SULCA 5 For EcoDesign

Catharina Hohenthal

Hannele Tonteri

Tuomas Helin

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Sustainability assessment at VTT

Research theme sustainability assessment covers

environmental, economic and social impacts related to

industrial production

Sustainability assessment methods can be applied in:

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

EVALUATING IMPACTS OF EXISTING PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES

FINDING WAYS TO REDUCE IMPACTS AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY

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STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING

CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION

AND

MARKETING

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTS

LOGISTICS AND PRODUCT’S MATERIALS

OPTIMIZATION

EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR NEW

PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES

SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

METHOD DEVELOPMENT

CRITICAL REVIEWS

(ISO14040-44)

CARBON FOOTPRINT

(ISO14067)

WATER FOOTPRINT

(ISO 14046)

ECO-EFFICIENCY

MATERIAL FLOW ANALYSIS

ENERGY FLOW ANALYSIS

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT

DECLARATION

(EPD)

TOOLS:

LCA SOFTWARE

SULCA

EcoCalculator

Life Cycle Assessment and its’ application

with the help of SULCA®

WHY?

WHAT?

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VTT Sustainability Assessment and SULCA

Active participation in the development of sustainability assessment

methodology and applications, development of a unique LCA tool

called SULCA and evaluation of impacts over the life cycle

Developed since 1992, VTT has a wide set of LCI data to ease

calculations with SULCA software (formerly known as KCL-ECO).

Version 4.2 currently in use.

SULCA allows the user to perform life cycle inventory (LCI)

calculations, impact assessment modelling and to present the

calculation results in a comprehensible way through its unique reports

and charts.

The software has been sold to 19 nations since 1999 and is used by

industry, universities, research institutes, consulting companies, etc.

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SULCA 4 / 5 LCA software – for easy and

flexible modelling

SULCA special features include:

Multi-level flowsheets with layered submodels

State-of-the-art transparency in LCIA modelling and reporting

Closed loops

Multiple impact assessment methods for single flowsheet

Easy allocation methods

Uncertainty analysis

Hot spot function

Database compatibility with Ecoinvent, version 5 also ELCD and

other databases through Simantics platform

Enhanced connectivity and data transfer with simulation and

design softwares in version 5

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Where is the emission coming from?

Click: Hot spot and see transparency of sources

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SULCA 5

SULCA version 5 is under active development at VTT. SULCA 5 will have the well-

known, highly visual and easy-to-use features from the previous versions with:

new and improved user interface that helps the user to carry out reliable and

transparent LCA modelling with ease of use.

SULCA 5 has been built on the Simantics platform to enable synchronization and

data transfer with different software systems such as Balas*, Apros** and CAD.

Simantics platform is a semantic database, which ensures configurable and flexible

applications. The brand new user interface (UI) is highly configurable to user

preferences.

One aim of SULCA version 5 is to enable integration of data from organization's

internal and external public and commercial LCI databases.

*Balas Process Simulation Software, balas.vtt.fi

**Apros Process Simulation Software, apros.vtt.fi

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FlowSheet

Highly visual model of your

LCA

Hierarchical modelling with

submodel FlowSheets

Colour coding for

differentiation of life cycle

stages in LCI and LCIA results

Report section

Specify the report for your needs

Compare LCI and LCIA results

Present your results in versatile and visually

comprehensible graphs

Library

User library for personal modules

and processes

Ecoinvent and ELCD libraries for

imported processes

Full LIPASTO* data with availability

for specific transport profiles

Select and modify impact

assessment, units and variables

Currently active -view

Visible contents follow the activities of

the user. E.g:

Overview of inputs and outputs of your

processes

Activity description for detailed

information of processes

Add / delete variables, parameters,

equations etc. and select your

functional unit

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Design for Environment

”Early identification and planning enables organizations to

make effective decisions about environmental aspects that they control

and to better understand how their decisions may affect environmental

aspects controlled by others”

ISO/TR 14062. Integrating environmental aspects into product design

and development

Design for Environment contains

Defining a product’s environmental profile over life cycle

Continuous measurement of product’s environmental impacts

Setting objectives and giving instructions and feedback to product

designers

Environmental information management and stakeholder

communication

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SULCA for EcoDesign Future possibilities and benefits

VTT developing LCA software tools on Simantics platform

Facilitates integration of LCA modelling with e.g. component,

process and system level design tools

Allows use and creation of shared databases for multiple

purposes

Compatible with excel

Dynamic two-way flow of modelling data

Output from e.g. component models as input for LCA tool

Environmental impact scores from LCA as direct feedback to

e.g. material designer

Benefits

Allows reduced resource needs in modelling

Use of multidisciplinary expertise and integrated tools at VTT

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Future possibilities and benefits: integrated

modelling

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Using specific data vs generic data base data

The new SULCA makes the use of specific process data easy, fast

and with less chances of human errors.

In product development, novel products development and process

optimization the use of the ”real data” and ”real energy profiles” of

the processes of change/focus is necessary

Still the generic data bases are compatible and needed for the

other life cycle stages

Simantics.org platform enables direct simulation data transfer

between models. Eg Balas and Apros

Environmental Impacts of Process uncertainties directly linked.

Raw materials, kg Product, 1000 kg

Fuels, kg MANUFACTURING

Electricity, MWh Technical process By-products, kg

Heat, GJ

EMISSIONS

to water to air solid waste

kg kg kg

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Machines and vehicles, Manufactured items , Process industry,

Forest and media industry…

Life Cycle Assessment

by

SULCA

References

Life cycle assessment (LCA) aims at

assessing all quantifiable environmental

impacts of a service or product from the

extraction of the materials required, to the

treatment of these materials at the end-of-

life phase (i.e. cradle to cradle).

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LCA proves higher eco-efficiency

of new semitrailer truck alternative

Customer/ Partner: Outokumpu Oyj, Tekes FINLCA project

Challenge: To enhance eco-efficiency and analyze life cycle

environmental impacts of semitrailer trucks during their life

cycle.

Solution: VTT and Outokumpu conducted a life cycle carbon

footprint study of semitrailer truck with stainless steel tank to

find out most eco-efficient solution. Two different tank materials

were compared, taking into account raw material

manufacturing, manufacturing of the tank, use of fuel, and total

emissions.

Key benefits: LCA study showed which alternative is the most

eco-efficient:

After 5000 km (or 125000 tkm) the lighter tank was

demonstrated to have higher eco-efficiency due to larger

payload.

The use of alternative tank leads to 8% lower carbon

footprint and significant savings in fuel costs during truck’s

life cycle

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Customer : Alma Media

Challenge:

• To provide quantified information about the potential

environmental impacts of the six case products (printed and

online media) with the help of case studies.

• To make it possible to apply the results in internal and external

communication and in product development.

• To enable the possibility to extend the evaluation to other Alma

Media’s products and/or be updated with data from the new

printing house.

Environmental performance of online and printed media

Solution:

With the help of LCA and SULCA software, the environmental

performance of printed Aamulehti, Iltalehti and Kauppalehti as well

as online Aamulehti.fi, Iltalehti.fi and Kauppalehti.fi was evaluated.

Key benefits:

Information is utilized in internal and external communication as well

as in product development.

Links : Alma Media study and Report VTT-CR -02104-13

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SULCA for EcoDesign

When designing a new product or changing an existing

product the environmental impacts of the product can be

taken into account in the design phase, called eco design.

This is includes:

Much work and know how

Large amounts of data and

Suitable calculation tools

The answer is -> SULCA 5

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Thank you!

TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS

catharina.hohenthal@vtt.fi

hannele.tonteri@vtt.fi