Development and validation of a parametric model for fast life cycle assessment in early embodiment design

Early embodiment design requires sustainability considerations for design alternatives that traditional LCA techniques cannot efficiently support. This paper presents a fast parametric LCA model that expresses environmental impacts as linear functions of material mass, recycled content and recyclability potential, allowing rapid evaluation of design alternatives. Applied to load break switch drives of two generations, the model achieves a MAPE below 5% relative to conventional ISO-compliant LCA results and demonstrates its capability to support design space exploration.