Target-driven systematic Life Cycle Engineering for absolute environmental sustainability

This project investigates the possibilities of engineering to create the technologies and products that are not just better than what they replace but that can support a transition towards a sustainable society. A life-cycle perspective is taken and all relevant impacts of the solutions considered. Target-setting methods are developed, based on absolute environmental sustainability boundaries. Operating space within the boundary are scaled to the technology or product under development and further down to support specifications for particular parts, materials or processes in the life cycle. Improvement options are sought, both in the use of the product and in the foreground and background systems of its life cycle, to ultimately develop a methodology and a toolbox for systematic target-driven life-cycle engineering.