ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 9 Interactive Classroom: 12 Total: 24
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Chemistry Engineering
Areas: Chemical Engineering
Center Faculty of Economics and Business Studies
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
The primary objective is to acquire a general knowledge of the main concepts related to the sustainable design of processes and products through the study of different methodologies of environmental analysis and evaluation.
The contents that are presented are those contemplated in the descriptor of the subject: "Life cycle analysis (ISO 14040): definition of objectives and scope, life cycle inventory, evaluation of the environmental impact of the life cycle, realization of cases practical. Ecodesign (ISO 14006): fundamentals, strategic environmental valorization, ecobrifin, gamestorming, practical cases. Environmental footprints: carbon footprint (ISO 14067) and water footprint (ISO 14046). Eco-efficiency: analysis and implementation of ISO 14045”.
On the basis of these contents and considering that the results of the students' learning must be “Environmental impact assessment applying the life cycle philosophy. Knowledge of gamestorming technique. Data visualization and management. Knowledge of strategic environmental valorization in the application of ecodesign.Environmental footprints accounting”, the following program has been prepared for this subject.
Topic 1. Corporate sustainability indicators. Classification. Indicators based on the concept of environmental life cycle. Environmental Life Cycle and Circular Economy.
Topic 2. Environmental life cycle analysis. Methodology and development phases. Impact assessment. Management of specific software.
Topic 3. Environmental Footprints. Carbon footprint. Ecological footprint. Water footprint. Concept, interest for the company, calculation, standardization and normalization. Study of practical cases of corporate and product footprint. Registration procedures.
Topic 4. Ecodesign. Eco-innovation and eco-design. Key elements to promote ecodesign. ISO 14006 standard. Ecodesign tools. Environmental strategic valorization. Ecobriefing. Study of practical cases.
Topic 5. Practical applications of ecodesign in the company. Eco-efficiency and Eco-labelling. Eco-efficiency in business strategy. Rules. Data wrapping analysis. Definition and types of ecolabels. Rules. Practical cases.
Students will develop in work groups the following activities:
• Carrying out an assessment of the life cycle inventory using a spreadsheet.
• Development of a life cycle analysis using specific software (Open LCA). Scope 3 Carbon Footprint Calculation.
• Development of a practical case for calculating the ecological footprint.
Likewise, the students must carry out an individual review of the water footprint of a product (during the hours of personal work on the subject). The teams have to obtain all the necessary information for the preparation of the inventory tables and will review the conclusions associated with the calculation of the water footprint of the target products.
Finally, the theme of Ecodesign will be addressed, through the study of a practical case, using the Gamestorming methodology. To this end, the class will function as a single team whose goal is to achieve a new product.
Basic bibliography
Baumann, H., Tillman, A.M. The Hitch Hiker´s Guide to LCA. An orientation in life cycle assessment methodology and application. Lund: Editorial Studentlitteratur, 2004. ISBN: 91-44-02364-2. Código BETSE: A244 15
Feijoo, G., Moreira, M.T. Análisis de ciclo de vida y huella de carbono. Casos prácticos. Research Gate, 2020. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.11030.50240/1. Acceso abierto.
Complementary bibliography: Books
Baumann, H., Tillman, A.M. The Hitch Hiker´s Guide to LCA. An orientation in life cycle assessment methodology and application. Lund: Editorial Studentlitteratur, 2004. ISBN: 91-44-02364-2. Código BETSE: A244 15
Leonard, A. La historia de las cosas. Buenos Aires: Ed. Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2010. ISBN: 978-84-375-0650-0. Código BUSC: M-EMA 476
McDonough, W., Braungart, M. Cradle to cradle : (de la cuna a la cuna): rediseñando la forma en que hacemos las cosas. Madrid : McGraw-Hill, 2005. ISBN: 84-481-4295-0. Código BETSE: A234 14
Muthu, S.S. Assessment of Carbon Footprint in Different Industrial Sectors. Volume 1 & 2. Berlin: Springer, 2014. ISBN: 978-981-4560-40-5 (Vol. 1) & 978-981-4585-74-3 (Vol. 2). Código BETSE: 244 10
Complementary bibliography: Scientific manuscripts
Several articles published in international scientific journals available on the Virtual Campus. The case studies will be part of those presented and described in depth in these articles.
In this subject, the student will acquire a series of basic and transversal skills, desirable in any Master's degree, and other specific ones, typical of the reference subject within the framework of the Master's Degree in Economic Development and Innovation. Within the framework of competencies that has been designed for the degree, in this subject students will be instructed in the following:
Basic skills
CB6- Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
CB7- That students know how to apply the knowledge acquired and their ability to solve problems in new or little-known environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
Transversal skills:
CT3- Critical reasoning
CT4- Autonomy in learning
CT6- Sensitivity towards social and environmental problems
CT8- Creativity and innovative capacity
Specific Competences:
CE4- Know and apply quantitative and qualitative research techniques in economics and diagnostic tools to be able to prepare studies and reports of a scientific, technical and consultancy nature in the field of sustainability, ecological economy, circular economy and innovation.
CE13- Acquire capacity and skills to use tools for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the circular nature of products, processes and productive activities.
CE15– Conceive, design and implement Circular Business Models, Circular Business Plans and circular social initiatives for a fair ecological transition.
The theoretical contents of the subject will be presented on the basis of master classes where they will be explained and developed, with the realization of various questions to the students to encourage their participation and facilitate their learning and the assimilation of the concepts. These classes will be supported by the use of audiovisual materials with the use of PowerPoint and Excel files (problem solving and practical cases).
The seminar classes will consist of the resolution of practical cases on the application of the different tools presented throughout the subject. To solve these cases, the following software will be used: Excel and OpenLCA
As a reinforcement to the tutorials, the USC Learning Management System (LMS) will be used, especially for the resolution of the practical cases raised, and as an agile vehicle in the exchange of information between the teacher and the student.
Evaluation by activities:
• Ecodesign workshop: 20%
• ACV, HC, HE and HH work: 40%
• Exam (individual part): 40%
The exam will be a test of 20 questions with a single true answer and for every 3 that are answered incorrectly, 0.5 points will be subtracted.
On the second opportunity, within the same call, the grades passed on the first opportunity are maintained and the student should only take the exam for those parts that they had not passed.
The course has a workload of 3.0 ECTS, with 1 ECTS credit corresponding to 25 hours of total work, which are distributed as follows:
Activity Class hours Personal work ECTS
Lectures 12,0 12,0 0,96
Seminars 8,0 10,0 0,72
Computer 6,0 7,0 0,52
Group tutorials 1,0 4,0 0,20
Subtotal 27,0 33,0 2,40
Individualized tutorials 1,0 4,0 0,20
Exam and review 2,0 8,0 0,40
Total 30,0 45,0 3,0
In order to achieve optimal performance in the subject, it is advisable that the student has a series of additional knowledge: command of the English language at the reading level and knowledge of computer applications at the user level (Word, Excel, use of email, consultation of web pages ).
The communication vehicle with the students will be the USC LMS. All documentation on the subject will be accessible there.
The laptop computer is used in an important way in the course, since many of the practical cases require computer applications as a support element.
The course will be taught in Spanish.
For cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the "Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión das cualificacións" will be applied.
Enrique Roca Bordello
Coordinador/a- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816774
- enrique.roca [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
| Thursday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 09 |
| 05.07.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 09 |
| 05.07.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom 09 |
| 06.11.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom 09 |
| 06.11.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 09 |