Learning objectives
The course aims to raise awareness of the impacts on the environment caused by human activities, providing the tools for their assessment and reduction in an everyday and industrial setting. Through theoretical and practical lessons, based on real business cases and laboratory exercises, students will learn to:
(a) Understand the potential consequences of industrial activities on air, water and soil;
b) Interpret the state of the art of industry sustainability through documents of international and national relevance;
c) Assimilate the environmental goals of Carbon Neutrality, Net Zero, Climate Positivity, and the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda;
d) Recognise the reference regulations and environmental labelling used by companies;
e) Implement tools that enable the assessment and mitigation of environmental impacts in business processes;
f) Transparently communicate the green characteristics of products, avoiding green washing;
g) Use eco-design tools for products, packaging and processes;
h) Be aware of urban and industrial waste management mechanisms;
i) Create a Life Cycle Assessment on the SimaPro software.
At the end of the course the student will have gained sensitivity and attention to the issues of environmental sustainability and circular economy: he/she will have all the tools to be able to apply the knowledge acquired, not only in everyday life, but also in a business context.
Furthermore, through teaching methods and learning assessments, the course aims to enable students to
- Collect and interpret data
- Communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions
- Develop learning skills with a high degree of autonomy
- Acquire skills to devise and support arguments to solve problems in the field of environmental sustainability
Prerequisites
None: the course will start from the basics so that all students can start at the same level.
Course unit content
Starting from the basic concepts for understanding the dimensions of sustainability with reference to the goals set by the UN 2030 Agenda, the course will analyse in detail the role of industries in managing
(a) greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change, delving into the goals of Carbon Neutrality, Net Zero and Climate Positivity.
b) the water resource, whose uses, wastes and pollutants in the industrial context will be examined
c) the eco-design of products, packaging and processes, with a view to a circular economy aimed at responsible consumption and production
d) the recovery and management of products that have reached the end of their life cycle, investigating mechanical waste recycling technologies
e) assessment of the environmental impact of the life cycle of products and processes, using Life Cycle Assessment methodology. This subject also includes practical simulations in the laboratory using the Simapro software, the most widely used in the world for LCA analysis.
f) Obtaining environmental certifications and communicating sustainability to stakeholders
Full programme
Presentation of the course: learning objectives; teaching methods; syllabus; ways of verifying learning; tips for preparing for the exam; lecturer contacts.
Definition of sustainability in its dimensions. Steps towards sustainable development. UN Agenda 2030: the role of people and industries.
Combating climate change: scientific basis, consequences and mitigation. The impact and role of industries. Offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon neutrality, Net Zero objective and Climate Positivity.
Water resource: examples and cases of consumption, waste, dispersion. Virtual water. How much water does industry use?
Marine water pollution: organic, chemical, oil and waste. Observations on waste and the industrial system. Bad management of plastic waste and microplastics.
Responsible consumption and production. Transition from linear to circular economy. The importance of ecodesign.
Food industry & sustainability. Food waste. Environmental VS food pyramid.
Sustainable cities and communities. Light pollution. The impact of logistics. Urban and industrial waste management.
Work and employment: new business figures related to sustainability.
The need for renewable and accessible energy.
Green claims VS Green Washing: environmental communication.
Voluntary instruments for environmental sustainability assessment and certification.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology: principles and guidelines. LCA phases.
Company case study of LCA analysis.
Plastic or glass? LCA as a choice tool.
Environmental Management Systems.
Carbon footprint of organisation and product: characteristics, reference standards, advantages. Practical examples of certifications.
Water footprint: characteristics, reference standard, advantages. Practical examples of business cases.
Environmental labels and declarations. Practical cases of type I, II, III certifications. Reading of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) of well-known industrial products.
B Corporation certification: the route to obtaining it.
Sustainability report: requirements, contents, reference standards. In-depth study of sustainability reports of two companies chosen by the students from the proposals provided.
In-class LCA exercises: guide to the SimaPro software. Modelling of a packaging.
Advanced exercise: LCA of a food machine. Group exercise on system boundaries.
Lastly, collaboration with a company is envisaged that will illustrate its own path towards environmental sustainability and/or specific technologies related to the topics addressed in the lesson.
Bibliography
On the Elly page of the course, the slides that will be projected in class will be made available, lesson by lesson. These will be the main reference for following and studying the subject.
Additional background texts will be mentioned during the course, such as: Agenda 2030, IPCC Sixth Report, ISO environmental regulations, Legambiente Beach Litter Survey, National Climate Conference.
The recommended textbook for further study is "Scienze della Sostenibilità” (F. Cioffi, L. De Santoli, A. Lalli, F. Manes, L. Persia, S. Serranti), Zanichelli editore, 2022.
Teaching methods
Lectures interspersed with some cooperative learning activities in which short assignments will be given to assimilate the concepts seen in class by collaborating with peers.
Two completely anonymous self-assessment quizzes (taken halfway through and at the end of the course) are scheduled to allow students to be involved and accompanied in the preparation of the examination.
Computer exercises in the laboratory (Simapro software) are scheduled at the end of the course to put into practice the theory studied on LCA.
Assessment methods and criteria
The examination consists of two parts, namely a written multiple-choice test and an oral presentation in groups.
1) The written part consists of a quiz with 20 closed-ended questions on the topics covered in the course. Each correct answer is equivalent to +1 point. There is no penalty for incorrect answers: each wrong answer equals 0 points. The maximum grade attainable in the written part is 20/30.
2) The second part consists of the presentation of an in-depth paper on the topics inherent to the course, to be carried out in groups of a maximum of 4 students, with the support of a Power Point, Canva or similar. The maximum grade attainable in the oral test is 10/30. The 10 points can be obtained by meeting the following requirements:
+2 points: Presentation of the topic (accurate and thorough analysis);
+1 point: Setting up of the study (clear and linear structure);
+1 point: Presence of sustainability-related engineering data (operation diagrams, graphs and tables);
+1 point: Supporting presentation (clean, clear, appealing ppt);
+1 point: Presence of sources (bibliographical references in the slides);
+1 point: Clarity of presentation of each student in the group;
+1 point: Respect of the time allowed for the exposition (2 students in the group: 10 min total; 3 students: 12 min; 4 students: 15 min)
+2 points: Ability to answer follow-up questions related to the topic and the course.
The topic may be selected from among the lecturer's twenty or so proposals (including, for example, ‘Environmental sustainability in the food sector’, ‘Technologies for recovering and recycling plastic packaging at sea’.), or it may be selected independently by each group, based on its own interests, by asking the lecturer for approval of the topic.
In the event of proven necessity, the student may ask to do the paper individually for the oral presentation.
During the course, one hour will be devoted to the presentation of guidelines for setting up a correct presentation.
The overall grade for the examination is expressed in thirtieths and is given by the sum of the marks achieved in the written test (maximum 20/30) and the oral test (10/30). If the student has achieved the maximum in both tests, an additional question may be asked for the possible award of honours.
Other information
For additional information, please contact the course lecturer by email (roberta.stefanini@unipr.it)
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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