Meta is a Sustainability Officer at Alberts Integrated Piping Systems in the UK. The company manufactures and distributes brass valves and fittings for plumbing and gas systems.
Q: What is the benefit of doing life cycle analysis?
A: If you are a manufacturer, materials will likely have the most significant impact on your sustainability. For example, part of our factory is a foundry, we melt materials, and still over 80 percent of our environmental impact comes from the materials alone. Whether you engage in assembly or heavy manufacturing, materials will play a major role in the environmental impact of your products. However, to make holistic improvements, it is crucial to consider the origin of the materials and the processing methods used, as these factors significantly influence sustainability. Meaning, decisions should go beyond superficially choosing green steel over non-certified steel. LCA helps to see the whole picture and make informed decisions in the development process. Usually the biggest carbon saving will result from the reduction in weight. Less materials means less impact.
"I can share an example of what happens when organisations end up with tunnel vision, doing things like they've always done them and each department focusing only on their own process: machining, finishing, or assembly. No one looks at the entire process. I calculated that for a brass ring on a radiator valve, the yield was just 9 percent (because we machined it from solid bars), 91 percent of the material went straight back to the furnace. Luckily, we have on-site melting, but with each recycling cycle, we lose 3 percent of material due to impurities, along with the associated energy, labor, and costs. No one had quantified this, so we didn't realise it was more efficient to buy a hollow tube instead of producing and machining a solid bar on site."
Q: Would you recommend in-house or outsourced LCA?
A: I advise you to calculate LCA in-house if possible. Not only will this save money over time, but someone familiar with your company's operations can generate more useful data, guiding improvements in the right direction.
"Skullcandy conducted an environmental impact analysis for their headphones and found out that the battery is the most impactful component. After doing some user research, they found that most people do not use the headphones continuously for 20 hours but rather put them back in the case intermittently. As a result, they opted for a much smaller and less powerful battery, which reduced the LCA, while the quality of UX remained the same." *Source here.
Q: Where do you get data for the LCA?
A: I use different tools, there's the free ICE database, but, if you are serious about life cycle analysis, you will almost certainly need a paid 'calculator' or database. Popular paid programs include One Click LCA (more focused on construction) and Ecochain, which we use. These tools help calculate everything needed for an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Most of these tools gather data from a database called Ecoinvent, so instead of subscribing to Ecochain or a similar program, you can become a member of Eco Invent for a more affordable price and gain direct access to its detailed database, which includes data on materials, manufacturing processes, transport, and waste treatment. To help with analysis, you can load Ecoinvent data into a free LCA software like OpenLCA.
Q: How do you stay informed and educated in the rapidly developing field of sustainability?
A: For me, the main source is LinkedIn. Through the years, I’ve built a network of people who post useful, reliable, and current information. First, there is my friend Paul Foulkes-Arellano; he is very forward-thinking, straightforward, and has just written a book about materials and sustainability. Second, there is Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of Futerra, she shares great insights about how to talk about sustainability and motivate people. The third person is Alex Robinson, CEO of Hubbub, an environmental charity that creates PR campaigns for positive social change.
For companies in the building sector, a good source of knowledge is LETI, which publishes documents and case studies on various sustainability topics in construction. The Supply Chain School is another valuable resource.
Finally, Lexology is useful for anyone, it allows you to be prepared for any legal and regulatory changes in your country or globally. This newsletter allows you to choose topics of interest, including Environment & Climate Change.
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