Scheme for Computing Carbon Weight (footprint) for Manufactured Products Project

The objective is to lead the development of measurements and standards that facilitate the assessment of efficient fabrication, disassembly and recycling of manufactured goods. The principal vehicle for reaching this objective is the development of a systems approach to sustainable engineering systems, characterized by multiple interlinked pathways of interaction at various levels. These levels span economic, ecological and societal issues. As part of this objective, the project will develop a methodology for incorporating information about carbon footprint into product characterizations.

The overall objective of the project is to lead the development of measurements and standards that facilitate the assessment of efficient fabrication, disassembly and recycling of manufactured goods, in order to assist US industry in achieving a 20 % reduction in carbon dioxide emission by 2010 and a 20 % reduction on the dependency on non-renewable resources by 2020. The principal vehicle for reaching this objective is the development of a systems approach to sustainable engineering systems (SES). SES are characterized by multiple interlinked pathways of interaction at various levels. These levels span economic, ecological and societal issues. The interactions within and across these levels are critical to the fundamental understanding of SES.  As part of this objective, the project will develop a methodology for incorporating information about carbon weight (CW) - often referred to as carbon footprint - into product characterizations. The property often referred to as “carbon footprint” is actually “carbon weight” of kilograms or tons of carbon emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels per activity over a year. CW is also expressed as the amount of CO2 emitted per dollar of economic output. The CW can be studied at macro and micro levels. At the macro level we will explore activity-based computing of CW. At the micro level, we will explore the application of mechanical tolerancing principles to CW metrology.

 

To meet the project’s objective, the following activities will be undertaken:

• Develop information models that provide an understanding of key issues and capture relevant attributes that are necessary for zero-impact manufacturing. These include aspects such as design for disassembly, carbon footprint, resource tolerancing, remanufacturing, recycling, and energy resource management.
• Develop information models and tools to facilitate the development of specifications of environmental performance measures that quantifiably evaluate the impact of a product or manufacturing process on the environment.
• Develop predictive tools, such as a carbon footprint evaluation tool, for demonstration and testing that provide some capability in predicting the impact of certain processes and actions on the environment.
• Develop metrics for carbon footprint budgeting for manufacturing processes.
• Develop measurement methods, metrological traceability, and conformance to environmental performance specifications (e.g., toxic material recovery, greenhouse gas emission, reuse, and recycle) for:
• • Carbon output measurements and carbon output lifecycle analysis
  • Efficiency measurements and certification
  • Total lifecycle costing (impact) analysis methods.