Life Cycle Assessment Framework: Incorporating an extended environmental perspective in the Haldex Project Management Model

Abstract: Background: An increased concern of environmental issues have made companies, including Haldex, look for new engineering and design practices to keep up with legislations and stakeholder pressure, often by analyzing products’ total environmental impact over their life cycles, in so called life cycle assessment studies. The Haldex Project Management Model is a company specific project model where Haldex projects move through, till their completion, and the concern is that life cycle assessment studies have not been included as a deliverable in the Haldex Project Management Model before. iv Purpose: The purpose of this Master’s Thesis is to develop and present Haldex with a life cycle analysis tool and a framework for environmental impact assessments of new products or changes to existing products, providing evaluation of projects in the Haldex Project Management Model. Methodology: In this thesis a mainly qualitative research style was used in order to provide the specific life cycle assessment framework, as the work required an exploratory procedure, studying behavior and practices from the inside. Data gathering was conducted using several methods such as interviews, observations, content analysis and an extensive literature review. The framework was developed gradually by analyzing and screening various tools. Results & Presenting Haldex with a suitable life Conclusion: cycle assessment framework, including assessment tools that are applicable in the Haldex Project Management Model and a product’s R&D stages, has been achieved through a preliminary study and analysis. By conducting a preliminary study and examining environmental processes and areas both internal and external to Haldex, a number of criteria for life cycle assessment tools at the company could be set. A screening and analysis of bestpractice tools then helped to identify suitable tools for Haldex to begin working with, which are presented in the Haldex Life Cycle Assessment Development Framework, which allows environmental v assessment progress over time. This includes a semi-quantitative Design for Environment-matrix and accompanied guide, as well as a quantitative carbon footprint analysis where a prototype, accomplished through the spreadsheet software Excel, may be used to start working with the latter tool.