Designing net-zero scenarios –An example of scenario design under aligned constraints

Abstract

In product LCA, environmental impacts are typically assessed by aligning functional units. This article begins with that principle and explores how introducing a constraint-based perspective can expand the applicability of LCA to broader analyses, including future scenario design and the evaluation of emerging technologies. The author proposes a framework in which functional-unit-based LCA is viewed as a specific case within constraint-based LCA, and has presented this concept at various academic conferences. In this article, the framework is revisited and its practical and research applications are illustrated using net-zero scenario design as an example.