Background

There are today several methods and frameworks to analyze and measure sustainable development. Common features of these methods and frameworks are that they require comprehensive investigations, involve subjective assessments, and lead to results that are difficult to interpret. This means that they are inefficient in early product and process development, where there is a need for immediate feedback and where the potential for innovations are greatest. Our method gives a direct feedback through its list of sustainability costs for material and processes, so that they can be considered in the same way as ordinary costs.

Within the EU there are today more than 100 000 organizations that are certified for their environmental management and which can benefit from the use of our decision support methodology. Schools and universities may use it for educational purposes. Governments may use it for green purchasing. Political decision makers may use it in developing new instruments for circular economy.

Aim & objectives

Our project aims at increasing the usefulness in industrial decision processes of knowledge of environmental and social impacts, in a life cycle perspective.

Outcomes

We will develop a list of environmental and social sustainability costs for construction materials and processes, and a decisions support method for its use. The list will be available on the internet. Our intention is to finance the list in a similar way as raw material lists, such as via subscription fees and additional services.