Visualization supported corporate decision making for life cycle sustainability assessment – Illustrated using a case study for selecting a sustainable packaging system for self-leveling compounds

Product life cycle assessment (LCA) and sustainability assessment have proven as powerful methods to identify sustainability hotspots and support decision making. In practice, corporate decision support is often hampered by the complexity resulting from the three sustainability dimensions and inherent uncertainties. In this study, a novel a posteriori visualization is presented, based on the concept of satisficing or similarly sustainable alternatives integrating scenarios to account for different use options. This allows the decision makers (DMs) including management-relevant information in their decision while selecting a satisficing alternative. The presented approach supports consensus building among DMs with differing weighting preferences for the three pillars of sustainability as common in life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) and leads to a consensus in product selection for relevant scenarios. This also supports the selection of more robust alternatives under a variety of use cases compared to the common focus on best performing alternatives for a particular use case.

For illustration, a case study of a self-leveling compound (mortar) manufacturer interested in selecting a sustainable packaging system for a variety of different use cases is presented. Paper bags, flexible intermediate bulk container, one-way cardboard container and a pumping truck, all used with different machinery, are evaluated under several scenarios. Using first-hand field data, this case study shows how the proposed visualization supports consensus building among DMs. The case study shows that in 87% of all scenarios the use of the 25 kg paper bag in combination with a mixing drum and cart resulted as a satisficing sustainable alternative.

Polyoxometallat‐ionische Flüssigkeiten (POM‐ILs) als Antikorrosions‐ und antibakterielle Beschichtung für Natursteine

Die Korrosion von Steinen durch sauren Regen oder Biofilmbildung verursacht weltweit Schäden an Industrie‐ und Wohngebäuden sowie an kulturhistorischen Artefakten wie Statuen. Hier zeigen wir, wie typische Bausteine vor Korrosion (Verwitterung) sowie Biofilmbildung (biologischer Verfall) durch dünne Polyoxometallat‐ionische Flüssigkeitsfilme (POM‐ILs) geschützt werden. Steinproben, die mit wasserabweisenden, säureresistenten, antimikrobiellen POM‐ILs beschichtet wurden, widerstehen dem Angriff von simuliertem saurem Regen, wohingegen unbeschichtete Proben starke Korrosion zeigen. Zudem verhindern die bioziden Eigenschaften der POM‐ILs effektiv die Bildung von Biofilmen auf den beschichteten Steinen. Eine neue Klasse modularer molekularer Materialien für den Schutz von Steinen kann nun entwickelt werden. Mögliche Einsatzgebiete sind das Bauwesen, der Umweltschutz sowie der Kulturgutschutz.

From CO₂ to carbon nanomaterials –
Potentials for climate change mitigation

In most scenarios limiting climate change to 2˚C as aimed for in the Paris Agreement is only achievable by including negative emission technologies (NET). For the 1.5˚C target scenarios without NET aren’t even existing^[1]. In our contribution we explore the possible role carbon nanomaterials (CNM) could play for negative carbon emissions.