Life-cycle assessment tool fosters green aviation

In an admirable drive to make air transport greener, the European Commission has been focusing on improving life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and promoting eco-design of aircrafts. The EU-funded BIO_LCA_TOOL (Simplified life cycle assessment tool) project developed a tool for this purpose, supporting enhanced eco-design for airframes.

Building on earlier efforts by Airbus, one of the two key partners in this endeavour, the project team delivered a free software tool application with a smart interface to support Europe's aviation industry. This fits perfectly with the industry's Eco-Design for Airframe (EDA) initiative, which aims at reducing inputs (energy, raw materials) and outputs (emissions, solid waste) throughout the aircraft's life cycle.

To achieve its aims, the project brought Airbus together with BIO Intelligence Service (now BIO by Deloitte), a leader in resource efficiency and LCA. The partnership delivered a flexible eco-design software tool and a comprehensive dissemination plan to enable efficient deployment across Europe's aerospace industry. The Excel-based application, which was dubbed LEAF (tooL for Eco-designing AirFrame), will effectively foster life-cycle thinking and LCA in line with the European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment (EPLCA).

The project is also expected to encourage innovation in the sector and invite aviation developers to think in a more sustainable manner. In this context, the eco-design tool proposes enhancements to improve product quality and environmental performance. It also supports the articulation of standards and regulations in the future, encouraging competitiveness in the European aerospace industry. With better LCA, Europe's aviation sector is firmly on the road to a cleaner and greener future.