Scribd
Upload
19 views

Life Cycle Thinking

The document discusses life cycle thinking and conceptual life cycle mapping. Life cycle thinking considers the environmental and social impacts of products, processes, and services across their full life cycles. Conceptual life cycle mapping helps identify impacts and opportunities for improvement by mapping out key stages and impacts in a product or process's life cycle.

Uploaded by

Nadun Nilupul
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
19 views

Life Cycle Thinking

The document discusses life cycle thinking and conceptual life cycle mapping. Life cycle thinking considers the environmental and social impacts of products, processes, and services across their full life cycles. Conceptual life cycle mapping helps identify impacts and opportunities for improvement by mapping out key stages and impacts in a product or process's life cycle.

Uploaded by

Nadun Nilupul
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 14

PR516 SUSTAINABLE

MANUFACTURING

LIFE-CYCLE
THINKING
W. L. Raneesha Fernando
MSc (Moratuwa), BSc. Eng. (Hons.) (Ruhuna)
Lecturer (Probationary),
Department Of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering,
University of Peradeniya
What is life cycle ?

2
What is life cycle thinking ?

Life cycle thinking is a way of


conceptually understanding
(and in the case of life
cycle assessment –
quantifying) the environmental
and social impacts of your
products, processes, and
services across their full life
from the point of creation all
the way through to the end of
their useful life.

3
The value of life cycle thinking
Individuals, organizations, governments, and businesses ranging from small and medium sized
enterprises (SMEs) to large multi-nationals, can use life cycle thinking to inform what products
they choose to buy; to design a new or improved product, process, or service; or even to
inform government policy. It is a useful tool for anyone as they think about the products that
they use, where they come from, and whether they contribute to, or erode, social and
environmental systems.

For businesses, life cycle thinking helps to:


• identify your company’s most significant environmental and social impacts and
opportunities to improve its social and environmental performance and/ or systems
resilience;
• identify strategic and value chain risks and opportunities;
• guide the development of new products, processes, and services;
• identify the potential unintended consequences of changes to processes, products, or
services; and
• compare your impacts and performance against those of your competitors and potentially
differentiate your company’s processes, products, or services. 4
Conceptual Life Cycle Mapping

Conceptual life cycle mapping helps you think about the products, processes, and
services that you use or produce, where they come from, and how to determine
whether they contribute to, or erode, the resilience of social and environmental
systems. The process can also help you to better understand where changes can be
made to reduce the impacts on those systems.

In contrast with a more detailed life cycle assessment (LCA), conceptual life cycle
mapping is something that anyone can do. A very rough conceptual life cycle mapping
process can be undertaken in a few hours with limited resources. With a bit more
effort, you can begin to identify where you need more data, as well as what potential
risks and opportunities merit further investigation. You may even be able to begin to
identify and prioritise possible solutions.

5
Conceptual life cycle mapping for products

6
Conceptual life cycle mapping: A seven step process

Step 1: Determine your


functional unit and your system
boundaries.

Step 2: Map the key stages in


the life cycle of the product.

Step 3: Map the key


environmental impacts

7
Conceptual life cycle mapping: A seven step process

8
Conceptual life cycle mapping: A seven step process
Step 4: Map the key
social impacts

9
Conceptual life cycle mapping: A seven step process
Step 5: Identify
potential system
interventions.

10
Conceptual life cycle mapping: A seven step process
Step 6:
Prioritise and
develop an
action plan.

11
Conceptual life cycle mapping: A seven step process
Step 6: Prioritise and develop an action plan.

Step 7: Create a summary report. 12


Life cycle mapping for services or processes

13
Thank you

14

You might also like