Since the current challenge for European aerospace sector is to reduce the relative impact of aviation to balance out the effects of ever-growing needs for air transport, the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative was launched by European Commission in 2007 within the 7th Research Framework Programme.

In the frame of this project, the “Simplified LCA tool” topic aimed at developing a simplified LCA software tailored for the aerospace sector. To meet that demand, BIO proposed to build a modular, user-friendly, simplified LCA tool that adapts to the expertise level of each user, following 4 main stages:

• Defining the needs and requirements as well as the relevant development option by interviewing stakeholders and designing a task force of industrials for the project;
• Translating those elements into detailed functional specifications;
• Developing the application;
• Testing the application by users and ensuring a good dissemination of the tool.

This project was carried out in close coordination with the topic manager.

BIO had many assets for this project: multi-disciplinary expertise and experience in the fields of LCA, especially LCA tool development, ecodesign studies, multicriteria analyses and environmental communication. For 20 years, our methods have been acknowledged, notably by the European Union and the private sector.

We have carried out many studies for the aerospace sector: LCA of launchers for the European Space Agency, Support of Dassault Systèmes for the LCA of a business aircraft, etc.

The work delivered by BIO contributed to providing aerospace stakeholders with a single, ergonomic and efficient tool. This interface will guarantee users a comprehensive and quick understanding of Life Cycle Thinking to promote a sustainable and reliable approach of LCA in Europe, which may contribute to fostering eco-design in the EU, and therefore to giving the European aerospace sector a new opportunity for differentiation, efficiency and competitiveness.