GEOGRAPHY: Sustainable Systems Life Cycle Assessment Report

This report examines the sustainability of systems, focusing on a life cycle assessment (LCA) of wooden versus steel dining tables and an energy efficiency analysis of light bulbs. The LCA follows ISO standards, defining scope, assessing inventory and impact, and interpreting the life cycle of each table alternative using GaBi software. The report identifies the environmental impacts, costs, and benefits associated with each material. The analysis concludes that wooden dining tables are a more sustainable alternative due to their lower environmental impact and cost-effectiveness. The report also includes an energy efficiency analysis of a light bulb over three years using cost benefit analysis. Desklib provides students access to this assignment solution and a wide range of study tools.

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GEOGRAPHY: SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
Name of Student:
Name of Institution:
Date:

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Executive summary
Sustainability of the systems is a very critical concept in the modern days. Sustainability of the systems
revolves around the ability of the systems to maintain and improve the ecosystem. The systems must not
contribute to any negative impact on the environment. The systems must be friendly to the lives of both
plants and animals. The systems are sustainable if the products and services that are associated with them
do not have negative impacts on the environment in their entire lifetime (Wu, et al., 2017).
Sustainability of the systems is based on a number of key values. The core values surrounding
sustainability of the systems are: The associated global warming effects, associated abiotic effects, the
potential of human toxicity potential, the land use effects and acidification effects (Ayers, et al., 2009).
Global warming potential are the associated effects of the systems that may cause global warming. Global
warming is all about the associated gases that absorbs and emits radiation into the ozone layer. Some of
the gases that can lead to global warming when they are excessively released into the atmosphere are
carbon dioxide and Nitrogen (Singh & Sanjay, 2019).
The two alternatives of products that have been considered in this report are the wooden dining table and
the steal dining table. Examination of the life cycle of a dining table must be examined to ensure
that it sustainable enough to the environment. The life cycle of a dining table must also be
financially sustainable so that people can afford it (Cugrullo & Federico, 2017).
The life cycle of two alternative dining tables have been evaluated. The life cycles of a steal table
and the life cycle of a wooden table have been evaluated. The results demonstrate the strengths
and the weaknesses of each alternative. However, the wooden table has more benefits than the
weaknesses. The benefits make it suitable and sustainable in the long run (Sari, et al., 2015).
A wooden table is relatively less expensive compared to the steal table. A wooden table is also
biodegradable hence will not cause pollution to the environment. The manufacturing process of a

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wooden table does not cause the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere that may cause
climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer. Therefore, the best alternative is the wooden
dining table (Gilessman & Steve, 2013).
Table of Content

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Introduction.................................................................................................................................................5
Services Wanted..........................................................................................................................................6
The Two alternatives...................................................................................................................................6
Reason for Choosing the problem...............................................................................................................6
Functional Units..........................................................................................................................................7
The Recommended Procedure for conducting a Life Cycle Assessment.....................................................7
Analysis of Each Alternative/Life Cycle Assessment..................................................................................9
Improved Option.......................................................................................................................................14
Best Alternative.........................................................................................................................................14
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................14
References.................................................................................................................................................15
ENERGY EFFICIENCY...........................................................................................................................16
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................................16
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................17
Cost benefit analysis of a Water Dispenser...............................................................................................17
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................19
References.................................................................................................................................................19
References.................................................................................................................................................20
Introduction
Sustainability of the systems is a very critical concept in the modern days. Sustainability of the systems
revolves around the ability of the systems to maintain and improve the ecosystem. The systems must not

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contribute to any negative impact on the environment. The systems must be friendly to the lives of both
plants and animals. The systems are sustainable if the products and services that are associated with them
do not have negative impacts on the environment in their entire lifetime (Ramos, et al., 2010).
Sustainability of the systems is based on a number of key values. The core values surrounding
sustainability of the systems are: The associated global warming effects, associated abiotic effects, the
potential of human toxicity potential, the land use effects and acidification effects (Maheswarappa, et al.,
2011).
Global warming potential are the associated effects of the systems that may cause global warming. Global
warming is all about the associated gases that absorbs and emits radiation into the ozone layer. Some of
the gases that can lead to global warming when they are excessively released into the atmosphere are
carbon dioxide and Nitrogen (Nagarajan, et al., 2015).
Abiotic depletion is concerned about the depletion of the non- living resources. The systems should not be
those that may cause the excessive consumption of the non-living resources. Excessive consumption of
the non-living resources may lead to the imbalance in the ecosystem. Therefore, all systems should not be
those that may lead to the excessive consumption of abiotic resources (Masud, 2011).
Human toxicity is about the harm or potential harms that a system might have on the life of human
beings. A sustainable system should not be that have harm or potential harm on the lives of human
beings. On the other hand, land use is about the amount of land that the system consumes. The systems
should consume a considerable amount of land so that the existing eco-balance is not disturbed
(Gilessman & Steve, 2013).
Sustainability of the system can be evaluated using the life cycle assessment. A life cycle assessment is a
technique that is used to evaluate the entire life of a product or system right from the row materials to the
end products and by-products (Masud, 2011).

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The purpose of this report is assessing the life cycle of a table. The two alternatives of tables that have
been considered are the wooden table and the steal table. The report is aimed at establishing the best
alternative of a table that is more sustainable. The life cycle assessment has been conducted in GaBi
software (Ramos, et al., 2010).
Services Wanted
The service wanted is the dining platform. The dining platform that has been considered is the dining
table. Therefore, the life cycle assessment is meant to establish the best and sustainable dining table.
The Two alternatives
The two alternatives are the wooden dining table and the steal dining table.
Reason for Choosing the problem
The problem of a dining platform has been chosen because of its universality. A dining table is basically
used by almost all the families. Dining tables are also used at home and at the office. Dining tables are
used at the hotels. Therefore, solving the problem of the best alternative dining table is very.
A Well Defined Functional Units
For a wooden table, the functional units are as follows:
The size of the table is 24 by 36 inches.
A wood of size 36 by 36 inches
46 nails
1 hammer
1 saw

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1 grinder
1 bock plain
On the other, the functional units for a steal table is as follows:
The size of the table is 24 by 36 inches.
The top of the table requires ¼ thick steal of size 24 by 36 inches.
The rest of the parts require ¼ thick steal of size 12 by 12 inches.
A mini grinder for cutting the metal at a cost of $456
A 0.35 flux wire for binding the metals.
A ½ thick for the legs of the table
31 screw nuts.
The Recommended Procedure for conducting a Life Cycle Assessment
The recommended procedure by ISO of conducting a life cycle assessment is summarized as follows:
1. Defining the scope and goal of the assessment.
2. Assessing the inventory
3. Assessing the impact
4. Interpreting the life cycle
The procedure is summarized in the figure below:

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Material Flow Diagram
Analysis of Each Alternative/Life Cycle Assessment

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