• Deakin University

Life Cycle Assessment: A Practical Introduction

This course equips professionals with metrics and tools for responding to the climate emergency and ensuring a sustainable future.

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  • Duration

    6 weeks
  • Weekly study

    10 hours

Explore methods and tools to implement Life Cycle Assessment methodologies.

This course equips learners with foundational knowledge towards becoming a certified or practising Life Cycle Assessment professional. By the end of this course you will be able to compute and demonstrate the sustainability implications of products, and can support organisations in understanding environmental performance and how to improve it. You will learn alongside other professionals from a wide range of disciplines and industries.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 9 seconds BUKKY TOKEDE: Life cycle assessment is of growing importance in the modern world. It provides a scientifically robust methodology to quantify environmental impact. It also provides meaningful insights on the sustainability impact and performance of products and services.

Skip to 0 minutes and 32 seconds Hi there. My name is Dr. Bukky Tokede, and I am a certified life cycle assessment practitioner. In this credit-bearing microcredential, we provide a practise-oriented approach that serves as a viable introduction for LCA. We draw from many real-life examples to ensure that this course provides a pathway to developing competencies in LCA that helps you in responding to the climate emergency we are facing all around the world. During the course, you will explore the synergies between life cycle assessment and other disruptive technological advances, such as artificial intelligence. We’ll highlight the critical skills needed for LCA practitioners in the modern world. Throughout the course, you will also benefit from discussing and engaging with other learners and their perspectives of LCA.

Skip to 1 minute and 32 seconds This course is expected to serve as a preparatory introduction to guide you in understanding what LCA is and how it is used across multiple industries in achieving a sustainable world. By completing this course, you will earn half a credit point that can be used towards a postgraduate degree at Deakin University. Now’s the time to join the course and start learning about life cycle assessment.

What topics will you cover?

  • Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment
  • Methodology and Standards
  • Mapping and Practice
  • Developments in LCA
  • Project Management

When would you like to start?

  • Date to be announced

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Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe the principles of the life cycle assessment of a product or service
  • Design a flowchart to support the life cycle assessment of a product or service
  • Conduct life cycle assessment of a product or service
  • Interpret and analyse life cycle assessment outcomes to formulate a strategy for improved environmental performance

Who is the course for?

This course will be of interest to learners in sustainability disciplines. It will also be of interest to professionals in roles such as sustainability consultants, environmental advisors, climate change specialists, sustainable product and services development, carbon accountants, and more.

What software or tools do you need?

This course involves the use of LCA software such as SimaPro, Sphera and openLCA. Learners can choose which software they use.

Who will you learn with?

I am a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University with research and teaching focus in Engineering, Architecture and Built Environment and licensed as a Life Cycle Certified Assessment Professional (LCACP).

Professor Matthews has a multi-disciplinary construction background, holding a PhD in Architecture and post-graduate qualifications in mathematics, computing, and environmental studies.

Who developed the course?

Deakin University

Deakin University is one of Australia’s largest universities with more than 61,000 students and over 15,000 online.

  • Established

    1974
  • Location

    Melbourne, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 280Source: QS World University Rankings 2021

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  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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