CAD modeling and finite element analysis simulations of the chosen application. Ultimately, a comparative life cycle analysis is performed to assess the environmental impact of the chosen application created with the recycled mixtures versus the control material. The study reveals that while the reference material generally exhibits superior performance, the results of 10% and 15% mixtures closely follow it, indicating that the two recycled groups did not decrease significantly compared to the control group. The 10% and 15% groups excel in specific tests, Vickers hardness and Charpy unnotched tests, respectively. The 15% group showed a slight improvement in thermal characteristics, but the result was negligible compared to the reference, indicating that there was, Detta arbete undersöker mekaniska, termiska, ytfinhets egenskaper och brott beteende för materialet ALQEMITE® innehållande 10% och 15% återvunnet industriellt spill som utvärderas och jämförs med en kontrollgrupp av jungfru ALQEMITE®. I detta arbete undersöks dessutom hållbara tillämpningar för dessa material utan att urskilja det optimala valet av blandning. Undersökningen innefattar en livscykelanalys för att utvärdera de miljöfördelarna som finns vid användning av återvunnet ALQEMITE® i en potentiell tillämpning, därmed främja hållbara tillverkningsmetoder. De metoder som används innebär en omfattande analys av materialegenskaper och en utvärdering av potentiell tillämpning. I första hand undersöks de mekaniska egenskaper för att utvärdera drag-och böjstyrka, hårdhet och hållfasthet för materialen. Termiska egenskaper undersöks för att fastställa materialens short-term värmebeständighet, styvhet och termisk-stabilitet. Ytfinhets-analys och fraktografi används för att analysera respektive yt-jämnhet och brottbeteende, för att utvärdera enskilda ytfinhets parametrar och orsaken till brott. Därefter utvärderas en potentiell tillämpning, vilket i sin tur leder till en CAD-modellering och en finita elementmetod simulering av den valda tillämpningen. Slutligen utförs en jämförande livscykelanalys för att bedöma miljöpåverkan av den valda tillämpningen skapad med de blandningarna innehållande återvunnet spill som jämförs med kontrollmaterialet. Studien framför att även om referensmaterialet generellt sett uppvisar överlägsen prestation, följer resultaten av 10% och 15% sammansättningar tätt efter, vilket indikerar att de två grupperna med återvunna spill inte minskade avsevärt jämfört med kontrollgruppen. Grupperna med 10% och 15% återvunnet material utmärker sig i respektive enskilda tester, Vickers hårdhetstest och Charpy slaghetstest. 15% visade en liten förbättring i termiska egenskaper, men resultatet var försumbart jämfört med referensen, vilket indikerar att det

To meet the sustainability goals and comply with low-emission building standards and certification systems, the construction sector has predominantly focused on improving the energy efficiency of buildings to reduce operational carbon emissions. However, minimizing the embodied carbon of constructions can play a crucial role in achieving these aims. One approach to achieve this is monitoring and regulating the inflow and outflow of materials. This thesis specifically examines the embodied carbon through a cradle-to-gate Life cycle assessment (LCA) of a warehouse building, located in Germany. Additionally, it provides a comparative assessment of two LCA tools - Madaster and OneClickLCA, highlighting their opportunities, limitations, and specific applicability. The results of this study aim to determine the materials that contribute most significantly to the building’s net Global warming potential. By conducting a sensitivity analysis, where the environmental performance of concrete and insulation materials is varied, potential strategies of mitigating the negative impacts are identified. Furthermore, due to the comparative nature of this work, the importance of digitalization and methods of Building information modelling implementation into LCA tools and calculations are determined. Upon completion of the investigation, it became clear that the lack of common regulations and project deliverables within European union member states, coupled with lagging of the construction sector’s digitalization, necessitates urgent actions of the sector to meet sustainability goals. The upkeep of robust Material passport, sensible material use, and diligent data recording can facilitate accurate conduction of the often complex embodied carbon evaluation process.

The thesis investigates the environmental impacts of Haninge Municipality through the application of the Urban Metabolism–Life Cycle Assessment (UM–LCA) framework. Haninge, recognized as one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Stockholm County, encounters significant sustainability challenges due to its high consumption of goods, services, food, and beverages, which collectively contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental burdens. The study identifies the constraints posed by fragmented data storage and the absence of cohesive data management systems, which complicate effective sustainability assessments. Recommendations include restructuring the data storage system, establishing a centralized data layer, and enhancing the roles of the IT department to improve data inte-gration and accuracy. The findings underscore the necessity for targeted policies to address consumption behaviors and provide valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and community leaders. This research contributes to the broader understanding of urban metabolism and offers a replicable frame-work for other municipalities aiming to develop sustainable urban development strategies., Avhandlingen undersöker miljöpåverkan av Haninge kommun genom tillämpningen av ramverket för urban metabolism och livscykelanalys (UM–LCA). Haninge, erkänd som en av de snabbast växande kom-munerna i Stockholms län, står inför betydande hållbarhetsutmaningar på grund av sin höga konsumtion av varor, tjänster, mat och dryck, vilket sammantaget bidrar till utsläpp av växthusgaser och andra miljö-belastningar. Studien identifierar de begränsningar som orsakas av fragmenterad datalagring och avsak-naden av sammanhängande datalageringssystem, vilket komplicerar effektiva hållbarhetsbedömningar. Rekommendationerna inkluderar att omstrukturera datalagringssystemet, etablera ett centraliserat data-lager och stärka IT-avdelningens roller för att förbättra dataintegration och noggrannhet. Resultaten un-derstryker nödvändigheten av riktade policys för att hantera konsumtionsbeteenden och ge värdefulla insikter för beslutsfattare, stadsplanerare och samhällsledare. Denna forskning bidrar till en bredare förståelse av urban metabolism och erbjuder ett replikerbart ramverk för andra kommuner som strävar efter att utveckla hållbara stadsutvecklingsstrategier.

As a way of dealing with environmental problems, different policies and goals can be set. One of the sectors that often is excluded from these types of regulations is the defence sector, and for the sector to become more sustainable, additional research is needed within this area. This thesis aims to contribute to filling in the knowledge gap about the environmental impact of a defence product, namely a fire control director system, that works both as a radar and optronic tracker. This product is studied as a whole, but also divided into different life cycle phases and into different components. This impact analysis will include a life cycle assessment (LCA). The method for this LCA has followed the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. The functional unit was set as the usage of a fire control director system to guide and track artillery for 2000 h/year for 30 years. For the gathering of data, different methods were used for different phases of the life cycle. Material data was mostly gathered from eco-footprint reports. For the other phases, data was given or estimated by product experts and/or found online. The results show that, for the functional unit, the product system, in regard to climate change, mineral resource scarcity, fossil resource scarcity and freshwater ecotoxicity, contributes to 590 tonnes CO2-eq, 3.6 tonnes Cu-eq, 170 tonnes oil-eq and 14 tonnes 1.4-DCB-eq respectively. The use phase stands for the majority of this impact in the categories climate change, mineral resource scarcity and fossil resource scarcity. For freshwater ecotoxicity, the material extraction and manufacturing stand for the highest impact. The fire control director component contributes to the most environmental impact, in all the studied impact categories, followed by the cabinet and the hydraulic power unit. A sensitivity analysis on recycled aluminium showed that the environmental impact could be reduced in regard to climate change, mineral resource scarcity and fossil resource

The technology of 3D printing has established itself in various industries and has now begun to be utilized in the construction sector to some extent. The construction industry has always been characterized by its traditional methods, but this new technology can bring several advantages that should not be overlooked. Using a 3D printer in a construction project can lead to shorter construction times, a safer and healthier working environment, and significantly less material waste compared to traditional methods. By comparing the environmental impact, material usage, and economics of these methods, it becomes possible to gain the necessary knowledge for achieving sustainable construction. To achieve the goal of this study, a literature review is conducted to examine previous works and the various conclusions and observations made by others. Furthermore, interviews are utilized to gain insights into the construction industry, providing the opportunity to benefit from practical experiences and expertise from key individuals. The thesis focuses on three specific aspects of the life cycle: environmental impact, economic sustainability, and material usage. These factors were chosen for investigation due to the construction industry's continuous efforts to improve these areas in every project. In summary the study results indicate that the environmental impact of 3D construction is much lower than traditional construction. Various factors contribute to this, but the most important is the precision level of the technology, where accurate placement of materials leads to less material waste and disposal. This correlates with the method's material usage, as environmentally friendly materials such as geopolymers are used to ensure a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional materials. Additionally, the reduced need for labor and transportation contributes to the economic sustainability of 3D buildings compared to traditional construction., 3D utskriftstekniken har etablerat sig inom flera industrier och har nu till en viss del börjat utnyttjas i byggbranschen. Branschen har alltid kännetecknats av att vara väldigt traditionell, men denna nya teknik kan medföra flera fördelar som man inte vill gå miste om. Att använda sig utav en 3D-skrivare vid ett byggprojekt kan leda till bland annat; kortare byggtider, en mer säker samt hälsosam arbetsmiljö men även betydligt mindre materialspill jämfört med det traditionella arbetsmetoderna. Målet med detta arbete ät att jämföra metodernas, miljöpåverkan, materialanvändning samt ekonomi. Därmed blir det mjöligt att erhålla nödvändiga kunskaper för att uppnå ett hållbar byggande. För att uppnå målet av denna studie, genomförs det en litteraturstudie för att ta del av tidigare arbeten samt de olika slutsatser och observationer som andra har åstadkommit. Vidare dras det nytta av intervjuer för att få en inblick i hur byggbranschen ser ut, samtidigt som det blir det möjligt att ta del av praktiska erfarenheter och expertis från nyckelpersoner. Examensarbetet fokuserar på tre specifika aspekter av livscykeln: miljöpåverkan, ekonomisk hållbarhet och materialanvändning. Dessa faktorer valdes för undersökning på grund av byggbranschens kontinuerliga strävan att förbättra dessa områden vid varje byggprojekt. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultaten från arbetet att miljöpåverkan hos 3D byggande är avsevärt mindre jämfört med traditionellt byggande. Det finns olika bidragande faktorer till detta, men den viktigaste är teknikens precisionsnivå, där noggrann placering av material leder till mindre materialspill samt avfall. Detta sammanhänger med metodens materialanvändning då miljövänliga material såsom geoplymers utnyttjas för att säkerställa lägre koldioxidavtryck, jämfört med traditionella material. Vidare blir den minskade arbetskraften och transporten en bidragande faktor till teknikens ekonomiska hållbarhet, i jämförelse med traditionellt byggande.

The growing need for climate mitigation solutions has contributed so thatbiochar has gained significant interest. Primary for its ability as a carbon sinkbut there is also a growing interest due to several other aspects within industriese.g. substitution effects, increased resource efficiency, an enabler forindustrial symbiosis, and its beneficial properties when put in soil that can increasegrowth. Previous studies of biochar have been dominant within the environmentalperspective of biochar, analyzing detailed characteristics of its propertiesand carbon sink potential. Some studies have a holistic perspective reflectingon countries specific energy mix and the different benefits of producingbiochar. However, previous studies are far too few to determine the value-chainof biochar. Hence previous studies have knowledge gaps within the holistic lifecycle approach from a provider or customer perspective of biochar, not reflectingon demand for quality requirements in different utilization areas and markets.The need for validation of the environmental and the economic performanceof biochar has to be established, and the economic perspective of biochar hasmajor knowledge gaps since previous studies are scarce. The study aims to establish the value-chain of biochar by evaluating theenvironmental, economic, and social perspectives through life cycle thinking.The core of the study is to distinguish value, which first has to reflect thebiochar quality requirements from providers and customers, captured throughinterviews and literature research. The quality requirements enable a goal forproducing biochar and determine what processes and biomass are needed fordifferent markets. This is evaluated through a case development which considersthe different quality requirements. Life cycle assessment (LCA) with acradle-to-grave perspective and life cycle costing (LCC) with a cradle-to-gatewere then used to distinguish biochar´s environmental and economic performance. The interviews and

Bygg- och fastighetssektorn representerade år 2021 21,7% av Sveriges inhemska utsläpp (Boverket, 2023a). Detta visar på en stor potential i branschen att minska klimat- och miljöpåverkan som går i linje med FN:s hållbarhetsmål. Företag arbetar aktivt med att bygga mer hållbart, men privatpersoner som bygger småhus har också möjlighet att bidra till en positiv förändring. Detta projekt syftar till att jämföra olika materialval i klimatskalet i småhus ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. Ett av de analyserade alternativen är ett befintligt nybyggt exempelhus (småhus A) med mindre vanliga materialval, som har jämförts mot ett konventionellt sätt att bygga svenska småhus på (småhus B) som framtagits genom en enkätundersökning. Frågorna i enkätundersökningen har baserats på befintlig litteratur om vanligt förekommande material som skickats till 53 byggföretag, varav 31 företag svarat. Ett egenutvecklat förslag (småhus C) har även tagits fram med målet att förbättra materialvalen ur ett ekonomiskt och miljömässigt perspektiv. För att kunna utvärdera miljömässig hållbarhet har en livscykelanalys genomförts där utsläpp av koldioxidekvivalenter studerats under delar av bygg- och användningsskedet. Material- och transportkostnad har även analyserats ekonomiskt med hjälp av en livscykelkostnad. För att ett förslag ska vara hållbart måste den ekonomiska och miljömässiga aspekten balanseras, som kan uppnås om lösningen är miljövänlig samtidigt som den är ekonomisk försvarbar. Det egenutvecklade förslaget är baserat på resultatet av livscykelanalysen och livscykelkostnaden från småhus A och B, samt utefter befintliga hinder som undersökts genom litteratur och ett frågeformulär som skickats ut till några aktörer som är med och påverkar byggprocessen. Två fiktiva småhusmodeller som utgår från den genomsnittliga boarean av småhus i Sverige togs fram, som resultatet av studien applicerades på för att ge en uppfattning om totalt CO2eq utsläpp och kostnad för ett småhus. Resultatet visade, 21,7 % of Swedens’s domestic emissions in 2021 was represented by the building an real estate sector (Boverket, 2023a), which highlights a considerable potential to reduce emissions in line with UN:s sustainability goals. As well as companies, individuals also have the opportunity to contribute to a positive change by building more sustainable houses. This project aims to compare different materials choices in the building envelope of houses from a sustainability perspective. One of the analyzed alternatives is an existing newly built example house (house A) built with less common materials, which was compared to a conventional Swedish house (house B) based on a conducted survey. A literature study of common existing materials were the foundation for survey, which was sent to 53 construction companies were 31 companies responded. An alternative proposition (house C) was developed during the project with the goal of improving material choices from both an economic and environmental perspective. A life cycle analysis has been conducted to evaluate environmental sustainability by studying carbon dioxide equivalent emissions during material extraction and production, transportation, and the use stage. A life cycle cost assessment has been used to analyze material and transportation cost. The economic and environmental aspects must be balanced in order for a solution to be sustainable. This can be achieved if the solution is environmentally friendly while also being economically justifiable. House C is based on the results of the life cycle analysis and life cycle cost from house A and B, as well as existing obstacles that were examined through literature and questionnaire that was sent to involved stakeholders in the building process. Two fictional house models were creates based on the average living area of small houses in Sweden. The result of the study was applied to these models to provide an estimate of the total CO2eq emissions and cost for a small house.

This bachelor thesis investigates strategies for enhancing sustainability in material usage within Xervon Sweden AB, a leading provider of scaffolding and weather protection solutions. The research integrates life cycle analysis (LCA) with the exploration of alternative materials and recycling methods to identify environmentally friendly approaches to managing plastic waste in facade work. The study employs a comprehensive LCA to assess the environmental impact of current scaffolding materials, including High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE). It explores new materials such as Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), evaluates their feasibility through data collection and analysis, and investigates innovative recycling and reuse methods in collaboration with industry partners. The results from this bachelor thesis revealed from the LCA that material extrusion contributes significantly to CO2 emissions and energy consumption. PHA emerged as a promising alternative due to its renewable sourcing and biodegradability, despite its higher cost. The study also identified a circular system for recycling scaffolding sheets into granules for manufacturing new sheets as the most efficient strategy for CO2 reduction. Additionally, opportunities for external reuse of plastic materials with painting companies and agricultural associations were explored. The conclusions drawn in this bachelor thesis is that Xervon is currently using the most sustainable material within its price range. While PHA shows potential for future adoption, creating a circular system for scaffolding sheets offers immediate benefits. Collaborations with external partners can further extend the lifespan of materials, contributing to overall sustainability efforts. Future research should include broader sustainability indicators and in-house laboratory tests to validate findings. By focusing on these strategies, Xervon can significantly reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining op, Denna kandidatuppsats undersöker strategier för att förbättra hållbarheten i materialanvändningen inom Xervon Sweden AB, en ledande leverantör av ställnings- och väderskyddslösningar. Forskningen integrerar livscykelanalys (LCA) med utforskning av alternativa material och återvinningsmetoder för att identifiera miljövänliga metoder för hantering av plastavfall i fasadarbeten. Studien använder en omfattande LCA för att bedöma den miljöpåverkan som de nuvarandeställningsmaterialen, inklusive högdensitetspolyeten (HDPE) och lågdensitetspolyeten (LDPE), har. Den utforskar nya material såsom polyhydroxialkanoater (PHA), utvärderar deras genomförbarhet genom datainsamling och analys, och undersöker innovativa återvinnings- och återanvändningsmetoder i samarbete med industripartners. Resultaten från denna kandidatuppsats avslöjade från LCA att materialextrudering bidrar avsevärt till koldioxidutsläpp och energiförbrukning. PHA visade sig vara ett lovande alternativ på grund av dessförnybara källor och biologiska nedbrytbarhet, trots dess högre kostnad. Studien identifierade också ett cirkulärt system för återvinning av ställningsdukar till granulat för tillverkning av nya dukar som den mest effektiva strategin för att minska koldioxidutsläpp. Dessutom undersöktes möjligheter för extern återanvändning av plastmaterial med måleriföretag och jordbruksorganisationer. Slutsatserna som dragits i denna kandidatuppsats är att Xervon för närvarande använder det mest hållbara materialet inom sin prisklass. Även om PHA visar potential för framtida användning, erbjuder skapandet av ett cirkulärt system för ställningsdukar omedelbara fördelar. Samarbeten med externa partners kan ytterligare förlänga materialens livslängd och bidra till övergripande hållbarhetsinsatser. Framtida forskning bör inkludera bredare hållbarhetsindikatorer och laboratorietester internt för att valideraresultaten. Genom att fokusera på dessa strategier kan Xervon avsevärt minska sitt miljöavtryck samtidigt som

[ES] Realizar un análisis del ciclo de vida en la produccion de motores eléctricos, ejemplificado por algunas topologías de referencia y datos utilizados en el Proyecto de investigación HaPiPro². Primero de todo se acuerdan los bordes del sistema, a continuacion se lleva a cabo el análisis del ciclo de vida con la ayuda de datos, y a partir de esto, existentes desafíos en el análisis del ciclo de vida en el contexto de la producción de motores eléctricos serán específicamente resaltados y posibles soluciones identificadas., [EN] Your task is a life cycle analysis (LCA) for the production of electric motors, exemplified by the reference topologies and quantities used in the HaPiPro² research project. First of all, the borders of the system to be considered are to be defined, the LCA is to be carried out with the aid of a suitable database, and from this, existing challenges in the life cycle analysis in the context of e-motor production are to be specifically highlighted and potential solutions identified.

This study investigated the environmental impacts associated with converting apple pomace, a globally abundant resource, into biofuels and high-value products using a comparative consequential life cycle assessment. In three developed scenarios, an acid pretreatment method was applied and the pretreated liquid was used for ethanol and pectin production. The pretreated solids were utilized to produce different products: scenario 1 produced biogas, scenario 2 generated butanol, and scenario 3 yielded both biogas and butanol from the solids. The results demonstrated that scenario 1 exhibited the best performance compared to the other two scenarios, imposing the lowest environmental burdens across all damage categories, including human health, ecosystems, and resources. Despite the induced impacts, the benefits of avoided products, i.e., ethanol, natural gas, butanol, acetone, and pectin, compensated for these induced environmental impacts to some extent. The results also revealed that among all products generated through the biorefineries, first-generation ethanol substitution had the most significant positive environmental impacts. Overall, the biorefinery developed in scenario 1 represents the most feasible strategy for a circular bioeconomy. It performs 84.38 % and 72.98 % better than scenarios 2 and 3 in terms of human health, 85.34 % and 74.54 % better in terms of ecosystems, and more than 100 % better in terms of resources. Conversely, scenario 2 resulted in the highest net impacts across all damage categories. Furthermore, in scenario 1, the midpoint results showed 83.10 % and 71.08 % lower impacts on global warming, 85.15 % and 74.17 % lower impacts on terrestrial acidification, and 99.26 % and 98.53 % lower impacts on fossil resource scarcity compared to scenarios 2 and 3, respectively. In conclusion, the first scenario shows promise for the sustainable valorization of apple pomace.

Expansive soils present significant challenges to infrastructure stability, necessitating the use of stabilizing materials. This study conducts a comprehensive life cycle analysis (LCA) research design to evaluate the environmental sustainability of various stabilizing materials for expansive soil. The study uses a quantitative analysis assessing materials, including cement, limestone, natural pozzolana, iron ore tailings, and geopolymers (especially alkali-activated slag cement). The method involves a comprehensive LCA, considering phases from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal. The analysis reveals distinct differences in environmental impact. Cement and lime, common stabilizers, show a high carbon footprint. Natural pozzolana and iron ore tailings exhibit potential as supplementary cementitious materials with reduced environmental impact. Geopolymers, particularly alkali-activated slag cement, offer promising alternatives with lower carbon emissions. This research contributes insights into sustainable geotechnical practices, guiding material selection aligned with environmental goals for effective expansive soil stabilization.

Expansive soils present significant challenges to infrastructure stability, necessitating the use of stabilizing materials. This study conducts a comprehensive life cycle analysis (LCA) research design to evaluate the environmental sustainability of various stabilizing materials for expansive soil. The study uses a quantitative analysis assessing materials, including cement, limestone, natural pozzolana, iron ore tailings, and geopolymers (especially alkali-activated slag cement). The method involves a comprehensive LCA, considering phases from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal. The analysis reveals distinct differences in environmental impact. Cement and lime, common stabilizers, show a high carbon footprint. Natural pozzolana and iron ore tailings exhibit potential as supplementary cementitious materials with reduced environmental impact. Geopolymers, particularly alkali-activated slag cement, offer promising alternatives with lower carbon emissions. This research contributes insights into sustainable geotechnical practices, guiding material selection aligned with environmental goals for effective expansive soil stabilization.

To meet the sustainability goals and comply with low-emission building standards and certification systems, the construction sector has predominantly focused on improving the energy efficiency of buildings to reduce operational carbon emissions. However, minimizing the embodied carbon of constructions can play a crucial role in achieving these aims. One approach to achieve this is monitoring and regulating the inflow and outflow of materials. This thesis specifically examines the embodied carbon through a cradle-to-gate Life cycle assessment (LCA) of a warehouse building, located in Germany. Additionally, it provides a comparative assessment of two LCA tools - Madaster and OneClickLCA, highlighting their opportunities, limitations, and specific applicability. The results of this study aim to determine the materials that contribute most significantly to the building’s net Global warming potential. By conducting a sensitivity analysis, where the environmental performance of concrete and insulation materials is varied, potential strategies of mitigating the negative impacts are identified. Furthermore, due to the comparative nature of this work, the importance of digitalization and methods of Building information modelling implementation into LCA tools and calculations are determined. Upon completion of the investigation, it became clear that the lack of common regulations and project deliverables within European union member states, coupled with lagging of the construction sector’s digitalization, necessitates urgent actions of the sector to meet sustainability goals. The upkeep of robust Material passport, sensible material use, and diligent data recording can facilitate accurate conduction of the often complex embodied carbon evaluation process.

In this study the mechanical, thermal, surface properties and fracture behvaiour of ALQEMITE® material containing 10% and 15% recycled industrial spill are evaluated and compared to the control group made of virgin ALQEMITE®. Additionally, this study explores potential sustainable applications for these materials without determining an optimal mixture. The study includes a Life Cycle Analysis to evaluate the environmental advantages of using recycled ALQEMITE® in the development of possible applications, thus promoting sustainable manufacturing practices. The methodology adopted involves a comprehensive analysis of the properties of the material and an evaluation of potential applications. Initially, mechanical properties are examined to assess the tensile and flexural strength, fracture toughness and hardness of the material. The thermal properties are evaluated to ascertain the materials' short-term heat resistance, stiffness and thermal stability. Furthermore, surface finish and fractography are used to analyse surface roughness and fracture behaviour respectively, to individualize surface parameters and to understand the causes of failure. Subsequently, potential applications are evaluated, leading to CAD modeling and finite element analysis simulations of the chosen application. Ultimately, a comparative life cycle analysis is performed to assess the environmental impact of the chosen application created with the recycled mixtures versus the control material. The study reveals that while the reference material generally exhibits superior performance, the results of 10% and 15% mixtures closely follow it, indicating that the two recycled groups did not decrease significantly compared to the control group. The 10% and 15% groups excel in specific tests, Vickers hardness and Charpy unnotched tests, respectively. The 15% group showed a slight improvement in thermal characteristics, but the result was negligible compared to the reference, indicating that there was, Detta arbete undersöker mekaniska, termiska, ytfinhets egenskaper och brott beteende för materialet ALQEMITE® innehållande 10% och 15% återvunnet industriellt spill som utvärderas och jämförs med en kontrollgrupp av jungfru ALQEMITE®. I detta arbete undersöks dessutom hållbara tillämpningar för dessa material utan att urskilja det optimala valet av blandning. Undersökningen innefattar en livscykelanalys för att utvärdera de miljöfördelarna som finns vid användning av återvunnet ALQEMITE® i en potentiell tillämpning, därmed främja hållbara tillverkningsmetoder. De metoder som används innebär en omfattande analys av materialegenskaper och en utvärdering av potentiell tillämpning. I första hand undersöks de mekaniska egenskaper för att utvärdera drag-och böjstyrka, hårdhet och hållfasthet för materialen. Termiska egenskaper undersöks för att fastställa materialens short-term värmebeständighet, styvhet och termisk-stabilitet. Ytfinhets-analys och fraktografi används för att analysera respektive yt-jämnhet och brottbeteende, för att utvärdera enskilda ytfinhets parametrar och orsaken till brott. Därefter utvärderas en potentiell tillämpning, vilket i sin tur leder till en CAD-modellering och en finita elementmetod simulering av den valda tillämpningen. Slutligen utförs en jämförande livscykelanalys för att bedöma miljöpåverkan av den valda tillämpningen skapad med de blandningarna innehållande återvunnet spill som jämförs med kontrollmaterialet. Studien framför att även om referensmaterialet generellt sett uppvisar överlägsen prestation, följer resultaten av 10% och 15% sammansättningar tätt efter, vilket indikerar att de två grupperna med återvunna spill inte minskade avsevärt jämfört med kontrollgruppen. Grupperna med 10% och 15% återvunnet material utmärker sig i respektive enskilda tester, Vickers hårdhetstest och Charpy slaghetstest. 15% visade en liten förbättring i termiska egenskaper, men resultatet var försumbart jämfört med referensen, vilket indikerar att det

The thesis investigates the environmental impacts of Haninge Municipality through the application of the Urban Metabolism–Life Cycle Assessment (UM–LCA) framework. Haninge, recognized as one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Stockholm County, encounters significant sustainability challenges due to its high consumption of goods, services, food, and beverages, which collectively contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental burdens. The study identifies the constraints posed by fragmented data storage and the absence of cohesive data management systems, which complicate effective sustainability assessments. Recommendations include restructuring the data storage system, establishing a centralized data layer, and enhancing the roles of the IT department to improve data inte-gration and accuracy. The findings underscore the necessity for targeted policies to address consumption behaviors and provide valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and community leaders. This research contributes to the broader understanding of urban metabolism and offers a replicable frame-work for other municipalities aiming to develop sustainable urban development strategies., Avhandlingen undersöker miljöpåverkan av Haninge kommun genom tillämpningen av ramverket för urban metabolism och livscykelanalys (UM–LCA). Haninge, erkänd som en av de snabbast växande kom-munerna i Stockholms län, står inför betydande hållbarhetsutmaningar på grund av sin höga konsumtion av varor, tjänster, mat och dryck, vilket sammantaget bidrar till utsläpp av växthusgaser och andra miljö-belastningar. Studien identifierar de begränsningar som orsakas av fragmenterad datalagring och avsak-naden av sammanhängande datalageringssystem, vilket komplicerar effektiva hållbarhetsbedömningar. Rekommendationerna inkluderar att omstrukturera datalagringssystemet, etablera ett centraliserat data-lager och stärka IT-avdelningens roller för att förbättra dataintegration och noggrannhet. Resultaten un-derstryker nödvändigheten av riktade policys för att hantera konsumtionsbeteenden och ge värdefulla insikter för beslutsfattare, stadsplanerare och samhällsledare. Denna forskning bidrar till en bredare förståelse av urban metabolism och erbjuder ett replikerbart ramverk för andra kommuner som strävar efter att utveckla hållbara stadsutvecklingsstrategier.

Bygg- och fastighetssektorn representerade år 2021 21,7% av Sveriges inhemska utsläpp (Boverket, 2023a). Detta visar på en stor potential i branschen att minska klimat- och miljöpåverkan som går i linje med FN:s hållbarhetsmål. Företag arbetar aktivt med att bygga mer hållbart, men privatpersoner som bygger småhus har också möjlighet att bidra till en positiv förändring. Detta projekt syftar till att jämföra olika materialval i klimatskalet i småhus ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. Ett av de analyserade alternativen är ett befintligt nybyggt exempelhus (småhus A) med mindre vanliga materialval, som har jämförts mot ett konventionellt sätt att bygga svenska småhus på (småhus B) som framtagits genom en enkätundersökning. Frågorna i enkätundersökningen har baserats på befintlig litteratur om vanligt förekommande material som skickats till 53 byggföretag, varav 31 företag svarat. Ett egenutvecklat förslag (småhus C) har även tagits fram med målet att förbättra materialvalen ur ett ekonomiskt och miljömässigt perspektiv. För att kunna utvärdera miljömässig hållbarhet har en livscykelanalys genomförts där utsläpp av koldioxidekvivalenter studerats under delar av bygg- och användningsskedet. Material- och transportkostnad har även analyserats ekonomiskt med hjälp av en livscykelkostnad. För att ett förslag ska vara hållbart måste den ekonomiska och miljömässiga aspekten balanseras, som kan uppnås om lösningen är miljövänlig samtidigt som den är ekonomisk försvarbar. Det egenutvecklade förslaget är baserat på resultatet av livscykelanalysen och livscykelkostnaden från småhus A och B, samt utefter befintliga hinder som undersökts genom litteratur och ett frågeformulär som skickats ut till några aktörer som är med och påverkar byggprocessen. Två fiktiva småhusmodeller som utgår från den genomsnittliga boarean av småhus i Sverige togs fram, som resultatet av studien applicerades på för att ge en uppfattning om totalt CO2eq utsläpp och kostnad för ett småhus. Resultatet visade, 21,7 % of Swedens’s domestic emissions in 2021 was represented by the building an real estate sector (Boverket, 2023a), which highlights a considerable potential to reduce emissions in line with UN:s sustainability goals. As well as companies, individuals also have the opportunity to contribute to a positive change by building more sustainable houses. This project aims to compare different materials choices in the building envelope of houses from a sustainability perspective. One of the analyzed alternatives is an existing newly built example house (house A) built with less common materials, which was compared to a conventional Swedish house (house B) based on a conducted survey. A literature study of common existing materials were the foundation for survey, which was sent to 53 construction companies were 31 companies responded. An alternative proposition (house C) was developed during the project with the goal of improving material choices from both an economic and environmental perspective. A life cycle analysis has been conducted to evaluate environmental sustainability by studying carbon dioxide equivalent emissions during material extraction and production, transportation, and the use stage. A life cycle cost assessment has been used to analyze material and transportation cost. The economic and environmental aspects must be balanced in order for a solution to be sustainable. This can be achieved if the solution is environmentally friendly while also being economically justifiable. House C is based on the results of the life cycle analysis and life cycle cost from house A and B, as well as existing obstacles that were examined through literature and questionnaire that was sent to involved stakeholders in the building process. Two fictional house models were creates based on the average living area of small houses in Sweden. The result of the study was applied to these models to provide an estimate of the total CO2eq emissions and cost for a small house.

The technology of 3D printing has established itself in various industries and has now begun to be utilized in the construction sector to some extent. The construction industry has always been characterized by its traditional methods, but this new technology can bring several advantages that should not be overlooked. Using a 3D printer in a construction project can lead to shorter construction times, a safer and healthier working environment, and significantly less material waste compared to traditional methods. By comparing the environmental impact, material usage, and economics of these methods, it becomes possible to gain the necessary knowledge for achieving sustainable construction. To achieve the goal of this study, a literature review is conducted to examine previous works and the various conclusions and observations made by others. Furthermore, interviews are utilized to gain insights into the construction industry, providing the opportunity to benefit from practical experiences and expertise from key individuals. The thesis focuses on three specific aspects of the life cycle: environmental impact, economic sustainability, and material usage. These factors were chosen for investigation due to the construction industry's continuous efforts to improve these areas in every project. In summary the study results indicate that the environmental impact of 3D construction is much lower than traditional construction. Various factors contribute to this, but the most important is the precision level of the technology, where accurate placement of materials leads to less material waste and disposal. This correlates with the method's material usage, as environmentally friendly materials such as geopolymers are used to ensure a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional materials. Additionally, the reduced need for labor and transportation contributes to the economic sustainability of 3D buildings compared to traditional construction., 3D utskriftstekniken har etablerat sig inom flera industrier och har nu till en viss del börjat utnyttjas i byggbranschen. Branschen har alltid kännetecknats av att vara väldigt traditionell, men denna nya teknik kan medföra flera fördelar som man inte vill gå miste om. Att använda sig utav en 3D-skrivare vid ett byggprojekt kan leda till bland annat; kortare byggtider, en mer säker samt hälsosam arbetsmiljö men även betydligt mindre materialspill jämfört med det traditionella arbetsmetoderna. Målet med detta arbete ät att jämföra metodernas, miljöpåverkan, materialanvändning samt ekonomi. Därmed blir det mjöligt att erhålla nödvändiga kunskaper för att uppnå ett hållbar byggande. För att uppnå målet av denna studie, genomförs det en litteraturstudie för att ta del av tidigare arbeten samt de olika slutsatser och observationer som andra har åstadkommit. Vidare dras det nytta av intervjuer för att få en inblick i hur byggbranschen ser ut, samtidigt som det blir det möjligt att ta del av praktiska erfarenheter och expertis från nyckelpersoner. Examensarbetet fokuserar på tre specifika aspekter av livscykeln: miljöpåverkan, ekonomisk hållbarhet och materialanvändning. Dessa faktorer valdes för undersökning på grund av byggbranschens kontinuerliga strävan att förbättra dessa områden vid varje byggprojekt. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultaten från arbetet att miljöpåverkan hos 3D byggande är avsevärt mindre jämfört med traditionellt byggande. Det finns olika bidragande faktorer till detta, men den viktigaste är teknikens precisionsnivå, där noggrann placering av material leder till mindre materialspill samt avfall. Detta sammanhänger med metodens materialanvändning då miljövänliga material såsom geoplymers utnyttjas för att säkerställa lägre koldioxidavtryck, jämfört med traditionella material. Vidare blir den minskade arbetskraften och transporten en bidragande faktor till teknikens ekonomiska hållbarhet, i jämförelse med traditionellt byggande.

The growing need for climate mitigation solutions has contributed so thatbiochar has gained significant interest. Primary for its ability as a carbon sinkbut there is also a growing interest due to several other aspects within industriese.g. substitution effects, increased resource efficiency, an enabler forindustrial symbiosis, and its beneficial properties when put in soil that can increasegrowth. Previous studies of biochar have been dominant within the environmentalperspective of biochar, analyzing detailed characteristics of its propertiesand carbon sink potential. Some studies have a holistic perspective reflectingon countries specific energy mix and the different benefits of producingbiochar. However, previous studies are far too few to determine the value-chainof biochar. Hence previous studies have knowledge gaps within the holistic lifecycle approach from a provider or customer perspective of biochar, not reflectingon demand for quality requirements in different utilization areas and markets.The need for validation of the environmental and the economic performanceof biochar has to be established, and the economic perspective of biochar hasmajor knowledge gaps since previous studies are scarce. The study aims to establish the value-chain of biochar by evaluating theenvironmental, economic, and social perspectives through life cycle thinking.The core of the study is to distinguish value, which first has to reflect thebiochar quality requirements from providers and customers, captured throughinterviews and literature research. The quality requirements enable a goal forproducing biochar and determine what processes and biomass are needed fordifferent markets. This is evaluated through a case development which considersthe different quality requirements. Life cycle assessment (LCA) with acradle-to-grave perspective and life cycle costing (LCC) with a cradle-to-gatewere then used to distinguish biochar´s environmental and economic performance. The interviews and

Ull är en populär fiber och förekommer ofta i mattproduktion. Med hjälp av livscykelanalyser visar ullen vara en av de fibrerna som ligger i toppen av de material som har högst koldioxidutsläpp. Dock finns det en problematik vid beräkning av miljöpåverkan inom ullproduktionen som kan bidra till ett orättvist resultat. Trots det kvarstår faktumet att det finns förbättringar inom ullproduktionen samt att det är viktigt att ta vara på den ullen som annars skulle gått till förbränning. I samarbete med mattföretaget Rugvista undersöker denna studie hur implementering av 60% återvunna fibrer i mattgarn påverkar kvalitén med en målsätting att få in ull i ett cirkulärt flöde. Genom att undersöka detta spanns ett garn med 60% återvunnen ull och 40% konventionell ull på en E-spinner. Syftet var att garnet skulle nå upp de krav som Rugvista ställer på deras garn. Båda garnerna handvävdes därefter i en tvåskaftsbindning med ett inslagsripsutseende och i samma struktur för de skulle kunna bli jämförda med varandra under samma förutsättningar. Garnerna gick därefter igenom ett dragprovstest och de vävda proverna utsattes för ett modifierad martindaletest. Utifrån dragprovstestet påvisade de tillverkade garnet att de krävdes högre kraft för att nå brottspunkten, då majoriteten av protoypgarnerna klarade en kraft på 3500 cN, vilket var max kraften för Rugvistas garn. Dock gick det att se en större variation på brottpunkten till skillnad från Rugvistas garn som var mer enhetligt i deras resultat. I det modifierade martindaletestet gjordes en visuell bedömning på det vävda proverna efter dem hade blivit utsatta för 15 000 varv. Där påvisades referensmaterialet ett bättre resultat då den bevarade sitt utgångs utseende medan prototypen fick noppbildning redan efter 3000 varv samt släppte ifrån sig betydligt mer fibrer. Slutsatsen av studien blev att utifrån testningen visade prototypen att den inte möter den kvalitén som Rugvista ställer på sina mattor. Utmaningen är den korta fiberlän, Wool is an admired fiber and is frequently utilized in carpet production. According to life cycle analyses (LCA), wool shows to be one of the fibers that ranks highest in carbon dioxide emissions. However, there are challenges when calculating the environmental impact of wool production that contributes to an unfair result. This does not negate the reality that there are some areas within the wool life cycle that needs enhancement, especially when it comes to the utilization of wool that would otherwise have gone to incineration. This study, conducted in collaboration with the carpet company Rugvista, examines how 60% recycled wool fibers in carpet yarn affects the quality with the aim of getting wool into a circular economy. By investigating this, a yarn with 60% recycled wool and 40% conventional wool was spun on an E-spinner. The objective was to produce a yarn that meets Rugvista's quality standards. Both yarns were later handwoven in a weft-faced plainweave structure to allow for a fair comparison. The yarns underwent a tensile strength test, and the woven samples were subjected to a modified Martindale abrasion test. The results from the tensile test, showed that the manufactured yarns required a higher force to reach the breaking point, as the majority of the prototype yarns could withstand a force of 3500 cN, which was the maximum force for Rugvista's yarns. However, the breaking points of the manufactured yarns had a greater variation, unlike Rugvista's yarn, which demonstrated a more consistent result. In the modified Martindale test, visual assessments of the woven samples were conducted after 15 000 cycles. The reference material, Rugvista’s material, retained its original appearance, while the prototype developed a pilling surface after only 3000 cycles and released a remarkable amount of more fibers. The study concluded that the prototype did not meet Rugvista's quality standards for carpets. The primary challenge is the short fiber length of the recyc

This bachelor thesis investigates strategies for enhancing sustainability in material usage within Xervon Sweden AB, a leading provider of scaffolding and weather protection solutions. The research integrates life cycle analysis (LCA) with the exploration of alternative materials and recycling methods to identify environmentally friendly approaches to managing plastic waste in facade work. The study employs a comprehensive LCA to assess the environmental impact of current scaffolding materials, including High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE). It explores new materials such as Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), evaluates their feasibility through data collection and analysis, and investigates innovative recycling and reuse methods in collaboration with industry partners. The results from this bachelor thesis revealed from the LCA that material extrusion contributes significantly to CO2 emissions and energy consumption. PHA emerged as a promising alternative due to its renewable sourcing and biodegradability, despite its higher cost. The study also identified a circular system for recycling scaffolding sheets into granules for manufacturing new sheets as the most efficient strategy for CO2 reduction. Additionally, opportunities for external reuse of plastic materials with painting companies and agricultural associations were explored. The conclusions drawn in this bachelor thesis is that Xervon is currently using the most sustainable material within its price range. While PHA shows potential for future adoption, creating a circular system for scaffolding sheets offers immediate benefits. Collaborations with external partners can further extend the lifespan of materials, contributing to overall sustainability efforts. Future research should include broader sustainability indicators and in-house laboratory tests to validate findings. By focusing on these strategies, Xervon can significantly reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining op, Denna kandidatuppsats undersöker strategier för att förbättra hållbarheten i materialanvändningen inom Xervon Sweden AB, en ledande leverantör av ställnings- och väderskyddslösningar. Forskningen integrerar livscykelanalys (LCA) med utforskning av alternativa material och återvinningsmetoder för att identifiera miljövänliga metoder för hantering av plastavfall i fasadarbeten. Studien använder en omfattande LCA för att bedöma den miljöpåverkan som de nuvarandeställningsmaterialen, inklusive högdensitetspolyeten (HDPE) och lågdensitetspolyeten (LDPE), har. Den utforskar nya material såsom polyhydroxialkanoater (PHA), utvärderar deras genomförbarhet genom datainsamling och analys, och undersöker innovativa återvinnings- och återanvändningsmetoder i samarbete med industripartners. Resultaten från denna kandidatuppsats avslöjade från LCA att materialextrudering bidrar avsevärt till koldioxidutsläpp och energiförbrukning. PHA visade sig vara ett lovande alternativ på grund av dessförnybara källor och biologiska nedbrytbarhet, trots dess högre kostnad. Studien identifierade också ett cirkulärt system för återvinning av ställningsdukar till granulat för tillverkning av nya dukar som den mest effektiva strategin för att minska koldioxidutsläpp. Dessutom undersöktes möjligheter för extern återanvändning av plastmaterial med måleriföretag och jordbruksorganisationer. Slutsatserna som dragits i denna kandidatuppsats är att Xervon för närvarande använder det mest hållbara materialet inom sin prisklass. Även om PHA visar potential för framtida användning, erbjuder skapandet av ett cirkulärt system för ställningsdukar omedelbara fördelar. Samarbeten med externa partners kan ytterligare förlänga materialens livslängd och bidra till övergripande hållbarhetsinsatser. Framtida forskning bör inkludera bredare hållbarhetsindikatorer och laboratorietester internt för att valideraresultaten. Genom att fokusera på dessa strategier kan Xervon avsevärt minska sitt miljöavtryck samtidigt som

Livsmedelsindustrin är en bidragande faktor till klimatförändringarna, där innovativalösningar, såsom vertikal odling, kan appliceras för att främja en hållbar livsmedelsproduktion. Vertikala odlingssystem möjliggör urban inomhusodling,vertikalt i hyllplan, i kontrollerade miljöer med odlingskammare, belysningssystem samt vanligtvis jordfri odlingsmetod (t.ex. hydroponik), som är essentiella delar avsystemet. Temperatur, relativ fuktighet och artificiellt ljus regleras efter grödornas behov. Vid hydroponisk odling används odlingssubstrat såsom stenull istället för jord och växternas rötter är i konstant kontakt med det återcirkulerande vattnet i systemet, som förser växterna med näring. Tidigare livscykelanalyser av vertikala odlingssystem, om än ett begränsat antal, belyser elförbrukningen som den största bidragande faktorn till miljöpåverkan, samt att utbyte av olika material kan generera en lägre total miljöpåverkan. Examensarbetet syftar till att utföra en livscykelanalys på Swegreens vertikala odlingssystemet Freja, på ICA Maxi i Solna. Vidare syftar livscykelanalysen till att identifiera de faser och flöden som står för betydande miljöpåverkan, samt några förbättringsförslag. Det vertikala odlingssystemet antar perspektivet ‘vagga till användning’ under 30 år, exkluderande monterings- och sluthanteringsfasen. Användningsfasen innefattar sallatens livscykel från ‘vagga till grav’, exkluderande förtäringsfasen. Den funktionella enheten är 1 kg producerad ekbladssallat tillgänglig för konsumenter av klass 1. Data har inhämtats från både Swegreens digitaliserade data och från en tidigare studie utförd på Swegreens odlingssystem Saga. För bearbetning har programvaran SimaPro och databasen Ecoinvent 3.8 använts. Resultaten analyseras utifrån miljöpåverkanskategorierna ekotoxicitet (sötvatten), fossil resursanvändning, försurning, klimatförändringar, markanvändning, resursanvändning (mineraler och metaller), vattenanvändning och övergödning (sötvatten). Odlingsfasen, The food industry is a contributing factor to climate change, where innovative solutions, such as vertical farming, can be applied to promote sustainable food production. Vertical farming systems enable urban indoor farming, vertically on shelves, in controlled environments with cultivation chambers, lighting systems and usually soil-free cultivation methods (e.g. hydroponics), that are essential parts of the system. Temperature, relative humidity and artificial light are regulated to satisfy the crops needs. Hydroponic cultivation utilizes growing mediums such as rock wool instead of soil and the roots of the plants are in constant contact with the recirculating water in the system, which provides the plants with nutrients. Previous life cycle assessments of vertical farming systems, although limited in numbers,highlight the electricity consumption as the largest contributing factor to the environmental impact, as well as replacing different materials for a lower environmental impact. This study aims to assess the environmental impacts and hot spots, through the use of life cycle assessment, on Swegreen's vertical farming system Freja, at ICA Maxi Solna. Furthermore the life cycle assessment aims to identify the phases and flows that accounts for significant environmental impact, as well as some suggestions for improvement. The vertical farming system applies the perspective of ‘cradle to use’for 30 years, not including the assembly or waste disposal phase. The use phase includes the life cycle of lettuce, from ‘cradle to grave’, not including the consumption phase. The functional unit is 1 kg of produced oak leaf lettuce, class 1,available to consumers. Data has been obtained from both Swegreen's digitized data and from a previous study conducted on Swegreen's farming system Saga. To process the data, the software SimaPro and the Ecoinvent 3.8 database was applied. Results are analyzed with regards to the environmental impact categories ecotoxicity (freshwater), f

Today, we live according to the linear economy which depletes the planet's resources and gives rise to large amounts of waste. The circular economy, on the other hand, can be seen as a kind of cycle where the extraction of raw materials is minimized, and reuse is to be maximized. The generation of waste should preferably be avoided. This study aims to investigate how circular micro-enterprises engage with the principles of the circular economy and to identify any associated difficulties or challenges connected to circular economy. The study also examines whether these companies utilize specific tools to measure their circularity. Four companies were interviewed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis as a guiding framework. The findings revealed several challenges associated with implementing circular economy practices, including issues related to transportation and behavior patterns. Furthermore, the majority of the four respondents reported not using any specific tools to measure their circularity, although some companies employ life cycle analysis to assess the environmental impact of their products or services. There is a clear need for the development of standardized tools that facilitate the assessment of circularity for companies, enabling easy comparison and evaluation of progress in adopting circular economy principles.

Buildings, although increasingly efficient, currently lack a comparative analysis from a holistic perspective. A large part of the effort to increase their efficiency focuses on their direct consumption of water and energy through the design of more efficient systems, but another large part of the consumption is caused indirectly by the production processes and the construction itself. The present model evaluates the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) from the construction site perspective by proposing an integration of social and environmental indicators assessment to the cost control in projects. Construction cost control is normally defined by classification systems of work units with a coding system. This allows incorporating the evaluation of the other two dimensions of sustainability to make a socio-environmental assessment. The environmental assessment is covered with the footprint family indicators while, for the social assessment, an indicator consisting of an evaluation of project occupational risks is proposed. This methodology allows the holistic evaluation of all the work units in the project. The model is applied to the construction of social housing in Andalusia, validating its versatility and allowing to simulate different scenarios. The five most impacting units out of sixty evaluated in the construction of a social housing multifamily building represent around 70 % of the total impact in each category. Slight changes to four of those work units by others commonly used can reduce up to 20% the impacts in various categories.

Carbon emissions from landfill construction and management have become a global concern. Life cycle analysis (LCA) has been widely used to assess the environmental impacts of engineered infrastructures over their lifetimes. LCA has also been applied to landfill leachate and gas management, but rarely to landfill final cover systems. This paper reports the results of an LCA of the following landfill final cover systems: compacted clay cover, geomembrane cover, cover with capillary effects (CCBE), dual capillary barrier cover, three-layer landfill cover system using natural soils, three-layer cover using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and biochar-amended three-layer landfill cover system using RCA. The LCA assessment of landfill cover considers the cost, carbon emissions and carbon sequestration during the production, construction and operation phases. The effects of landfill cover on global warming, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity and fossil resource scarcity are also evaluated. In addition, the sensitivities of cost and carbon emission to the use of electric-powered machines and transportation distance are analysed. It is revealed that the three-layer cover system using RCA and biochar has the lowest unit cost and carbon emission of all of the covers, up to 88 % and 66 % lower, respectively, than those of the other six covers. In addition, this cover system has the highest carbon sequestration rate, with a value of 47.9 kg CO2/(y·m2), four times higher than that of the compacted clay cover. Finally, this sustainable cover mitigates global warming and reduces adverse environmental impacts by up to 82 %. Therefore, the biochar amended three-layer cover system using RCA without geomembrane offers the greatest economic benefits, performs effectively in terms of the pursuit of carbon neutrality and promotes sustainable development. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Livsmedelsindustrin är en bidragande faktor till klimatförändringarna, där innovativalösningar, såsom vertikal odling, kan appliceras för att främja en hållbar livsmedelsproduktion. Vertikala odlingssystem möjliggör urban inomhusodling,vertikalt i hyllplan, i kontrollerade miljöer med odlingskammare, belysningssystem samt vanligtvis jordfri odlingsmetod (t.ex. hydroponik), som är essentiella delar avsystemet. Temperatur, relativ fuktighet och artificiellt ljus regleras efter grödornas behov. Vid hydroponisk odling används odlingssubstrat såsom stenull istället för jord och växternas rötter är i konstant kontakt med det återcirkulerande vattnet i systemet, som förser växterna med näring. Tidigare livscykelanalyser av vertikala odlingssystem, om än ett begränsat antal, belyser elförbrukningen som den största bidragande faktorn till miljöpåverkan, samt att utbyte av olika material kan generera en lägre total miljöpåverkan. Examensarbetet syftar till att utföra en livscykelanalys på Swegreens vertikala odlingssystemet Freja, på ICA Maxi i Solna. Vidare syftar livscykelanalysen till att identifiera de faser och flöden som står för betydande miljöpåverkan, samt några förbättringsförslag. Det vertikala odlingssystemet antar perspektivet ‘vagga till användning’ under 30 år, exkluderande monterings- och sluthanteringsfasen. Användningsfasen innefattar sallatens livscykel från ‘vagga till grav’, exkluderande förtäringsfasen. Den funktionella enheten är 1 kg producerad ekbladssallat tillgänglig för konsumenter av klass 1. Data har inhämtats från både Swegreens digitaliserade data och från en tidigare studie utförd på Swegreens odlingssystem Saga. För bearbetning har programvaran SimaPro och databasen Ecoinvent 3.8 använts. Resultaten analyseras utifrån miljöpåverkanskategorierna ekotoxicitet (sötvatten), fossil resursanvändning, försurning, klimatförändringar, markanvändning, resursanvändning (mineraler och metaller), vattenanvändning och övergödning (sötvatten). Odlingsfasen, The food industry is a contributing factor to climate change, where innovative solutions, such as vertical farming, can be applied to promote sustainable food production. Vertical farming systems enable urban indoor farming, vertically on shelves, in controlled environments with cultivation chambers, lighting systems and usually soil-free cultivation methods (e.g. hydroponics), that are essential parts of the system. Temperature, relative humidity and artificial light are regulated to satisfy the crops needs. Hydroponic cultivation utilizes growing mediums such as rock wool instead of soil and the roots of the plants are in constant contact with the recirculating water in the system, which provides the plants with nutrients. Previous life cycle assessments of vertical farming systems, although limited in numbers,highlight the electricity consumption as the largest contributing factor to the environmental impact, as well as replacing different materials for a lower environmental impact. This study aims to assess the environmental impacts and hot spots, through the use of life cycle assessment, on Swegreen's vertical farming system Freja, at ICA Maxi Solna. Furthermore the life cycle assessment aims to identify the phases and flows that accounts for significant environmental impact, as well as some suggestions for improvement. The vertical farming system applies the perspective of ‘cradle to use’for 30 years, not including the assembly or waste disposal phase. The use phase includes the life cycle of lettuce, from ‘cradle to grave’, not including the consumption phase. The functional unit is 1 kg of produced oak leaf lettuce, class 1,available to consumers. Data has been obtained from both Swegreen's digitized data and from a previous study conducted on Swegreen's farming system Saga. To process the data, the software SimaPro and the Ecoinvent 3.8 database was applied. Results are analyzed with regards to the environmental impact categories ecotoxicity (freshwater), f

Today, we live according to the linear economy which depletes the planet's resources and gives rise to large amounts of waste. The circular economy, on the other hand, can be seen as a kind of cycle where the extraction of raw materials is minimized, and reuse is to be maximized. The generation of waste should preferably be avoided. This study aims to investigate how circular micro-enterprises engage with the principles of the circular economy and to identify any associated difficulties or challenges connected to circular economy. The study also examines whether these companies utilize specific tools to measure their circularity. Four companies were interviewed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis as a guiding framework. The findings revealed several challenges associated with implementing circular economy practices, including issues related to transportation and behavior patterns. Furthermore, the majority of the four respondents reported not using any specific tools to measure their circularity, although some companies employ life cycle analysis to assess the environmental impact of their products or services. There is a clear need for the development of standardized tools that facilitate the assessment of circularity for companies, enabling easy comparison and evaluation of progress in adopting circular economy principles.

Climate activists have long been in opposition of Shale Gas’ resource development because of the environmental and land impact related to its development on surface water, ground water sources and air emissions along with potential earthquakes due to induced seismicity. There is a knowledge gap in understanding of carbon footprint of shale gas’ resource development because of lack of engineering design detail in previous Life Cycle Analysis of this resource. The objective of this study is to add value and reduce the scientific gap with respect to understanding of shale gas resource development techniques and it’s environmental and land impact. The work establishes the Shale gas’ resource development foundation by in depth understanding of characteristics of shale reservoirs, generation and distributions of shale gas and key techniques for shale gas construction, production, and processing. The study utilizes ISO 14040 series of standard, which uses Life Cycle Assessment approach and understands the cradle-to-gate, cradle-to-grave and gate-to-gate previous Life Cycle Analysis of shale gas’ resource development. The work does systematic analysis and summarizes the previously published Life Cycle Analysis to understand further the potential environmental impacts of resource development of Shale Gas. This will help academia, industry, climate activists, policy makers and public in general to simply understand the field development and its operation of shale gas in terms of carbon numbers thereby optimizing the operations through carbon management thus reducing the potential impacts and meet the sustainability target for future generations.

Buildings, although increasingly efficient, currently lack a comparative analysis from a holistic perspective. A large part of the effort to increase their efficiency focuses on their direct consumption of water and energy through the design of more efficient systems, but another large part of the consumption is caused indirectly by the production processes and the construction itself. The present model evaluates the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) from the construction site perspective by proposing an integration of social and environmental indicators assessment to the cost control in projects. Construction cost control is normally defined by classification systems of work units with a coding system. This allows incorporating the evaluation of the other two dimensions of sustainability to make a socio-environmental assessment. The environmental assessment is covered with the footprint family indicators while, for the social assessment, an indicator consisting of an evaluation of project occupational risks is proposed. This methodology allows the holistic evaluation of all the work units in the project. The model is applied to the construction of social housing in Andalusia, validating its versatility and allowing to simulate different scenarios. The five most impacting units out of sixty evaluated in the construction of a social housing multifamily building represent around 70 % of the total impact in each category. Slight changes to four of those work units by others commonly used can reduce up to 20% the impacts in various categories.

Buildings, although increasingly efficient, currently lack a comparative analysis from a holistic perspective. A large part of the effort to increase their efficiency focuses on their direct consumption of water and energy through the design of more efficient systems, but another large part of the consumption is caused indirectly by the production processes and the construction itself. The present model evaluates the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) from the construction site perspective by proposing an integration of social and environmental indicators assessment to the cost control in projects. Construction cost control is normally defined by classification systems of work units with a coding system. This allows incorporating the evaluation of the other two dimensions of sustainability to make a socio-environmental assessment. The environmental assessment is covered with the footprint family indicators while, for the social assessment, an indicator consisting of an evaluation of project occupational risks is proposed. This methodology allows the holistic evaluation of all the work units in the project. The model is applied to the construction of social housing in Andalusia, validating its versatility and allowing to simulate different scenarios. The five most impacting units out of sixty evaluated in the construction of a social housing multifamily building represent around 70 % of the total impact in each category. Slight changes to four of those work units by others commonly used can reduce up to 20% the impacts in various categories.

Given the superior stability, technologically developed and cost effectiveness of carbon-based perovskite solar cells over conventional metallic electrode-based architectures, this work investigates the environmental performance of two industrial front-runners architectures i.e., high temperature processed carbon-based perovskite solar modules (CPSMs) and low temperature processed CPSMs using cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment analysis assuming a manufacturing plant in India. According to the study, most of the impacts are due to energy consumption in the annealing and screen print paste process used in ETL, perovskite, HTL and cathode layer for both the architectures. Material selection for the perovskite and other layers has a significant environmental impact on both architectures. Compared to low temperature processed architecture, high temperature processed CPSMs have a greater environmental impact. For a five-year lifetime, the global warming potential (GWP) values for high temperature and low temperature processed CPSMs are 0.180 kg CO2-eq and 0.126 kg CO2-eq, respectively, which are marginally higher than those indicated for commercially available silicon solar cells. Thus, a sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the minimum lifetime required to compete with GWP values comparable to commercial PVs. High and low temperature processed CPSM needed 16 and 11 years of lifetime, respectively, to match silicon's 25 years of lifetime. On the other hand, the study finds the human toxicity contribution by mono-silicon is extremely high compared to the two CPSM architectures because of the contribution by electricity (44.01%) and use of heavy metals such as copper (16.83%) and steel (11.52%). © 2023 The Authors

Given the superior stability, technologically developed and cost effectiveness of carbon-based perovskite solar cells over conventional metallic electrode-based architectures, this work investigates the environmental performance of two industrial front-runners architectures i.e., high temperature processed carbon-based perovskite solar modules (CPSMs) and low temperature processed CPSMs using cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment analysis assuming a manufacturing plant in India. According to the study, most of the impacts are due to energy consumption in the annealing and screen print paste process used in ETL, perovskite, HTL and cathode layer for both the architectures. Material selection for the perovskite and other layers has a significant environmental impact on both architectures. Compared to low temperature processed architecture, high temperature processed CPSMs have a greater environmental impact. For a five-year lifetime, the global warming potential (GWP) values for high temperature and low temperature processed CPSMs are 0.180 kg CO2-eq and 0.126 kg CO2-eq, respectively, which are marginally higher than those indicated for commercially available silicon solar cells. Thus, a sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the minimum lifetime required to compete with GWP values comparable to commercial PVs. High and low temperature processed CPSM needed 16 and 11 years of lifetime, respectively, to match silicon's 25 years of lifetime. On the other hand, the study finds the human toxicity contribution by mono-silicon is extremely high compared to the two CPSM architectures because of the contribution by electricity (44.01%) and use of heavy metals such as copper (16.83%) and steel (11.52%). © 2023 The Authors

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka klimat- och kostnadseffektiva lösningar för att minska kontorsbyggnaders påverkan på miljön. Byggnader står för en betydande del av Sveriges klimatpåverkan och kostnader, det finns därav behov av att hitta sätt att reducera den påverkan. Teorin som låg till grund för studien var livscykelanalys och livscykelkostnad, som tar hänsyn till klimatpåverkan och kostnader genom hela byggnadens livscykel. Metoden som användes var litteraturstudie, där tidigare forskning och studier analyserades. Diskussion fördes även med sakkunniga personer inom ämnet för att identifiera lösningar för att minska klimatpåverkan och kostnader i byggnader. En hypotetisk fallstudiebyggnad skapades där klimat- och kostnadseffektiva åtgärder implementerades. Genom att titta på byggnadsdelarna stomme, klimatskal, isolering och dess inverkan på energianvändning i en kontorsbyggnad identifierades olika åtgärder som kunde minska klimatpåverkan och kostnader. Dessa inkluderar användning av återvunnet material och minskad energiförbrukning genom förbättrade isoleringsegenskaper. Ytterligare undersöktes val av material och teknik vilket anses hållbara och energieffektiva. Resultatet visar att byggnadsmaterialen har störst påverkan på klimat och kostnaden under Produkt- och Byggproduktionsskedet, medan energiförbrukningen har störst påverkan under skedet Driftenergi i Användningsskedet. De klimatåtgärder som framstår som mest framstående och optimala lösningar för vår fallstudiebyggnad inkluderar användningen av kostnadseffektiva solceller på taket (Åtgärd 7), isolering av ytterväggarna med PIR-isolering (Åtgärd 5), tilläggsisolering av ytterväggarna med EPS-isolering (Åtgärd 3) samt minskat materialspill på byggarbetsplatsen med 25%. Dessa lösningar visar sig inte bara ha en betydligt lägre klimatpåverkan, utan även en mer fördelaktig kostnadseffektivitet över hela livscykeln för fallstudi, The purpose of this study was to investigate climate and cost-effective solutions to reduce the environmental impact of office buildings. Buildings account for a significant portion of Sweden's climate impact and costs, and there is a need to find ways to reduce this impact. The theoretical framework underlying the report was life cycle analysis and life cycle cost, which consider the climate impact and costs throughout the building's life cycle. The method used was a document study, where previous research and studies were analyzed. A hypothetical case study building was created, where climate- and cost-effective measures were implemented. By examining the building components such as the structure, envelope, insulation, and their impact on energy consumption in an office building, various measures were identified to reduce climate impact and costs. Additionally, the selection of sustainable and energy-efficient materials and technologies was investigated. The results show that building materials have the greatest impact on the environment and cost during the Production and Installation stages, while energy consumption has the greatest impact during the Operational energy use module in the Use stage. The climate measures that stand out as optimal solutions include the use of cost-effective solar panels on the roof (Measure 7), insulating the outer walls with PIR insulation (Measure 5), additional insulation of the outer walls with EPS insulation (Measure 3), and reducing material waste at the construction site by 25%. These solutions not only demonstrate significantly lower climate impact but also exhibit a more advantageous cost-effectiveness over the entire lifecycle.

This study has been conducted in cooperation with OBOS Kärnhem. The objective of the study is to assess environmental impacts from different structural and facade materials to find a configuration with the lowest impact, and to assess the economic implications of different structural and façade materials. The study is conducted on a case study building planned in Linköping, Sweden. The methods that were used are the life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) methods. Cross-laminated timber and concrete were chosen as the 2 structural materials to investigate, and sheet metal, cut slate, and wood paneling were chosen as the façade materials to investigate. The goal and scope were specified. The goal of the LCA was to analyze the climate implications of different structural and facade materials on a building’s environmental performance, while the scope was to compare the environmental impacts, specifically global warming potential, of six scenarios over a lifetime of 80 years. Later, a life cycle inventory of the materials was conducted, and the life cycle inventory was assessed. Finally, the life cycle interpretation was carried out to analyze and interpret the results. For the LCC, costs were calculated for materials and energy use and applied to the case study building. The analyses of results show that the wooden building scenarios have significantly low environmental impacts when compared with concrete buildings. The analyses of the results also show that the buildings constructed with cast-in-situ concrete have lower life cycle costs when compared with buildings constructed with cross-laminated timber. This study concludes that structural material choices affect the environmental performance of a building significantly. Facade material choices also affect the environmental performance, however much less significantly. This study also shows that, within these specific system boundaries, the most impactful life cycle stage for the wood structure buildin

[SPA] La protección del medio ambiente y la mitigación de externalidades negativas en la agricultura son aspectos que han ganado protagonismo en el diseño de las políticas agrarias en las últimas décadas. El impacto de estas políticas es frecuentemente analizado en la literatura científica mediante programación matemática, técnica que simula el comportamiento de los agricultores de una zona de estudio, bajo la premisa de la racionalidad económica de sus decisiones. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar el impacto de una política de internalización del coste de las emisiones de carbono de la actividad agrícola sobre la estructura de cultivos del Campo de Cartagena (Región de Murcia). Para ello se emplea de manera conjunta el Análisis del Ciclo de Vida para la cuantificación de la huella de carbono y la Programación Matemática Econométrica para la modelización del escenario de implementación de la política. [ENG] Environmental protection and the mitigation of negative externalities in agriculture are aspects that have gained prominence in the design of agricultural policies in recent decades. The impact of these policies is frequently analysed in the scientific literature by means of mathematical programming, a technique that simulates the behaviour of farmers in a study area, under the premise of the economic rationality of their decisions. The aim of this work is to evaluate the impact of a policy of internalising the cost of carbon emissions from agricultural activity on the crop structure of Campo de Cartagena (Region de Murcia). To this end, Life Cycle Analysis is used jointly to quantify the carbon footprint and Econometric Mathematical Programming to model the policy implementation scenario.

Procurement of more environmentally sustainable materials for civil infrastructure can be supported using environmental product declarations (EPDs). An EPD is a standardized label that is a scientifically sound way to communicate the potential environmental impacts and selected resource use and waste production flows from all or part of the life cycle of a product. To be called a Type III EPD, the life cycle assessment (LCA) for products used in civil infrastructure must be performed in accordance with ISO standards and the relevant product category rule (PCR) for the product type. Most EPDs for civil infrastructure materials in North America are “cradle-to-gate”, i.e., they include the impacts from the extraction of raw materials from the earth and end at the point at which the product is ready to leave the gate of the last manufacturing location. The steps leading to publication of an EPD include: 1) Developing the PCR, 2) Developing the LCA for the EPD, 3) Creating the EPD, and 4) Verification and publishing of the EPD. Industry-average, regional-average, product-specific, and facility-specific EPDs—with differing specificity to a particular product—are used for different purposes. EPDs are a source of data for materials impacts for use in assessment of the complete life cycle. They provide information to identify changes in impacts that can be made early in the materials production. They also can be used to help procure lower impact materials. This white paper discusses benefits of using EPDs and makes recommendations for improving their validity. Several areas needing improvement in current use in procurement are identified and recommendations are presented for improving the use of cradle-to-gate EPDs in transport infrastructure construction materials procurement and to provide input to complete life cycle pavement LCA to support decision-making.View the NCST Project Webpage

Raw materials extraction, production of components, transportation and reverse logistics activities that run in the construction sector are constantly depleting the available global resources. Sustainability of the construction industry and its ability to adopt to the principles of circular economy is under question. This paper addresses these questions through the introduction of a novel reusable steel-concrete composite floor system. Its reuse potential is evaluated through comparative BIM-based Life Cycle Analysis with contemporary systems.

Raw materials extraction, production of components, transportation and reverse logistics activities that run in the construction sector are constantly depleting the available global resources. Sustainability of the construction industry and its ability to adopt to the principles of circular economy is under question. This paper addresses these questions through the introduction of a novel reusable steel-concrete composite floor system. Its reuse potential is evaluated through comparative BIM-based Life Cycle Analysis with contemporary systems.

This study was developed together with Grönska Stadsodling 365. Grönska is vertical farming company that started in 2015 and has developed a large-scale vertical farm in Stockholm and modular vertical farms which are in place nationwide. Since the start, Grönska has worked to reduce the resource and energy demands in order to promote more sustainable food provisioning. This summary report provides a brief review of the environmental life cycle assessment conducted during 2022 with Grönska on their modular cabinet vertical farms, i.e. the GrowOff system. The work was conducted within the FORMAS project “Assessing and Improving the Sustainability of Urban Vertical farming Systems,” grant 2019-02049 in order to help Grönska identify hotspots and understand the sustainability of the offerings.

This thesis investigates how a company can implement life cycle analysis (LCA) into procurement. The thesis also explores the potential synergies between the LCA and procurement. A single casestudy was utilized for this purpose. It uses LCAs using a simplified methodology, interviews, and a literature review to carry out the study. The thesis was conducted in a global telecommunications equipment company. The thesis found that the most significant benefit of implementing LCAs into procurement would be that the case company would gain the ability to know what suppliers have more environmental products. This would, in turn, enable them to premiere those suppliers. That can be done through volume purchasing agreements, where the suppliers with greener products are awarded larger purchasing volumes. It can also be done by setting emissions requirements for products, where products that do not meet the criteria are not considered for the final business award. Additionally, using LCAs over other methods or measurables allows the case company and its sourcing managers to assess the emissions a product creates using one variable, not multiple. Introducing LCAs into sourcing has its drawbacks. LCAs are inherently resource-demanding. This means that any party that conducts LCAs, either the case company or their suppliers, will have to divert resources to perform the analyses. Additionally, at this point, few sourcing managers likely know how to interpret and use the results of an LCA. Some of these issues can, to some degree, be mitigated. The case company can try to develop an LCA tool that combines the information already gathered in current systems and integrate it into the LCA. They can also try to create the LCA jointly with suppliers; through this, they can try to develop a tool that minimizes the amount of input required by suppliers while still having a high degree of detail in the analysis and results. This would likely require a significant initial investment but on, Detta examensarbete undersöker om och hur ett företag kan implementera livscykelanalyser (LCA) i strategiska inköpsprocessen. Examensarbetet utforskar även de potentiella synergier mellan LCAer och strategiskt inköp. En enskild fallstudie användes för detta ändamål. Fallstudien genomfördes i ett globalt telekommunikationsutrustningsföretag. För att genomföra undersökningen användes LCAer med en förenklad metodik, intervjuer och en litteraturstudie. Examensarbetet fann att den mest betydande fördelen med att implementera LCAer i strategiskt inköp skulle var att fallföretaget skulle få möjlighet att veta vilka leverantörer som har mer miljövänliga produkter. Detta skulle i sin tur möjliggöra att premiera dessa leverantörer. Det kan göras genom volymupphandlingar, där leverantörer med gröna produkter belönas med större inköpsvolymer. Det kan också göras genom att fastställa utsläppskrav för produkter, där produkter som inte uppfyller kriterierna inte beaktas vid den slutgiltiga affärsupphandlingen. Dessutom möjliggör användningen av LCAer jämfört med andra metoder eller mätvärden att fallföretaget och dess strategiska inköpare kan bedöma utsläppen en produkt skapar med en variabel, istället för flera. Att införa LCAer i strategiskt inköp har sina nackdelar. LCAer är i grunden resurskrävande. Det innebär att vilken part som än genomför LCAer, antingen fallföretaget eller deras leverantörer, kommer behöva avsätta resurser för att utföra analyserna. Dessutom är det för närvarande troligt att få strategiska inköpare vet hur man tolkar och använder resultaten av en LCA. Vissa av dessa problem kan till viss grad mildras. Fallföretaget kan försöka utveckla ett LCA-verktyg som kombinerar informationen som redan samlats in i befintliga system och integrerar den med LCAer. De kan också försöka skapa LCAer tillsammans med leverantörer; genom detta kan de försöka utveckla ett verktyg som minimerar den mängd input som krävs av leverantörer samtidigt som de behåller en hög grad av d

This study discusses the current state of climate change, which is causing rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, and threatening ecosystems due to human resource exploitation and carbon emissions. The construction industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the study aims to investigate which insulation material is best suited for a ground slab in terms of environmental impact, technical properties, and cost. The study includes a literature review and document analysis to compare the technical and environmental properties of different materials, as well as a case study to identify the most suitable material. To make the results comparable, the thickness of the different insulation layers has been chosen in such a way that the U-value becomes equivalent for all construction solutions. This has laid the foundation for the results, which demonstrates what previous research has also found: foamglass exhibits the lowest climate impact because the construction is sufficiently strong without the need for a concrete slab. However, its price is much higher compared to other construction solutions.

In recent decades, society's concern about unsustainable development has grown steadily, while the desire to deal with the situation has also grown in connection with the concern and increased interest in the environment. The development of new concepts for systematic control and follow-up has also been steadily growing. The concepts developed are different environmental management systems, where the most accepted management system is ISO 14001. This has resulted in the development of tools with specific goals, in this study's focus, the Life Cycle Analysis. With the above background as a basis, this study aims to investigate and develop improvement measures in an organization with a focus on life cycle analysis and process mapping. The theory of the study is based on the ISO standards and in literature, while relevant models for the study are presented. The method through the writing of the study has been based on interviews, observations and literature studies and that validity, reliability, generalizability, and ethical positions have been kept in mind throughout the study to ensure a high quality. The completed study came up with two suggestions for improvement: implement a process map for work with life cycle analysis and implement a flowchart for the decision process for products on which an LCA is to be performed. In the penultimate chapter of the study, the improvement proposals are presented which can hopefully make the organization's current working methods more efficient., De senaste decennierna har samhällets oro för den icke-hållbara utvecklingen vuxit stadigt, samtidigt som även viljan att hantera situationen vuxit i samband med oron och ökat intresset för miljön. Utvecklingen av nya koncept för systematisk styrning och uppföljning har även de varit stadigt växande. Koncepten som utvecklats är olika miljöledningssystem, där det mest accepterade ledningssystemet är ISO 14001. Detta har resulterat i att verktyg med specifika mål utvecklats, i denna studies fokus, Livscykelanalysen. Med bakgrunden ovan som underlag, syftar denna studie till att undersöka och utveckla förbättringsåtgärder i en organisation med fokus på livscykelanalys och processkartläggning. Studiens teori grundar sig i ISO-standarderna och i litteratur samtidigt som relevanta modeller för studien presenteras. Metoden genom studiens skrivande har baserat sig på intervjuer, observationer och litteraturstudier samt att validitet, tillförlitlighet, generaliserbarhet och etiska ställningstaganden hafts i åtanke genom hela studien för att säkerställa en god kvalitet. Den genomförda studien kom fram till två förbättringsförslag: implementera en processkarta för arbete med livscykelanalys samt implementera ett flödesschema för beslutsprocess vid produkter som en LCA ska utföras på. I studiens näst sista kapitel presenteras förbättringsförslagen som förhoppningsvis kan effektivisera organisationens nuvarande arbetssätt.

The Swedish national plan for reapproval of hydropower describes that hydropower plants (HPPs) are required to be reassessed to ensure that modern environmental conditions are set for the permits. Since dams and HPPs create barriers for migrating fish and consequently disfavor biological diversity, one consequence of the national plan is that fishways are being constructed. This, in combination with an old, unfinished approval procedure from the 1960’s, resulted in the construction of three up- and downstream fishways in Mora municipality, at the HPPs in Spjutmo, Blyberg and Väsa. To fulfill requirements in regard to the fishway’s incline and safety, but at the same time minimize the need of space, the fishways have new, innovative and not yet tested design features. One of these features is the “parking garage” layout of the upstream fishway. Despite these features, the fishways take up a large amount of space and thus require large amounts of blasting, excavation and materials such as concrete and steel parts. These are climate impact influence intensive procedures and materials, but the construction has so far not been evaluated from a climate impact perspective. This, in combination with a lack of studies on the climate impact of fishways, has resulted in this project.The aim of this project was to examine the climate impact caused by the fishways in Spjutmo and Blyberg, to identify what affects the total climate impact as well as providing measures that could reduce the climate impact for future similar fishways. To provide an extensive overview of the climate impact that the fishways cause during their entire lifetime, the method life cycle analysis (LCA) was used. The construction of the fishways at Väsa HPP starts later than for Spjutmo and Blyberg, and therefore Väsa is excluded from the scope due to the lack of required information.The fishways in Spjutmo and Blyberg have the same design features, but the material consumptions differ due to their differenc

This thesis investigates how a company can implement life cycle analysis (LCA) into procurement. The thesis also explores the potential synergies between the LCA and procurement. A single casestudy was utilized for this purpose. It uses LCAs using a simplified methodology, interviews, and a literature review to carry out the study. The thesis was conducted in a global telecommunications equipment company. The thesis found that the most significant benefit of implementing LCAs into procurement would be that the case company would gain the ability to know what suppliers have more environmental products. This would, in turn, enable them to premiere those suppliers. That can be done through volume purchasing agreements, where the suppliers with greener products are awarded larger purchasing volumes. It can also be done by setting emissions requirements for products, where products that do not meet the criteria are not considered for the final business award. Additionally, using LCAs over other methods or measurables allows the case company and its sourcing managers to assess the emissions a product creates using one variable, not multiple. Introducing LCAs into sourcing has its drawbacks. LCAs are inherently resource-demanding. This means that any party that conducts LCAs, either the case company or their suppliers, will have to divert resources to perform the analyses. Additionally, at this point, few sourcing managers likely know how to interpret and use the results of an LCA. Some of these issues can, to some degree, be mitigated. The case company can try to develop an LCA tool that combines the information already gathered in current systems and integrate it into the LCA. They can also try to create the LCA jointly with suppliers; through this, they can try to develop a tool that minimizes the amount of input required by suppliers while still having a high degree of detail in the analysis and results. This would likely require a significant initial investment but on, Detta examensarbete undersöker om och hur ett företag kan implementera livscykelanalyser (LCA) i strategiska inköpsprocessen. Examensarbetet utforskar även de potentiella synergier mellan LCAer och strategiskt inköp. En enskild fallstudie användes för detta ändamål. Fallstudien genomfördes i ett globalt telekommunikationsutrustningsföretag. För att genomföra undersökningen användes LCAer med en förenklad metodik, intervjuer och en litteraturstudie. Examensarbetet fann att den mest betydande fördelen med att implementera LCAer i strategiskt inköp skulle var att fallföretaget skulle få möjlighet att veta vilka leverantörer som har mer miljövänliga produkter. Detta skulle i sin tur möjliggöra att premiera dessa leverantörer. Det kan göras genom volymupphandlingar, där leverantörer med gröna produkter belönas med större inköpsvolymer. Det kan också göras genom att fastställa utsläppskrav för produkter, där produkter som inte uppfyller kriterierna inte beaktas vid den slutgiltiga affärsupphandlingen. Dessutom möjliggör användningen av LCAer jämfört med andra metoder eller mätvärden att fallföretaget och dess strategiska inköpare kan bedöma utsläppen en produkt skapar med en variabel, istället för flera. Att införa LCAer i strategiskt inköp har sina nackdelar. LCAer är i grunden resurskrävande. Det innebär att vilken part som än genomför LCAer, antingen fallföretaget eller deras leverantörer, kommer behöva avsätta resurser för att utföra analyserna. Dessutom är det för närvarande troligt att få strategiska inköpare vet hur man tolkar och använder resultaten av en LCA. Vissa av dessa problem kan till viss grad mildras. Fallföretaget kan försöka utveckla ett LCA-verktyg som kombinerar informationen som redan samlats in i befintliga system och integrerar den med LCAer. De kan också försöka skapa LCAer tillsammans med leverantörer; genom detta kan de försöka utveckla ett verktyg som minimerar den mängd input som krävs av leverantörer samtidigt som de behåller en hög grad av d

This study discusses the current state of climate change, which is causing rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, and threatening ecosystems due to human resource exploitation and carbon emissions. The construction industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the study aims to investigate which insulation material is best suited for a ground slab in terms of environmental impact, technical properties, and cost. The study includes a literature review and document analysis to compare the technical and environmental properties of different materials, as well as a case study to identify the most suitable material. To make the results comparable, the thickness of the different insulation layers has been chosen in such a way that the U-value becomes equivalent for all construction solutions. This has laid the foundation for the results, which demonstrates what previous research has also found: foamglass exhibits the lowest climate impact because the construction is sufficiently strong without the need for a concrete slab. However, its price is much higher compared to other construction solutions.

In recent decades, society's concern about unsustainable development has grown steadily, while the desire to deal with the situation has also grown in connection with the concern and increased interest in the environment. The development of new concepts for systematic control and follow-up has also been steadily growing. The concepts developed are different environmental management systems, where the most accepted management system is ISO 14001. This has resulted in the development of tools with specific goals, in this study's focus, the Life Cycle Analysis. With the above background as a basis, this study aims to investigate and develop improvement measures in an organization with a focus on life cycle analysis and process mapping. The theory of the study is based on the ISO standards and in literature, while relevant models for the study are presented. The method through the writing of the study has been based on interviews, observations and literature studies and that validity, reliability, generalizability, and ethical positions have been kept in mind throughout the study to ensure a high quality. The completed study came up with two suggestions for improvement: implement a process map for work with life cycle analysis and implement a flowchart for the decision process for products on which an LCA is to be performed. In the penultimate chapter of the study, the improvement proposals are presented which can hopefully make the organization's current working methods more efficient., De senaste decennierna har samhällets oro för den icke-hållbara utvecklingen vuxit stadigt, samtidigt som även viljan att hantera situationen vuxit i samband med oron och ökat intresset för miljön. Utvecklingen av nya koncept för systematisk styrning och uppföljning har även de varit stadigt växande. Koncepten som utvecklats är olika miljöledningssystem, där det mest accepterade ledningssystemet är ISO 14001. Detta har resulterat i att verktyg med specifika mål utvecklats, i denna studies fokus, Livscykelanalysen. Med bakgrunden ovan som underlag, syftar denna studie till att undersöka och utveckla förbättringsåtgärder i en organisation med fokus på livscykelanalys och processkartläggning. Studiens teori grundar sig i ISO-standarderna och i litteratur samtidigt som relevanta modeller för studien presenteras. Metoden genom studiens skrivande har baserat sig på intervjuer, observationer och litteraturstudier samt att validitet, tillförlitlighet, generaliserbarhet och etiska ställningstaganden hafts i åtanke genom hela studien för att säkerställa en god kvalitet. Den genomförda studien kom fram till två förbättringsförslag: implementera en processkarta för arbete med livscykelanalys samt implementera ett flödesschema för beslutsprocess vid produkter som en LCA ska utföras på. I studiens näst sista kapitel presenteras förbättringsförslagen som förhoppningsvis kan effektivisera organisationens nuvarande arbetssätt.

The rapid global adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules created the issue of recycling and disposal at their end of life. Several PV modules installed in the late 1980s or early 1990s have reached the end of their 30-year useful life and are now being removed as PV trash. This enormous amount of PV trash acknowledges recycling as a crucial and significant area in the value chain of PV industries. Hence, this study uses an end-of-life perspective to discuss the life cycle evaluation of two market-dominant PV technologies— c-Si and CdTe. This method examines recycling and avoided burden due to recovered material independently in order to determine the overall environmental benefit. The study concludes that recycling glass, metals like copper and aluminium, and semiconductor material from both c-Si and CdTe PV modules has a lower environmental effect than mining, providing, and refining the same components from original sources. © 2023 The Author(s)