Untitled - avniR

Congrès International sur l’Analyse du Cycle de Vie Lille, Novembre 2011
ACVBAT, a course dedicated to the life cycle assessment on the Virtual University of
Environment and Sustainability (in French : UVED)
Agathe Combelles*, Ion Cosmin Gruescu**, Jean-Luc Menet***, Anne Perwuelz****
* cd2e, Rue de Bourgogne - Base 11/19 - 62750 LOOS-EN-GOHELLE
** Université Lille 1 - Sciences et Technologies, IUT "A", Dép. GMP, Rue de la Recherche, BP 90179,
59653 VILLENEUVE D’ASQ CEDEX
*** ENSIAME, Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis 59313 VALENCIENNES Cedex 9
**** ENSAIT, 2 allée Louise et Victor Champier - BP 30329 - 59056 ROUBAIX CEDEX 01
A.combelles@cd2e.com, jean-luc.menet@univ-valenciennes.fr, anne.perwuelz@ensait.fr, ion-cosmin.gruescu@univ-lille1.fr
Introduction and context
The so-called « Grenelle II » law, recently introduced in France, statutes on the French Republic
implication concerning the application of the 268 engagements issued from the workshops dedicated to its
elaboration.
A concrete example is actually experimented: in order to clarify for the large public the provided
information on products (concerning their environmental footprint) and to develop the so-called
Ecoconsumption concept, the Grenelle law has concluded that the environmental impact's display on the
products will progressively be further developed. The main objective is to furnish to the consumer identical
bills (in terms of content) allowing to compare the environmental impact of two similar products.
The LCA methodology (Life Cycle Assessment) is based on international standards that were
introduced in order to quantify the environmental impact of products and services. Several LCA methods
were developed as a consequence of the companies' requests, of an increasing pressure of the public and
European or French politics. The future evolutions in terms of economical, technological or statutory points
of view are equally illustrating an increasing need for performing tools allowing quantifying the
environmental footprint of products during their entire life cycle.
Concerning the teaching or the training of the LCA approach, these items are generally developed
like a specific apprenticeship of commercial and/or free software. Very few theoretical courses actually
exist, especially in an electronic format or in free access. A cruel lack is also observed concerning case
studies permitting a simultaneous development of criticism and analyzes capacities of students.
UVED, the Virtual University of Environment and Sustainability
UVED is one of the seven thematically universities supported by the French Minister of Education
and Research. Its main mission is to help in the production and to furnish teaching resources (courses)
based on pedagogical innovation and used in order to develop the Digital education. The UVED University
contributes to the realization and the broadcasting of numeric courses and tools validated by a scientific
jury in all the application fields related to environment and sustainability. The main idea is to furnish to
formers e-contents that are applicable and can be used for their own teaching courses. It is also desirable
that students can use the furnished resources as complements or alternatives of internet encyclopedias
whose content is not systematically scientifically validated.
The ACV-BAT project
The ACV-BAT project federates actors belonging respectively to the Regional Life Cycle
Assessment Platform (AVNIR) [2] to the University Lille 1 - Sciences and Technology, to the ENSAIT and
to the Valenciennes and Haut Cambrésis University. The project was approved in the framework of the
2010 call for projects of UVED. Entitled "Life Cycle assessment approach - Principles, methodology,
application examples to materials and systems in the buildings industry" the present project has for
vocation the realisation of a specific course dedicated to the presentation and the illustration with case
studies of the LCA methodology. The main idea is that the present course will constitute in the future an
Educational grain to which future course modules will be eventually integrated. It has for vocation to
become in fact a central nucleus (methodological nucleus) of several application case studies of the LCA
methodology adapted to several industrial domains (see Fig. 1).
The originality of the present approach is given by the fact that it declines the LCA methodology in
a sector on which the Grenelle II law strongly focuses – the building industry. The provided case studies
are treating products used precisely in the previously cited industry and a practical example is treated from
the beginning to the end of the course, e.g. a complex natural isolating material. Moreover, the present
course will provide LCA approaches allowing a better conceiving and choice for construction materials in
order to minimize their environmental impact.
The ACV – BAT project will be developed in the form of a classical academicals course about the
LCA methodology usable by a former or by a student as well under the form of auto-apprenticeship. The
4