Life Cycle Engineering: Sustainability Focus

This lecture introduces EPFL Master students to Life Cycle Engineering, focusing on sustainability. Students will learn about the degree of circularity in the global economy, world material resource use, sustainable development, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The course covers material intensity per service unit, energy and material flows, and the environmental impact of different stages in the life cycle of products. Students will engage in an interdisciplinary project and study the material intensity of skis, energy carriers, and transport modes. The lecture also explores the recycling potential of skis and strategies to decrease the environmental impact of skiing equipment.