Sustainability Integration in Engineering Practice: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Study for the Case Study of a Wing Rib

Having seen exponential growth in demand for air travel, the aviation industry has found itself trying to find a balance between economic growth, technological development, and environmental sustainability. This saw a shift in attention towards materials such as fiber reinforced composites, predominantly thermoset in the past with higher...

Reducing the environmental impact of distribution centres: Designing green-enveloped biobased alternatives to compare with reference steel and concrete designs

The climate emergency calls for a global shift towards a low-carbon economy, to preserve natural resources and biodiversity, while limiting global warming and its consequences. This project focuses on the impact of distribution centres, intended for the storage of commercial goods. Warehouses are characterised by large flexible spaces and simple...

Comparative life cycle assessment of thermoplastic and thermosetting CFRP in aerospace applications

This work quantifies and compares the environmental impact of a thermoset CFRP aircraft skin panel to that of a thermoplastic CFRP panel. This comparison is done using a cradle to gate life cycle assessment including impacts from raw material extraction, manufacturing and end of life. In addition, a hotspot analysis was performed to identify...

Sustainable timber structures: Quantitative research evaluating the potential effects of carbon sequestration and cascading strategies in the Netherlands based on a comparison of the Dutch and European life cycle assessment methodologies

To meet the climate goals set by the government, the building sector needs to reduce its contribution to the environmental burden on society. However, the current situation in the Netherlands presents a major challenge to build more to reduce the housing shortage, while at the same time reducing its environmental footprint. Therefore,...