Context

In the Programing and Planning Phase, an Owner (or his specialized consultant) needs to analyze the feasibility of some infrastructure design alternatives. These alternatives are performing the expected mission, their feasibility considers technical, economic, as well as environmental aspects.

Environmental and Social Studies are required in this phase in order to obtain the construction permit. For further information see the wiki page Public-Private Partnership Framework.

Overview

This use-case contains 8 steps. Fully aligned with the LCA standard ISO 14040 concerning the Environmental Management - Lifecycle Assessment Principals and framework.

Use-case Description

Step 1: Goal & Scope Definition

LCA (Lifecycle Assessment) is a system thinking based methodology. The first step of the LCA is to define the goal and the scope of the evaluation, by defining what we call "System Of Interest". To do so, we need to find answers for some questions, depending on the stakeholder to whom the evaluation will be performed. As an example:

WHY this evaluation is performed ?
WHAT will be taken into account in this evaluation?
WHO will be responsible of the generated impact?
WHAT lifecycle phases should be considered?

Next to this first step, the system of interest will be defined. This definition could be expressed by a “Functional Unit”. The functional unit of a product system is a quantified description of the performance requirements that the product system fulfils. It will be used as a reference to which the inputs and outputs are related. It is an important element of the LCA study to ensure comparability of LCA results and to allow the LCA practitioner to compare different structures alternatives, which is the case for this master thesis. Note that a system may provide several functions at the same time, and that consequently, several functional units are possible and that the most relevant ones should be identified.

3DEXPERIENCE Solution for this step : CATIA System Design with RFL Model. The Functional unit can be defined as requirements in the R, detailed in functions and relations in the F, represented and structured with the attached flows in the L.

Step 2: Lifecycle Inventory Definition (LCI)

Once we define the system of interest with its boundaries and functional unit, we will be able to detail the inventory of this system. This inventory contains the breakdown structures of the system: functional breakdown structure, product breakdown structure, work breakdown structure and geographic breakdown structure. The aim is to assess the maximum of known components in this early stage of the project. If there is no visibility on some details it would not be a matter, we will be able to perform an "approximative" analysis that would be refined during the project lifecycle.

This inventory is a whole of components and processes that could generate environmental impacts. This will allow an identification of the scope and where the evaluation will stop. it will also allow a definition of the environmental budgets given later to subcontractors.

3DEXPERIENCE Solution for this step : CATIA System Design FLP as explained obviously.

Step 3: LCA Principals Definition

The aim of this step is to select the environmental indicators that could be of interest to a specific stakeholder of the project. This will allow to choose the right environmental method. To know, five methods are available in our Ecodesign apps as following.

In this step, we can also define targets for each environmental indicator. These targets will be considered as an impact budget, so the assessment should not exceed it. These targets could be based on similar projects feedback (with the same functional units), measured or estimated.

3DEXPERIENCE Solution for this step is Business Target Definition app, available within Eco-Design Engineer and Sustainability Manager roles.

Step 4: LCA impacts computation

LCA is performed through ingoing and outgoing flows impacts calculation. This is the main step where we will be able to assess the environmental impacts related to this flows. The values of the impacts are issued from a holistic and cross-industry database which name is ecoinvent. It publishes the world’s most consistent and transparent life cycle inventory database. The ecoinvent database enables users to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental impacts of their products and services. It is a repository covering a diverse range of sectors on global and regional level. It currently contains more than 18’000 activities modelling human activities or processes.

So in this step we need to pick-up the right human activities related to the system of interest components and processes. Then compute the impacts in order to get the global assessment.

3DEXPERIENCE Solutions for this step are:

Business Value Definition: to define the human activities related to the different breakdown structures of the system.
Business Activities Definition: to capture the company knowhow in term of sustainability and environmental impacts.
Ecodesign Assessment: to assess and compute the environmental impacts related to the system of interest.

Step 5: Impacts Allocation

Once the environmental impacts are assessed, we will be able to structure differently these impacts. Then allocate them to the specialized subcontractors in charge of each trade, lot or phase.

As an example, we will be able to know the impacts related to the earthworks of an infrastructure, and define it as an environmental budget for the company in charge of the foundations. Or get the impacts related to the construction phase, and define it as a budget for the company in charge of the construction of the project.

We will need in then to have different structures of the systems (Ex. By trade, by phase, by lot, etc.) in order to allocate the right budget to the right company. This will allow also defining the responsibility of the interfaces and their impacts included.

3DEXPERIENCE Solution for this step is : EcoDesign Assessment app, and Business Target Definition app.

Step 6: Identify Alternatives

In this step, the owner will be able to select among several alternatives, those whose the environmental impacts are the lowest.

3DEXPERIENCE Solution for this step is : EcoDesign Assessment app to compare the different trade-offs and select the best in term of environmental assessment.

Step 7: Decision Making Matrix

This step should help owner to take decision, which alternative is the best in term of sustainability assessment. So the environmental assessment is a pillar, but we need to have a look on the technical feasibility, productivity, social value, economic profitability, etc.

3DEXPERIENCE Solution for this step could be suggested by NETVIBES, and based on Cost Intelligence solutions.

Step 8: Alternative Optimization

We still have the possibility, after selecting the best trade-off, to optimize this solution by changing a part of the process, a component of the system or any other possibilities. Then the assessment should be performed once again with the new optimized design by inheriting and adapting the human activities of the last version.

It is also possible to refine the lifecycle assessment after the Programming and Planning Phase, when the preliminary design and detailed design are being progressed. In this advanced phases we will be able to describe precisely materials, processes or other necessary details for the assessment.