The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Life-cycle assessment and temporal distributions of emissions: developing a fleet-based analysis
Abstract
Summary: Although the product‐centered focus of life‐cycle assessment has been one of its strengths, this analytical perspective embeds assumptions that may conflict with the realities of environmental problems. This article demonstrates, through a series of mathematical derivations, that all the products in use, rather than a single product, frequently should be the appropriate unit of analysis. Such a “fleet‐centered” approach supplies a richer perspective on the comparative emissions burdens generated by alternative products, and it eliminates certain simplifying assumptions imposed upon the analysis by a product‐centered approach. A sample numerical case, examining the comparative emissions of steel‐intensive and aluminum‐intensive automobiles, is presented to contrast the results of the two approaches. The fleet‐centered analysis shows that the “crossover time” (i.e., the time required before the fuel economy benefits of the lighter aluminum vehicle offset the energy intensity of the processes used to manufacture the aluminum in the first place) can be dramatically longer than that predicted by a product‐centered life‐cycle assessment. The fleet‐centered perspective explicitly introduces the notion of time as a critical element of comparative life‐cycle assessments and raises important questions about the role of the analyst in selecting the appropriate time horizon for analysis. Moreover, with the introduction of time as an appropriate dimension to life‐cycle assessment, the influences of effects distributed over time can be more naturally and consistently treated.
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“Dynamic models of the entire vehicle fleet, combined with life cycle impact assessment, are an alternative to single-product LCAs.This dynamic fleet approach can overcome the three limitations. [23]3][24][25]”
From Global Carbon Benefits of Material Substitution in Passenger Cars until 2050 and the Impact on the Steel and Aluminum Industries (2014) · cites this paper as [25]
Citations
Cites
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Research works printed but not linked: 6
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Sorted by citations
A survey of unresolved problems in life cycle assessment
Reap, J., Román, F., Duncan, S. J., & Bras, B. (2008) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-008-0008-x · Cited by 1,009
A survey of unresolved problems in life cycle assessment
Reap, J., Román, F., Duncan, S. J., & Bras, B. (2008) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-008-0009-9 · Cited by 704
Dynamic life cycle assessment: framework and application to an institutional building
Collinge, W. O., Landis, A. E., Jones, A. K., Schaefer, L. A., & Bilec, M. M. (2012) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-012-0528-2 · Cited by 302
Addressing sustainability in the aluminum industry: a critical review of life cycle assessments
Liu, G., & Müller, D. B. (2012) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.05.030 · Cited by 253
Review of life cycle assessment towards sustainable product development
Chang, D., Lee, C. K. M., & Chen, C.-H. (2014) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.07.050 · Cited by 211
Metadata
- Authors
- Field, F., Kirchain, R., & Clark, J.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Field, Frank
- ORCID
- Kirchain, Randolph
- Venue
- Journal of Industrial Ecology
- Published
- 2000-04
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 71-91
- ISSN
- 1088-1980 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-9290
- OpenAlex
- W2018689081
- Cited by
- 110
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 4.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Industrial Ecology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Life Cycle Costing Analysis
- Keywords
- time horizon, crossover time, vehicle fuel economy
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