Projects
Environmental Impact Assessment of Resource Recovery Through Enhanced Landfill Mining - Addressing Uncertainties via Life Cycle Assessment and Integrated Approaches KU Leuven
Due to the vast amount of landfills in Europe, and in the world, and the limited availability of primary raw materials and land space, new waste management concepts are being developed. The focus is on the reduction of risks to human health and the environment (HHE) and on a more integrated recovery of resources. In this context, the concept of landfill mining (LFM), and the more integrated approach of enhanced landfill mining (ELFM), are ...
Sustainability Assessment of Pharmaceuticals: Coupling Environmental Life Cycle Assessment and Human Health Benefits Ghent University
Carbon footprinting through Life Cycle assessment for smallholders farmers in Ecuador KU Leuven
The PhD research will aim to contribute to the export possibilities a smallholder farms in Ecuador, with a focus on avocado and coffee. Within the large number of impact indicators typically covered in LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), special attention will be devoted to carbon footprinting. The PhD tasks will include both technical and market analysis aspects. For the former one, the work will include dedicated surveys with smallholder farmers ...
Building data models for scalable high-definition life cycle assessment KU Leuven
The built environment is a major contributor to the climate and ecosystem emergency with building construction and operation responsible for almost 40% of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Increasing energy efficiency of buildings and adopting sustainable construction practices are crucial for achieving decarbonization goals. Furthermore, addressing the entire life cycle of buildings, including operational and embodied ...
Life Cycle Assessment of new recycling and reuse routes for Rare Earth Element machines in hybrid/electric vehicles KU Leuven
Hybrid and Full Electric Vehicles (H)EVs are essential for the transition towards sustainable e-mobility. The permanent magnets in motors/generators of (H)EVs contain large quantities of rare earths, which are critical metals with the highest supply risk for Europe. As highlighted by the European Rare Earths Competency Network, recycling of rare-earth magnets from (H)EVs should receive top priority. Reclaiming of rare-earth magnet ...
Integrating the future in life cycle assessment? An ex-ante case study of emerging innovative slag treatment technologies. University of Antwerp
Technical sustainability of biological production systems. A model based life cycle assessment of fertilizer management KU Leuven
Accordingly with world’s movement towards sustainable development, agriculture faces mounting pressure to reduce its environmental impact. The present organisation of our food production leads to significant alterations of the global nitrogen cycle causing increased nitrogen emissions into the ecosystem. Aiming at sustainable systems requires to account for long-term implications of practices and the broad interactions and dynamics of ...
Quantifying the sustainability of our foods in an uncertain and variable world: life cycle assessment of the apple chain from orchard to consumer KU Leuven
The need for sustainable production and consumption is strongly present in today’s society. To achieve this goal, a realistic quantification of environmental sustainability is needed. Calculating the environmental impact of products and processes can be done by conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). The life cycle perspective ensures that all necessary inputs, processes and outputs are considered, and that environmental impacts are ...
A model-based approach for a life cycle assessment of the nitrogen emissions of tomato production in Colombia KU Leuven
This thesis develops methodologies for a technical sustainability assessment of agricultural systems through the integration of soil-crop modelingand standard life cycle assessment (LCA). In addition, we propose a strategy to facilitate communication of the results of the comparative LCAs to stakeholders. As case studies, the proposed methods are applied to open field and greenhouse tomato production systems in the Colombian Andes, focusing ...