Life cycle assessment projects by process groups

Abstract

The actual consequences analysis derived from the study of a system’s life cycle, improving the simplistic approach of the decision making by partial aspects. The LCA has become a powerful and widely-used tool that allows the professionals to take action in a sustainable way. The work group carried out an LCA normally takes advantage of their knowledge and abilities to obtain a more or less reliable result. The working group's efforts haven’t been until now systematically and normally guide themselves by experience, logic and intuition. It’s pertinent that this effort is oriented by using Project Management. Project Management is the application of knowledge, ability, tools and techniques to the activities of the project to satisfy its requirements. An LCA study can be considered as a project, a temporal effort made for a unique result. With the Project Management vision, the elaboration of an LCA is faster, easier and successful. We have developed a guide for the elaboration of an LCA following the guidelines of ISO 14040 and Project Management, we have named it as: Life Cycle Assessment projects by process groups. Our point of view emerges from relating the matrix of the LCA phases (Goal and scope, Life cycle inventory, Life cycle impact assessment and Interpretation) and the process groups (initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, controlling processes and closing processes). With that, we provide to the work group some guidelines to make an LCA as a project where we balance the scope, time, costs, quality, resources and risks.