Efficient information visualization in LCA: Application and practice

Aim, Scope and Background  Acquisition and analysis of huge amounts of data still pose a challenge, with few options available for solutions and support. Life cycle assessment (LCA) experts face such problems on a daily basis. However, data do not become useful until some of the information they carry is extracted, and most important, represented in a way humans can both recognize efficiently and understand and interpret as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, information representation techniques as used in this field are still based on traditional low-dimensional information spaces, featuring only a few basic choices to represent life cycle (LC) related data. We must part from those traditional techniques and shift to visual representations that are easier for us to understand due to the human capability for detecting spatial structures and shapes represented in different colors and textures. Then all the advantages of modern, advanced information visualization can be applied and exploited. Main Features  With the introduction of a new glyph-based information representation and visualization approach to LCA, current issues of representing LC-related information efficiently at a glance are being tackled. These new techniques support reduction of information load by providing tools to select and summarize data, assist in making explicit and transparent data feature propagation, and provide a means of representing data errors and uncertainty. In this approach the human perceptual capability for easily and quickly recognizing and understanding graphical objects in different colors and textures is exploited for the design and application of highly structured and advanced forms of multi-dimensional information representation. Results  Now in the example presented in this paper, OM-glyphs were used to represent LCA-related information for an industrial product and its compiled life cycle inventory under conditions normal for LCA. To demonstrate the application and benefits of the approach introduced, several different visualization scenarios were computed and presented. These were illustrated with a selection of generated glyph-based displays containing spherical glyph clusters for environmental items such as air pollutants and water pollutants, and inventory glyph matrices related to components and to LC phases. Where appropriate, to further aid understanding and clarity, displays were additionally shown with various orientations and in enlarged form. This is a functional feature of interactive 3D OM-glyph based information visualization that can be used in practice to efficiently navigate through displays while at the same time adjusting rendered scenes to the needs of the user at any given time. Due to the huge amount of data acquired and compiled, only a small fraction of the glyph-based displays could be shown, and, in consequence, only a fraction of the data properties, patterns and features available could be discussed in detail. However, it is believed that the basic principles and methods of this approach, as shown in a real application, could be clearly conveyed, and, most important, that the benefits and potential could be displayed in a convincing manner. This technology will support a marked increase in efficiency, speed and quality in LC information analysis. Conclusions  This paper concludes our short series on efficient information visualization in LCA. A new approach to efficient information visualization has been introduced, together with its basic principles. This background was enriched with discussions on and further insights into technical details of the approach and the framework developed. The first practical examples were provided in the previous paper, demonstrating the mapping of LCA-related data and their contexts to glyph parameters. In this paper the application of the approach was presented using data for an actual industrial product. During the discussions, and with the various glyph-based displays shown, it could be convincingly demonstrated that all data features, trends, patterns, relationships, and data imperfections detected and examined, and sometimes traced, could be quickly and efficiently recognized in a short time. Even basic data features, such as small gaps in the data propagation of related values, could be easily seen using OM-glyphs. In the case of traditional data representation, using for example LCI tables, this would require the identification and comparison of several thousand numerical entries. As is the case with all new technology, however, it is still difficult to obtain the interest of the experts, and to convince them that such new ideas will eventually change the face of industry. Outlook  A new, advanced and efficient information representation and visualization approach has been introduced to the LCA community. Hopefully, through this small series of papers, some interest will have been generated in the field of advanced information visualization. For the first time this area has been related to LCA, and some seeds for interdisciplinary research may have been sown. Now it is up to individuals, the experts in the various fields elated to those issues, to respond. The desired results will be stimulating discussions, an exchange of ideas, further initiated multilateral, interdisciplinary efforts, and improved collaboration between partners from academia and industry. At that point, efficient information visualization will finally have arrived at, and received, its deserved place within LCA.     

Design of a sustainable packaging in the food sector by applying LCA

Purpose

The choice of a sustainable packaging alternative is a key issue for the improvement of the environmental performances of a product, both from a production perspective and end-of-life management. The present study is focused on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of two packaging alternatives of a poultry product, in particular a polystyrene-based tray and an aluminum bowl (70 wt% primary and 30 wt% secondary aluminum) were considered.

Methods

The LCA was performed according to ISO 14040-44 and following a “from-cradle-to-grave” perspective. The following stages were considered: production, use phase (i.e., cooking), and end-of-life. Different end-of-life scenarios were hypothesized. Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Cumulative Energy Demand, and ILCD midpoint method were used in the impact assessment (LCIA).

Results and discussion

The aluminum bowl was carefully designed in order to allow its use during the cooking stage of the poultry product in the oven and to reduce the cooking time (40 min instead of 50 min needed when using a conventional bowl) at 200 °C: cooking time reduction allows electric energy savings equal to 0.21 kWh (1.38 kWh instead of 1.59 kWh). Electric energy savings become of primary importance to reduce overall emissions, in particular CO₂ eq emissions, especially in those countries such as Italy and Germany where there is a predominance of fossil fuels in the electric energy country mix.

Conclusions

Over the entire life cycle of the two alternatives considered (taking into account production, transport, cooking, and end-of-life), cooking stage has the most impact; so, the specific design of the packaging bowl/tray can allow significant lowering of the overall CO₂ eq emissions. In addition, when designing an aluminum-based packaging, the content of the secondary material can be significantly increased in order to reach higher sustainability during the production stage.     

Current activities of the national LCA project in Japan

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has launched a national project, ‘Development of Assessment Technology of Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of Products’ (commonly known as the LCA Project). The activities of this project will be continued for 5 yeas since fiscal 1998 with an overall budget of total 850 million yen. The LCA Project aims to develop a highly reliable LCA database and LCA methodology which can be readily used throughout Japan. In this paper, the overall plans and current activities of project are indicated.     

TRITON: in silico construction of protein mutants and prediction of their activities

MOTIVATION: One of the objectives of protein engineering is to propose and construct modified proteins with improved activity for the substrate of interest. Systematic computational investigation of many protein variants requires the preparation and handling of a large number of data files. The type of the data generated during the modelling of protein variants and the estimation of their activities offers the possibility of process automatization. RESULTS: The graphical program TRITON has been developed for modelling protein mutants and assessment of their activities. Protein mutants are modelled from the wild type structure by homology modelling using the external program MODELLER. Chemical reactions taking place in the mutants active site are modelled using the semi-empirical quantum mechanic program MOPAC. Semi-quantitative predictions of mutants activities can be achieved by evaluating the changes in energies of the system and partial atomic charges of active site residues during the reaction. The program TRITON offers graphical tools for the preparation of the input data files, for calculation and for the analysis of the generated output data. AVAILABILITY: The program TRITON can run under operating systems IRIX, Linux and NetBSD. The software is available at http://www.chemi.muni.cz/lbsd/triton.ht ml.     

Achieving consistency in life cycle assessment practice within the European construction sector: the role of the EeBGuide InfoHub

Purpose

The objective of the paper is to discuss the role of a new guidance document for life cycle assessment (LCA) in the construction sector available as an online InfoHub.

Methods

This InfoHub derives from the EeBGuide European project that aimed at developing a guidance document for energy-efficient building LCA studies. The InfoHub is built on reference documents such as the ISO 14040-44 standards, the EN 15804 and EN 15978 standards as well as the ILCD Handbook. The guidance document was filled with expertise and knowledge of several experts. The focus was put on providing scientifically sound, yet practical guidance.

Results

The EeBGuide InfoHub is an online guidance document, setting rules for conducting LCA studies and giving instructions on how to do this. The document has a section on buildings—new and existing—and a section on construction products. It is structured according to the life cycle stages of the European standards EN 15804 and EN 15978, covering all aspects of LCA studies by applying provisions from these standards and the ILCD handbook, wherever applicable. The guidance is presented for different scopes of studies by means of three study types. For the same system boundaries, default values are proposed in early or quick assessment (screening and simplified LCA) while detailed calculation rules correspond to a complete LCA. Such approach is intended to better match the user needs in the building sector.

Conclusions and recommendations

This paper can be viewed as a contribution to the ongoing efforts to improve the consistency and harmonisation in LCA studies for building products and buildings. Further contributions are now needed to improve building LCA guidance and to strengthen links between research, standardisation and implementation of LCA in the construction practice.     

Analysis of the main elements affecting social LCA applications: challenges for the automotive sector

Purpose

Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) applications have been growing during the last years. Most of the scientific articles published so far have addressed the applicability of S-LCA, focusing on selecting suitable indicators, and only recently, the developments in the area of impact pathway are increasing. However, a critical analysis of how to set an S-LCA study, in particular the goal and scope and inventory phase, is missing. This article critically analyses the most important elements affecting the goal and scope and inventory phase of S-LCA, with a focus on the automotive sector, with the ultimate goal of developing a structured approach to guide practitioners in the critical application of S-LCA.

Methods

The literature review covers 67 publications from 2006 to 2015, including all the case studies published so far, to the best knowledge of the authors, in several sectors and the automotive one. The reviewed works have been structured along the key elements affecting the goal and scope and inventory phases of the S-LCA.

Results and discussion

The methodological and practical issues affecting S-LCA have been organized into a conceptual map, in which all the elements are sequentially placed. This sequence is an orderly procedure consisting of several nodes representing crucial points where a decision needs to be taken or a further reflection is necessary. The case studies of the automotive sector and the corporate-related documents have been used also for the discussion of the conceptual map nodes to identify which aspects are already covered by the literature and which ones need further research.

Conclusions

Facing the inventory phase of S-LCA needs also to set specific elements of the goal and scope phase which are fundamental for approaching coherently the product system at hand and for supporting the selection of stakeholders, indicators, and data. Moreover, in order to foster S-LCA applications and make it a robust decision-support tool, the authors suggest to re-define its framework and approach according to the organizational perspective, as laid down in the recent Organisation Environmental Footprint and Organizational LCA. This implies that social aspects will be evaluated both in relation to the organization behavior and to the basket of products, thus reconciling the need to keep together the conduct-of-a-company perspective, typical of social evaluations, and the product-oriented approach, inherent to the life cycle and in particular to the functional unit concept.

     

LCA of the timber sector in Ghana: preliminary life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)

Purpose  

Most life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) approaches in life cycle assessment (LCA) are developed for western countries. Their LCIA approaches and characterization methodologies for different impact categories may not be necessarily relevant to African environmental conditions and particularly not for the timber sector in Ghana. This study reviews the relevance of existing impact categories and LCIA approaches, and uses the most relevant for the timber sector of Ghana.     

Application of three independent consequential LCA approaches to the agricultural sector in Luxembourg

Purpose

Consequential Life Cycle Assessment (C-LCA) is a “system modelling approach in which activities in a product system are linked so that activities are included in the product system to the extent that they are expected to change as a consequence of a change in demand”. Hence, C-LCA focuses on micro-economic actions linked to macro-economic consequences, by identifying the (marginal) suppliers and technologies prone to be affected by variable scale changes in the demand of a product. Detecting the direct and indirect environmental effects due to changes in the production system is not an easy task. Hence, researchers have combined the consequential perspective with different econometric models. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess an increase in biocrops cultivation in Luxembourg using three different consequential modelling approaches to understand the benefits, drawbacks and assumptions linked to each approach as applied to the case study selected.

Methods

Firstly, a partial equilibrium (PE) model is used to detect changes in land cultivation based on the farmers’ revenue maximisation. Secondly, another PE model is proposed, which considers a different perspective aiming at minimising a total adaptation cost (so-called opportunity cost) to satisfy a given new demand of domestically produced biofuel. Finally, the consequential system delimitation for agricultural LCA approach, as proposed by Schmidt (Int J Life Cycle Assess 13:350–364, 2008), is applied.

Results and discussion

The two PE models present complex shifts in crop rotation land use changes (LUCs), linked to the optimisation that is performed, while the remaining approach has limited consequential impact on changes in crop patterns since the expert opinion decision tree constitutes a simplification of the ongoing LUCs. However, environmental consequences in the latter were considerably higher due to intercontinental trade assumptions recommended by the experts that were not accounted for in the economic models. Environmental variations between the different scenarios due to LUCs vary based on the different expert- or computational-based assumptions. Finally, environmental consequences as compared with the current state-of-the-art are lame due to the limited impact of the shock within the global trade market.

Conclusions

The use of several consequential modelling approaches within the same study may help widen the interpretation of the advantages or risks of applying a specific change to a production system. In fact, different models may not only be good alternatives in terms of comparability of scenarios and assumptions, but there may also be room for complementing these within a unique framework to reduce uncertainties in an integrated way.     

“教学、实践、科研、临床”四位一体的医学遗传学教学体系建设探索与实践

医学遗传学课程介于基础医学和临床医学之间,是一门应用性很强的学科,在现代医学教育体系中有着重要的地位。教学团队在多年的医学遗传学教学实践中,在建设省级精品课程的过程中,构建了“教学、实践、科研、临床”四位一体的医学遗传学教学体系,主要内容包括“课堂教学、社会实践、科学研究、临床应用”四者之间相互渗透、相互补充、相互促进,以课堂教学为基础,用社会实践补充教学,科学研究提升教学,临床应用促进教学。“四位一体”教学体系为基础课程与临床课程的有机整合探索了一条切实可行的路子。实施几年来,课程建设收到了良好效果,学科团队科研水平、社会声誉、医疗服务能力也有明显提高。     

Perceptions on LCA implementation: evidence from a survey on adopters and nonadopters in Italy

Purpose

This paper introduces the results of an Italian survey on the implementation of life cycle assessment (LCA). Both LCA adopters and nonadopters were involved, in order to understand the main benefits and barriers to the adoption of LCA and how the experiences of LCA adopters differ from the expectations of nonadopters.

Methods

Approximately 2000 Italian companies were contacted and 122 companies participated in the online survey, which represent the 6.5 % of the statistical population of our study. To define the statistical population, firms that had implemented an LCA or an environmental initiative according to an official international standard were only considered. Statistically significant differences in answers between LCA adopters and nonadopters were tested by performing the Mann–Whitney test.

Results and discussion

Companies recognize that LCA can provide useful information to drive strategic decisions and product design, and it is perceived as an opportunity to improve the current monitoring systems. In addition, companies recognize the potential of LCA in marketing, making the communication of green attributes more substantial and robust. Focusing on the barriers experienced by LCA adopters, data collection can be cited. Communication issues also pose a barrier to the further implementation of LCA. The analysis of the results and the comparison of the results for the two groups of respondents highlight that on average, the difficulties are considered as more important than the benefits and that nonadopters tend to overestimate the difficulties and underestimate the benefits connected to the implementation of LCA.

Conclusions

The findings shed light on LCA-related issues both for companies and public servants. The misconception of LCA by nonadopters suggests that an increased awareness is the key to the success of LCA and to its more widespread adoption by companies. It is essential to create and disseminate know-how and sensitize companies to the real barriers and benefits of adopting an LCA. The awareness of potential LCA adopters can be raised by training and education initiatives, as well as by increased possibilities to experiment with these kinds of tools (public programs for financial support, fiscal incentives). On the other hand, market and communication research would contribute to better understand how the environmental impacts of products can be more effectively communicated to clients and consumers.

     

微生物学模块式自设计研究性实验的构建与教学实践

为了以低成本、低课时、高个性化方式让低年级学生既能学习基本实验技术,又都有机会参与研究性实验,构思了以基本实验技术为依托的微生物学模块式自设计研究性实验,即教师以模块式专题形式提出系列实验项目,学生自主选择题目、思考和设计、实施操作、分析结果而教师恰当指导的实验教学方式,并将其在3年4轮的微生物学实验教学中应用。详细叙述了模块式自设计研究性实验设计思路和实施方法及实施中学生和教师的行为与表现,并分析了从3个班级收回的包含34个问题的实验教学效果调查问卷,深入探讨了该方法存在的不足和改进方法。教学实践表明,这种教学方法不会导致教师数量、实验成本、学时数的显著增加,对于较大规模学生的研究性实验具有较强的实用性和可行性;144份学生反馈问卷中每个问题平均得分均在4分以上(满分5分),表明有利于提高学生的多方面素质,使学生受到基本的科学研究素质和能力的初步训练;88%-96%的学生认为它是有效的教学方式;研究性实验的形式、学生主动性、实验方案设计的科学性、实验结果分析和讨论等方面还有待完善。     

Regionalized LCA in practice: the need for a universal shapefile to match LCI and LCIA

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment -     

Translating research findings into practice - the implementation of kangaroo mother care in Ghana

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a safe and effective method of caring for low birth weight infants and is promoted for its potential to improve newborn survival. Many countries find it difficult to take KMC to scale in healthcare facilities providing newborn care. KMC Ghana was an initiative to scale up KMC in four regions in Ghana. Research findings from two outreach trials in South Africa informed the design of the initiative. Two key points of departure were to equip healthcare facilities that conduct deliveries with the necessary skills for KMC practice and to single out KMC for special attention instead of embedding it in other newborn care initiatives. This paper describes the contextualisation and practical application of previous research findings and the results of monitoring the progress of the implementation of KMC in Ghana. METHODS: A three-phase outreach intervention was adapted from previous research findings to suit the local setting. A more structured system of KMC regional steering committees was introduced to drive the process and take the initiative forward. During Phase I, health workers in regions and districts were oriented in KMC and received basic support for the management of the outreach. Phase II entailed the strengthening of the regional steering committees. Phase III comprised a more formal assessment, utilising a previously validated KMC progressmonitoring instrument. RESULTS: Twenty-six out of 38 hospitals (68 %) scored over 10 out of 30 and had reached the level of 'evidence of practice' by the end of Phase III. Seven hospitals exceeded expected performance by scoring at the level of 'evidence of routine and institutionalised practice.' The collective mean score for all participating hospitals was 12.07. Hospitals that had attained baby-friendly status or had been re-accredited in the five years before the intervention scored significantly better than the rest, with a mean score of 14.64. CONCLUSION: The KMC Ghana initiative demonstrated how research findings regarding successful outreach for the implementation of KMC could be transferred to a different context by making context-appropriate adaptations to the model.     

Evidence-based practice implementation: The impact of public versus private sector organization type on organizational support,provider attitudes,and adoption of evidence-based practice

Background

The goal of this study is to extend research on evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation by examining the impact of organizational type (public versus private) and organizational support for EBP on provider attitudes toward EBP and EBP use. Both organization theory and theory of innovation uptake and individual adoption of EBP guide the approach and analyses in this study. We anticipated that private sector organizations would provide greater levels of organizational support for EBPs leading to more positive provider attitudes towards EBPs and EBP use. We also expected attitudes toward EBPs to mediate the association of organizational support and EBP use.

Methods

Participants were mental health service providers from 17 communities in 16 states in the United States (n = 170). Path analyses were conducted to compare three theoretical models of the impact of organization type on organizational support for EBP and of organizational support on provider attitudes toward EBP and EBP use.

Results

Consistent with our predictions, private agencies provided greater support for EBP implementation, and staff working for private agencies reported more positive attitudes toward adopting EBPs. Organizational support for EBP partially mediated the association of organization type on provider attitudes toward EBP. Organizational support was significantly positively associated with attitudes toward EBP and EBP use in practice.

Conclusion

This study offers further support for the importance of organizational context as an influence on organizational support for EBP and provider attitudes toward adopting EBP. The study demonstrates the role organizational support in provider use of EBP in practice. This study also suggests that organizational support for innovation is a malleable factor in supporting use of EBP. Greater attention should be paid to organizational influences that can facilitate the dissemination and implementation of EBPs in community settings.

     

大学生科研创新能力培养和优良学风建设的改革与实践

大学生科研创新能力培养要依据学生个体所需,对其进行不同层次的科研能力培养,并规范培养方式,使学生真正学有所用.优良学风建设,通过严抓学风,让学生自主学习、诚信学习,提高教育教学质量,培养高素质人才,促进高校可持续发展.高校推行本科生导师制使学生更趋向个性化学习、发挥学生的潜力、培养学生的创新能力.