Sustainable Systems Assignment Report: Environmental Impact Analysis

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of sustainable systems, focusing on two key areas: life cycle assessment (LCA) and energy efficiency. The LCA section utilizes GaBi software to compare the environmental impacts of steel and plastic cloth hangers, examining raw materials, emissions, and disposal. The report details the assessment process, including the inputs and outputs of each product's life cycle. The findings highlight the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of each alternative, concluding that steel hangers are the more sustainable option. The report also includes an energy efficiency analysis, although the details of this section are not fully provided in the given text. The overall objective is to provide a detailed environmental impact analysis for the chosen products and services, supporting informed decision-making for a more sustainable future. The report follows the guidelines provided by the assignment brief, including executive summaries, introductions, and referencing, and also requires the use of GaBi software for the LCA.

A Report on Sustainable Systems
Institution:
Student:

Contents
1. SHOPPING BAGS LIFE CYLCLE ASSEMENT REPORT................................................3
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................3
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Life Cycle Assessment in GaBi..............................................................................................5
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................10
2. A REPORT ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS......................................................13
Executive Summary.................................................................................................................13
Introduction..............................................................................................................................14
Cost Benefit Analysis...............................................................................................................14
Conclusion................................................................................................................................15
References................................................................................................................................16

LIFE CYLCLE ASSEMENT
Executive Summary
Assessment of the lifecycle of a product revolves around the evaluations that are done on the
inputs and the outputs to investigate the possible effects that a product have on the life of its
consumers, the environment and the entire social aspects (Ban, et al., 2012). The assessment
is done during the stage of developing or improving, policy making regarding the
manufacturing and finally at the implementation or consumption stage. There are numerous
softwares that are capable of doing such analysis. However, for this report, we use the GaBi
software (Battarbee & Binney, 2008). This a software certified by ISO and is meant for
improving environment conservation and management (Bulakho & Gasso, 2008).
For Gabi Analysis, the inputs are the raw materials used in the manufacturing prices. The
outputs on the other hand include the emissions and the bi-products (Chau, et al., 2015). The
assessment include the assembly process as well. The final stage of the assessment is the time
of disposal or the retirement stage (Christensen, 2010).
Assessment using GaBi demonstrates that the two alternative have diverse effects in the
environment and to the health of the users as well (Connolly, et al., 2014). However, the
results demonstrates the best alternative, that which has little effects and hence can be
considered to be sustainable in the long run (Curran & Marry, 2012).
We can discuss each of the alternative at a time. The production of steel cloth hang is
evidently expensive resulting into a relatively expensive hanger at the end of the day
compared to the plastic counterpart. However, the steel hanger is relatively strong and
durable hence can stay for long. This implies that one does not have to have frequent
purchase of this product. Arguably, this implies that in the long run, it is economically
sustainable (Das, et al., 2011).

A steel hanger does not have dangerous emissions into the atmosphere during the production
process (De, et al., 2013). This implies that it is arguably environmentally friendly and
sustainable. They do not have dangerous effects to the life of plants.
A plastic hanger on the hand have emissions into the atmosphere resulting from the
decomposition of the hydrocarbons (Dehnen, 2011). While these emission might improve the
life of plants by providing carbon dioxide, they are only sustainable up to a certain level
beyond which they become toxic and non-sustainable (Diadchenko & Kovalenko, 2008).
Therefore, we could argue that long term production of plastic hangers could cause serous
dangerous effects into the atmosphere. This could eventually result into the depletion of the
ozone layer and hence climate change. Climate change could again have diverse effects on
the life of plants hence thwarting the going green agenda (Dosmukhamedov, 2014). Plastic
hangers are not bio- degradable and hence could cause degradation on the fertility of the soil.
This implies that they are not really sustainable.
Given the above insights, it is prudent to say that the best alternative is the steel hanger. Steel
hanger is more sustainable compared to the plastic counterpart (Eleazer, et al., 2012).
Introduction
The purpose of this report is provide an alternative of the best cloth hanger that is sustainable
for use in the long run. This is done by comparing two alternatives of cloth hangers, the
plastic and the steel hanger. The bottom line of this assessment is on the environment effects,
the economic sustainability as well as the social sustainability (Fan, et al., 2011). The
assessment is done in a cycle of the product’s lifetime right from the raw materials to the
retirement or the disposal.

The service required is a suitable hanger for use in hanging cloths efficiently, a hanger that is
cost effective, socially responsible and environmentally responsible. We look for product that
is eco- friendly and is environmentally sustainable (Frano, 2009).
GaBi program software will be used for analysis. The inputs are the raw materials used in the
manufacturing prices (Gehrer, et al., 2014). The outputs on the other hand include the
emissions and the bi-products. The assessment include the assembly process as well. The
final stage of the assessment is the time of disposal or the retirement stage.
GaBi is an ISO certified software. As such, it follows a procedure that is recommended by the
ISO in the life cycle analysis. The recommended procedure by ISO is outlined in the diagram
below

Life Cycle Assessment in GaBi
The process of analysis is as simple as indicated by the screen shots. In a nutshell, the process
involves definition of scope, inventory analysis and finally evaluation of the impact. This
implies that the assessment is actually an iterative process repeating again and again in order
to achieve the desired outcome (Goverdhan & Saikat, 2010)
Raw materials required for the manufacture of one piece of each of the alternatives is given
below.
Alternative Materials Needed Approximate Amount
Plastic hanger 1. HDPE Plastic
2. Water
3. Polyvinyl
1. 90grams
2. 60milllitres
3. 150millitres
Steel Hanger 1. Steel
2. Water
3. Electricity
4. Resins
1. 123grams
2. 40 millilitres
3. 657kw
4. 56 grams
The following output was obtained from the step by step analysis using GaBi.
GaBi Software screenshot results

Step 1 activating the software
Step 2 creating a project

Step 3 Creating Plans
Step 4 Adding Processes

Step 5 Adding flows
Step 6 Final plan

Step 7 Balance Check

Conclusion
The above results shows the outcome of the impact analysis of the production and use of the
metallic (steel) and plastic cloth hangers (Litvinova & Kosulina, 2009). The results have been
produced in a GaBi software. From the results above, it is clears that the two alternative have
diverse effects in the environment and to the health of the users as well. However, the results
demonstrates the best alternative, that which has little effects and hence can be considered to
be sustainable in the long run (Lopez, et al., 2014).
We can discuss each of the alternative at a time. The production of steel cloth hang is
evidently expensive resulting into a relatively expensive hanger at the end of the day
compared to the plastic counterpart. However, the steel hanger is relatively strong and
durable hence can stay for long. This implies that one does not have to have frequent