Use of the Economic InputOutput LifeCycle Assessment eiolca Website

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Use of the Economic Input-Output Life-Cycle
Assessment (eiolca) Website

• By Chris Hendrickson, H. Scott Matthews and Mike
  Griffin
• Green Design Institute, Carnegie Mellon
  University, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, USA

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Some Sustainability Tools

• Triple bottom line assessments (multi-objective
  optimization)
• Life Cycle Assessment
• Expand range of design alternatives (not a tactic
  limited to sustainable infrastructure, of
  course)
• New technology (datalogger, new materials)
• Alternative approaches (different modes)

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Some Other Common Tools

• Materials flow analysis
• Appropriate boundary setting.
• Risk and uncertainty analysis.
• Life cycle cost analysis.
• Design heuristics (reduce energy use, eliminate
  waste material)

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www.eiolca.net Website Components

• Economic Input-Output Model of US Economy (480
  economic sectors)
• Impact Vectors Air emissions, Energy use, Toxic
  emissions, Employment.
• 1992 and 1997 Benchmark models annual models of
  US economy
• Tutorial on model use.
• Forum for discussion.

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History of Website

• Initial version on spreadsheet.
• Moved to web for free public use in 2000 with
  1992 Benchmark Input-Output Data.
• Update to 1997 Benchmark in 2004.
• Papers on input-output life cycle assessment
  method and applications from 1992 on.
• Plan to update to 2002 Benchmark in 2007.

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Use of Website

• gt1,000,000 uses of the model (over 10,000 per
  month).
• Education/research uses most frequent.
• Numerous industrial and government uses.
• Numerous international uses.
• Hybrid applications with process models and
  input-output model common.

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Most Popular Sectors
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Most Popular Impacts
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Book for Documentation in 2006

• Theory.
• Applications appliances, buildings, energy
  generation and transmission, logistics, motor
  vehicles, and services
• Extension to regional and safety impacts.

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Residential Life Cycle Energy
Source Ochoa, Hendrickson, Matthews and Ries,
2005
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Motor Vehicle Energy Use
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Example Power Tool Datalogger
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Datalogger Triple Bottom Line

• Permits profitable re-manufacturing to replace
  loss making recycling.
• Develops information on tool use.
• Reduces material use overall.
• Creates new low-cost tool option.
• No privacy issues raised (unlike autos!)
• Must balance cost (including environmental cost)
  of datalogger versus benefits return rate of
  used power tools is critical.

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Some Relevant On-going Green Design Inst. Research

• 2002 Benchmark Update.
• Mixed unit input-output models metal flows and
  monetary transactions.
• Regional Models.
• Other national models with international trade
  flows.
• Construction, energy (especially electricity),
  infrastructure and transportation alternatives
  life cycle assessment applications.

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Switchgrass (Cellulosic) Ethanol
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Local Action Carnegie Mellon
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Some Carnegie Mellon Projects (cont)
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Conclusions

• Making sustainability operational requires
  political will but also effective tools and
  technology.
• Triple bottom line assessment economic,
  environmental, social
• Life cycle perspective essential
• Challenges should not lead to paralysis.

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Some Resources

• Center for Sustainable Engineering (ASU, Carnegie
  Mellon, Texas) http//www.csengin.org/
• Carnegie Mellon Green Design Institute
  www.gdi.ce.cmu.edu
• Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment website at
  www.eiolca.net. Book Environmental Life Cycle
  Assessment of Goods Services An Input-Output
  Approach, 2006.