Research Theme

1. Development of the application for method of LCA
   (LCA Methodology Research Team)
   
   
2. Methodology Development for the Evaluation of Company's Environment Performance
   (Environmental Efficiency Reserach Team)
   
   
3. Regional Environment Assessment Methodology
   (Regional Environment Research Team)
   
   
4. Long-term Energy Systems Analysis in Japan
   (Energy Systems Analysis Research Team)
   
   
5. Compilation of Inventory Data and Dissemination of LCA

• Development of LCIA Methodology (LIME2)
  
  The latest LCIA methodology, LIME2 (second version of Life Cycle Impact assessment Method based on Endpoint modeling), has been developed. LIME 2 was updated version of LIME1 (released in 2003). Upgraded functions of LIME2 are shown as follows;
  • The uncertainty analysis of LCIA results is available
  • The precision reliability of the methodology have been progressed
  • Integration factors reflecting environmental thought of the Japanese people are proposed
  • The environmental impacts on indoor air pollution and noise are assessed
  The results of this project will be opened to the public in LCA Japan forum as representative database for LCA in Japan. A series of workshop are planned to be held for the purpose of the introduction on the characteristics of LIME2 and the discussion on the direction of further development of LCIA methodology. The first workshop was organized in January 2007 with the title of "Integration of Environmental Impacts ? The development of Integration Factors Available in Whole Japan-". The second was held in August, 2007.
  
  
  
• Development of the methodology for dealing with integrated product policy based on the application of LCIA and LCC methodologyLCIA, LCC application for tool development for product design
  
  The project for the development and the propagation of the methodology based on the LCIA and LCC to deal with environmental restrictions (ex. European directive like RoHS and WEEE) is ongoing. Three themes regarding of chemical risk management are focused on in the development of the methodology as shown below;
  • Development of the methodology for assessing environmental risks caused by hazardous chemicals,
    particularly focused on regulated chemicals
  • Development of the assessment methodology for emission risks of hazardous chemicals from electronic devices
  • Cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) and cost benefit analysis (CBA) for environmental risk management of electronic devices based on economic indices
    
    
  As the result of first theme for the risk assessment of hazardous chemicals, damage factors for three substances(arsenic, nickel, antimony) frequently used for electronic devices have been estimated, in addition to the regulated substances in RoHS (Cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead mercury, PBB, PBDE). For second theme to access the emission risks, the model for the prediction of chemical emissions on disposal process is particularly focused on because of the difficulties for electronic device makers to estimate by themselves, and the proto type of the model has been developed and is ready for being used in the MS Excel workbook. The workbook is used for verifying the availability of the model through several case studies. CEA and CBA for the environmental risk reduction technologies (hexavalent, chromium free body and water saving) of washing machine based on LCC and LCIA was conducted with the use of the results in above two themes, and the discussions for extracting critical issues and modifying were made in the working group organized with electronic device makers. The final purpose of this project is to publish the guideline for CEA and CBA not only on the assessment of products but the application to product design. The propagation of LCA application in small and medium-sized enterprises is successfully performed under the corporation with local government. These results were obtained by the cooperation mainly with NEC corporation, Hitachi limited, Fujitsu limited, Ricoh company limited, Canon inc, Nagano prefecture.
  

2. Methodology Development for the Evaluation of Company's Environment Performance

• Development of an Environmental Efficiency Indicator based on Economic Value Added
  
  Recently, evaluation of company$B!G(Bs environmental performances has become into wide attention, and environmental efficiency is being used to evaluate the companies and products. However, there is no report regarding the establishment of any environmental efficiency based on clear definition, and current index is not capable of comparing the performances of companies and products. We tried the development of the environmental efficiency index which has clear relations at country, industry and company levels. In this study, we proposed the environmental efficiency index which defined value-added / environmental lode. We decided that value-added includes operating income and labor costs at a company level. LIME method was applied to evaluate environmental lodes. In addition, we developed a novel calculation tool (software) which assists the user in computation with the proposed method. With this method and the tool, a comprehensive evaluation of company is possible. Moreover, we disseminated user manuals and computation software among companies to assist them in evaluating their own environmental efficiencies.
  

  

  
  
• Development of Social Impact Assessment Method for Company Activities and Industrial Local Policy
  
  We developed a framework for the development of a social impact assessment method. The method enabled one to quantify the positive and negative social impacts from company activities and the implementation of industrial local policies. The calculated social figures could be combined with an environmental index. Such indicator would be utilized as a sustainability indicator that evaluates economic, environmental and social aspects (a.k.a. Triple Bottom-line).
  
  
• Development of an Indicator that Evaluates Sustainability of Food Systems
  
  We adopted the concept of environmental efficiency to evaluate the food systems. For product value, we discussed the definition, criteria, and the method to quantify the value of a meal. The candidates for criteria for this study were: variety in food group intake and nutrients intake from meals. As a first attempt in such a novel study, we quantified the values of the model meals and environmental efficiency with our method.

3. Regional Environment Assessment Methodology

• LCA methodology for local measures
  
  A methodology which applies life cycle thinking to local governments$B!G(B policies was developed to support implementation of eco-friendly communities through case studies in Mie Prefecture for eco-friendly town planning, Chiba Prefecture for biomass resources utilization, and Iwate Prefecture for waste disposal system planning. Our developed methodology was published on the report for fiscal 2005. Since fiscal 2006, we started a joint research on municipal waste management in Iwate and Chiba Prefectures in cooperation with both the prefectures. Environmental impacts and costs of municipal waste treatment by methane fermentation and various processes of incineration were evaluated and compared. Further, eco-friendly and low-cost waste disposal systems were proposed for municipal merger in both Prefectures. The effect of treatment technologies, locations of plants, and coverage of wide area treatments were considered in the proposed system. In addition, we try to apply the eco-efficiency concept for local measures of eco-friendly town planning. The eco-efficiency was calculated by residents$B!G(B benefits and environmental impacts. These values were estimated by conjoint analysis and LCA, respectively.
  

  

  
  
• Countermeasures against urban heat islands
  
  Urban heat island (UHI) phenomena, which is defined as air temperature rise in the urban area, has become a serious social issue in the big cities like Tokyo in Japan. In order to mitigate the UHI, we established a causal chain of UHI. Then environmental impacts from UHI and mitigation effects by countermeasures to UHI were evaluated. The UHI accelerated global warming through the increase of energy consumption by air-conditioning (indirect effect). Accordingly, a numerical simulation model AIST-MCBM was developed with AIST Research Institute for Environmental Management Technology. AIST-MCBM calculated hourly air temperature change and the energy consumption change (indirect effect) in the city-block-buildings throughout the year. By using this model, changes in air temperature and CO2 emissions by installation of UHI countermeasures such as solar reflective paint (SRP), photocatalyst, and rooftop greening have been evaluated. In fiscal 2006, it was shown that installation of CO2 refrigerant heat pump hot water generator is effective for energy saving and tropical night reduction. In addition, UHI countermeasures such as rooftop greening and SRP cause environmental impacts by CO2 emissions from a construction stage and an operation stage (direct effect) of themselves. Concrete technologies which were expected to contribute to decrease CO2 emissions and to mitigate UHI were discussed by comparing CO2 emissions from considered life cycle stages of those technologies. Simultaneously, an increase in the air temperature also had damages to human society and natural environment. A framework to quantify damages from UHI through various impacts was developed by using Life-cycle Impacts assessment Method based on Endpoint Modeling (LIME) methodology. Previously, the impacts on hyperthermia, heat/cold stress, and the energy consumption by UHI were quantified. In fiscal 2006, by conducting survey research for Tokyo 23 wards' residents, it became obvious that sleep disorders would be increased by rise in air temperature in the night time, and an impact of increasing in sleep disorders estimated to be a quite significant in comparison with other impacts by UHI.

4. Long-term Energy Systems Analysis in Japan

• Research on Analysis for Energy Technology
  
  Cost-effectiveness of R&D on energy technologies, e.g. renewable energy and nuclear energy, is analyzed considering environmental externalities applying lifecycle assessment, energy systems analysis and social survey. Technology diffusion policy of energy conservation technologies, e.g. high-efficiency water heaters, through subsidy is proposed based on economy of scale and demand curve.
  
  
• Evaluation of the Long-term Technology to Prevent Global Warming and Tool Development to Evaluate Sustainability
  
  An integrated assessment model (IAM) is now under developing under initiative of this center in collaboration with the Institute of Applied Energy (IAE), Ritsumeikan University, and so on. The main purpose of the model development is to illustrate varieties of "sustainable development" indices by the model. The model (GRAPE/LIME) is developed by merging LIME2 with GRAPE which is mainly developed the IAE.
  
  * GRAPE is an IAM consists of sub-models of energy, macro-economy, land-use, climate, and impact assessment, whose special and time resolution is global ten regions and 10-year time steps till 2100, respectively
  

5. Compilation of Inventory Data and Dissemination of LCA

• Compilation of Inventory Data
  
  We gathered foreground data that were necessary and the central part of LCA analysis, and up-stream background data that were difficult to trace and obtain. We also expanded the inventory on disposal, recycling and iron-steel products based on the literature and statistics data. The compiled data were now sold as $B!H(BOptional Data Pack for JEMAI-LCA Pro$B!I(B from JEMAI, starting on April 24, 2006 by 250,000 yen. We discussed the possibility of renewal of iron-steel products inventory 2005 by embedding PRTR data.
  
  
• Dissemination of LCA to Industry and Society
  
  
  • Development of AIST-LCA Version 4
    Updates and expansion of the inventory with new data, and developing new functions have been done since the first release of JEMAI-LCA Pro from JEMAI in Nov. 2005. Some of the improvements have been introduced as for JEMAI-LCA Pro. Moreover, the English version has been established and expected to be commercialized soon.
    
    
  • Development of a simplified version of LCA software
    For the purpose of further dissemination of LCA to enterprises, we developed a simplified version of the LCA software. This software was in line with the ISO14040 standards and with its high operability enabling data input visually.
    
    
  • Hosting workshops
    We host workshops and conferences domestically and internationally to proceed the LCA research and diffusion. We have hard discussion how to lead LCA by inducing the members from each country. We have fulfilled the mission to lead in this field.
    
    
  • Dispatch information
    Center-news for domestic and international have been dispatched. We also have dispatched Center-news-letters to 400 companies, universities, etc to inform the LCA related activities. Furthermore, homepage information is revised timely.
  • We also promoted international collaboration by contracting MOU with Germany, Singapore and Philippines in 2006. The JETRO project to establish and diffuse LCA in Thailand and Malaysia were successfully proceeded by LCA center members to level up in quality and quantity.