Life Cycle

Assessment:
Quantifying

Environmental Impacts

 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact

An important element of

improving the environmental

performance of industry is

measuring the impacts of

products and processes

across value chains and
taking steps to mitigate the
key drivers of those impacts.

Prof. Elsa Olivetti

 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
03 The methodology for assessing

Index
environmental impacts

05 About this Course

06 Key Takeaways

07 Participant Profile

08 Testimonials

09 Instructors

11 Course Outline

14 About MIT Professional Education

15 Corporate Courses

16 The Beyond Online Methodology

17 Benefits of Joining the Alumni Community

2
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
The methodology

for assessing

environmental impacts

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a

important in terms of compliance with

process to evaluate the environmental

the evolution of sustainable policy

footprints associated with a product,

agreements and the maintenance of a

process, or activity by identifying and

reputable sustainable organization.

quantifying energy and materials

usage and environmental releases to

In this course, you will gain hands-on

assess their impact and to evaluate

experience devising LCAs of your own

and implement opportunities to affect

by interpreting data and conducting

environmental improvements.

analyses to support decisions, following

the approach specified in ISO standard

Life cycle assessment is an increasingly

14040.

significant concept and method for

assessing and supporting sustainable

Furthermore we will implement LCA

transitions in manufacturing, reducing

software and databases throughout

costs, and improving brand identity.

the course by applying them in the

Its features have become additionally assignments.

3
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Environmental

Impact

60%
We are currently using about
60% more of the earth’s
resources than it can
regenerate every year;

meaning that we are using

about 1.6 earths yearly.

8%
The vital LCA analyst role
Source: World Wide Fund for
Nature

is expected to grow by 8%
by 2028 and produce over

7,000 job opportunities

2
across the U.S.

The high demand for more

sustainable brands could
make this projection even
Billion tons
larger.
Today, the world produces
Source: Zippia over 2 billion tons of solid
waste yearly, and that amount
is expected to grow to 3.4

billion tons by 2050. About

one-third of that waste is not
managed properly.
Source: The World Bank

4
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
About

this Course
Life cycle assessment is an approach to quantify the environmental impact of a product or
process throughout its life.

The course serves as a starting

This course encompasses the stages of goal
point for conducting a Life cycle
and scope definition, life cycle inventories,
assessment (LCA) in accordance with
impact assessments and interpretation.
the methods and policies defined by
Learn to analyze a life cycle assessment to
the International Organization for
inform decision making—with MIT

Standardization (ISO). Information

Professional Education.

surrounding a life cycle is useful for

making decisions about design, policy,

In parallel with learning about these
acquisition, corporate strategy and for
concepts, participants will be guided

capturing the impact of products and

step-by-step in carrying out a real LCA using
processes. openLCA software and authentic databases

8 weeks 8-10 hours a week Online

5
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Key Takeaways
You will learn to:

01 Describe different types of LCAs and the 05 Interpret the results of LCAs through the
reasons for conducting them lens of uncertainty

02 Define the goal and scope of an LCA
03 Collect primary life cycle inventory data
and select secondary data from
databases
06 Apply LCAs to product, service, process,
firm, and policy decisions.
07 Master the utilization of LCA software
and databases

04 Quantify life cycle impacts using a

range of impact assessment methods

6
 nline Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Participant Profile
This course is directed towards

Consultants who must be aware of current sustainability policies and how to enact them
within an organization.

Companies in industries concerned with meeting or setting carbon targets or hoping to

reduce their impact on the environment.

Data scientists and engineers involved in interpreting and analyzing LCAs.

Accounting firms involved in evaluating the greenhouse gas emissions of firms.

Legislative bodies implementing policies regarding sustainable production and

procurement practices.

O
It is highly recommended that cross-functional teams carry out the course together, in
order to accelerate the process of adopting the outcomes of LCA.

register
register

7
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Our Professional

Alumni Experience
Edouard Godineau 
Franco Lodato

Syngenta fellow at Syngenta Lead Industrial Design at Masimo

The content of the course was very well
structured and clear. The assignments
were sometimes not easy, but I think it
adds great value to ask the participants
to get involved and committed, which I
tried to do to the best of my abilities. 
Overall, this LCA course enhanced my
project experience foundation and
provided me with great knowledge and
broader skill toolsets to improve my
career. I feel it will help me make better-

informed decisions when analyzing any

potential project, I am participating in.

I particularly appreciated the sharing of The Office Hours weekly meetings with
the case studies towards the end of the the learning facilitator were highly
course, which gave great insights.

beneficial as she was capable of helping

Atiqah Hamizah Mohd Nordin
were learning. She was engaging,
Senior Lecturer at UiTM
us understand in a practical way how to
implement all the different concepts we
knowledgable, and very professional.

I have learned a lot from this two-month

I liked the interactions with the
course. The assignment given allows me
instructors and the faculty. The live
to practice what I learned in the course,
sessions were very didactical,
for example using the LCA software to
entertaining, and valuable.
quantify the environmental impact. This
course enhances my knowledge and
skills in assessing the environmental
impact of products and services. I can
apply my learning here to help my clients
implement more sustainable practices
and reduce their environmental
footprint.  

Finally, the learning facilitator has an

amazing experience with the topic. The
responses to the assignment we had
were really good.

8
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Instructors
Dr. Jeremy Gregory is the Executive

Director of the MIT Climate and

Sustainability Consortium. He studies

the economic and environmental

implications of engineering and

system design decisions, particularly

in materials production and recovery

systems.

Gregory’s research topics include

product and firm environmental footprinting,

manufacturing and life-cycle cost analysis,
and characterization of sustainable material
systems. He has applied these methods,
often with industry partners, to a range of

products and industries, including cement,

Dr. Jeremy Gregory

buildings, automobiles, electronics,

consumer goods, and waste treatment and
Executive Director, MIT Climate and Sustainability recovery. He earned a BS in mechanical

Consortium
engineering from Montana State

University, and an MS and PhD in

mechanical engineering from MIT.

“I have always been drawn to life cycle assessment because of its

holistic perspective and power to illuminate the drivers of impact
for a product, process, or firm.”

9
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Elsa Olivetti is the associate director of the

MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium

and the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton

Associate Professor in MIT’s Department

of Materials Science and Engineering at

MIT. Her research centers on improving the

environmental and economic sustainability

of materials in the context of growing global

demand.

Her interests span three levels of materials

production: operational level, industrial

network level, and market-level strategies.

She is focused on two areas with the

potential for significant environmental

Prof. Elsa Olivetti

benefits: improving the sustainability of

materials through increased use of recycled

Associate Dean of Engineering, Associate Professor of

the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
at MIT, and Co-Director of MIT Climate and
Sustainability Consortium
and renewable materials, recyclingfriendly
material design, and intelligent waste
disposition; and understanding the
implications of substitution,

dematerialization, and waste mining on

materials markets.

Olivetti earned a BS in engineering science

from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. in

materials science and engineering from MIT.

“Life cycle assessment is a key tool for firms and governments

to evaluate environmental footprints and develop pathways to

achieve the net zero future we so desperately need.”

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Course Outline
Module 1
outlined in goal and scope <
Life Cycle Assessment Overvie+
)% Define the concept of LCA <
% Explore different types of LCAs <
!% Discover terminology associated with
LCAs <
A% Software component: Install and
Explore openLCA
Module 2
Interpretation to Support Decisione
Goal and Scopr
)% Gain a deeper understanding of
establishing the purpose and focus for
an LCA <
% Explore the ways in which we set limits
for analysis and its effects on the
outcome <
!% Introduce the concept of
interdependencies when evaluating
environmental impact <
A% Software component: Defining Goal
and Scope
Module 3
products <
Life Cycle Inventorª
)% Learn more about the inventory step
and procedures for conducting one <
% Analyze what data is needed and
where this information can be obtained<
!% Understand the challenges of multi-
output systems and methods for
dealing with them <
A% Software component: Conducting an
LCI
11
nline Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Module 4
Life Cycle Impact Assessmen
)% eview the procedure for conducting
R
an LCIA in response to objectives
% Recognize the main impact categories,
how they differ, and how they are
measured <
!% Normalize data and account for
uncertainty <
A% Software component: Creating a Model
and Conducting LCIA (Optional)
Module 5
)% eview the different types of
R
uncertainty and their causes <
% Understand how uncertainty is
calculated <
!% Interpret and/or communicate LCA
results with relevant disclaimers <
O
A% Software component: Calculating
Uncertainty with open LCA
Module 6
Case Studiee
)% Explore LCA case studies of everyday
Š Boots Shampoo <
Š Alkaline Batteries <
Š Asics Running Shoes <
% Look at the corporate footprint of a
leading company <
Š Corporate Footprinting: Apple Inc. <
!% Examine how LCAs can be used to
support policy decisions
register
register
 Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact
Certificate of Completion
All participants who successfully complete In order to obtain CEUs, participants must
the Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying complete a required CEU confirmation form.
Environmental Impacts online course will CEUs are calculated based on the number of
receive an MIT Professional Education learning hours in each course.
Certificate of Completion. In addition, they
will also earn 6.4 Continuing Education
Units* (MIT CEUs).

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is defined as 10 contact hours of ongoing learning to indicate the
amount of time they have devoted to a non-credit/non-degree professional development program. To
understand whether or not these CEUs may be applied toward professional certification, licensing
requirements, or other required training or continuing education hours, please consult your training
department or licensing authority directly.

12
 Welcome to

the gateway
to MIT knowledge

and expertise for

professionals

around the world.

Participants from

155 countries

More than 1,600

online activities

92% of Professional

Alumni rated

their experience

as outstanding
About MIT

Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact

MIT Professional Education
fosters the development of
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MIT Professional Education provides MIT Professional Education is central to

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Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact

Courses
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The Beyond Online

Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact

Methodology
MIT Professional Education is
revolutionizing the digital learning
experience. In fact, we are no longer talking
about online-only, but rather an interactive
and collaborative learning experience that’s
digitally powered: a Beyond Online
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You will have access to one of the most
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With MIT Professional Education, you’ll have an opportunity to:

ž Attend select live webinars ž Fulfill your reskilling and

with MIT Instructors–
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Clara Piloto
Director of Global Programs at MIT Professional Education

“With environmental impacts at the center of global issues,

it is invaluable to analyze the data behind products and
processes to make conscious decisions that will impact our
environment. Furthermore, life cycle assessments allow
decision makers to select products and processes with the

lowest environmental impacts. Today, it is crucial to learn

and unlearn to be competent. ”

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Benefits of Joining the

Online Course: Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Environmental Impact

Alumni Community
MIT Professional Education offers a number of benefits for
participants who successfully complete our courses:

1 15% discount for MIT Professional

Education online courses and short-
duration, in-person programs.

2 Continued access to the virtual campus for

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4 Invitation to the MIT Professional Education

Alumni LinkedIn group.

5 Networking opportunities with other MIT

Professional Education Alumni.

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17
 Are you ready

to quantify

environmental

impacts?

Frequently Asked Questions For more information, please contact us:

+1 617 870 0270

Email: professionalprograms@mit.edu

Website: https://professionalprograms.mit.edu