Activities

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a systematic approach for evaluating the environmental impacts associated with a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle, encompassing stages such as raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal or recycling. By quantifying metrics like greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and resource depletion, LCA provides a comprehensive understanding of the environmental footprint, enabling industries and researchers to identify opportunities for improvement, optimize processes, and promote sustainable practices. GaBi (Ganzheitliche Bilanzierung, meaning "holistic balancing" in German) is one of the leading software tools used to conduct LCA. Developed by Sphera, GaBi offers a robust platform for modeling complex systems and assessing their environmental impacts, supported by an extensive database of industry-specific processes and materials. Widely used across industries, academia, and research institutions, GaBi enables precise, science-based analyses to support sustainability initiatives, regulatory compliance, and eco-design strategies, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions and advance long-term sustainability goals. 

As part of the WSU 101 course: Sustainability: Issues, Challenges & Prospects, 30 students from the Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), participated in a comprehensive training session on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) using the GaBi software. During the session, students examined the environmental impacts of a simple yet illustrative product—a paperclip. This hands-on approach provided them with a practical understanding of the LCA process, from raw material extraction to product disposal. Using GaBi, the students leveraged its advanced tools to conduct precise and data-driven analyses, gaining valuable insights into sustainable product design and development. 

This impactful training is expected to significantly enhance the students’ abilities to integrate sustainability principles into their future careers. By applying LCA methodologies learned through GaBi, they will be able to identify areas for improvement, reduce environmental footprints, and contribute to greener innovations across industries. Furthermore, the training underlines the importance of sustainability in addressing global challenges, empowering the students to make informed and environmentally responsible decisions. For reference, an example of the paperclip LCA analysis conducted during the training session is attached.