INTRODUCTION
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool that has been used by many companies to both reduce costs and improve environmental performance. LCA considers the inputs and outputs to all stages of a product’s life – from the cradle to the grave, using a thorough and systematic approach. By applying LCA techniques companies have been able to quickly identify opportunities to increase efficiencies, such that inputs (for example: energy use, chemical use) are reduced and waste outputs cut. Many companies have been able to significantly reduce costs, and increase profits, as a result of applying LCA to their businesses.

Companies are facing stricter environmental controls and changing markets in which consumers are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues. LCA is a tool that can find solutions to these challenges. LCA can be used as a preventative tool, to help companies be aware of potential environmental risks and manage them, before they become business costs. LCA enables companies to prioritize where to spend limited resources to achieve greatest environmental, and financial, gain.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
This workshop aims to introduce companies to LCA and how LCA can be used to increase their efficiencies, reduce cost, improve resource management and avoid environmental risks.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Introduction to LCA methodology
• What is LCA?
• LCAs applications – when & why use LCA?
• Strengths & weaknesses of LCA
• Current & future trends in LCA
• ISO standards for LCA
• LCA & SE Asia businesses
• How to apply LCA methodology
• Case Study examples

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Manufacturing industries, electronics industry, semiconductor industry, designers,

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Carrie Johnson has over 13 years experience as an environmental consultant, working with companies to manage their environmental impacts. Her specific areas of expertise include life-cycle assessment, environmental reporting, corporate environmental policy, climate change, implementing EMS and benchmarking. Some of her major clients include companies from the oil & gas, transport, energy and telecommunications sectors. She has also worked with Government bodies developing and advising on environmental policy.

Carries’ Masters thesis was one of the first LCA studies. It looked at the environmental impacts of recycling, incinerating or implementing landfilling waste newspaper. She has published a number of articles on LCA, including a guidebook for SME’s on LCA (published by the European Environment Agency and distributed to SME’s across Europe ). She has worked on a range of projects implementing LCA methodology within corporations, including a review of best practice in LCA across European industries and a review of the available LCA databases. She has carried out a number of in depth LCA’s looking at the environmental, economic and social impacts of different energy policies .

Carrie is also a part-time lecturer at NUS, teaching LCA as part of the Environmental Management Master's Programme. Carrie’s first degree is in Geography, from Cambridge University. She also has a First Class MSc in Environmental Management from Imperial College, London.