Introduction

This website describes "The Model of the Eco-costs / Value Ratio" (EVR), and provides data on eco-costs to enable LCA calculations.

The primary purpose of this website is to provide students of the Delft University of Technology
(and other people who are interested in the subject of sustainablility) with:
- practical data to assess the eco-burden of their designs (assisting them with LCA calculations)
- explanation of a prevention based "single indicator" for LCA: the method of the eco-costs
- knowledge on the subject of "eco-efficiency", "E/E factors", and how to apply them to de-link economy and ecology
- concepts of business strategies and governmental policies with regard to sustainability, and decision support tools on these issues.

The EVR is an E/E indicator which can be applied in cases where a designer (architect, product engineer, marketing manager, etc.) is asked to design a product (a house, a road, an appliance, a service, etc.) within a given price (budget). The issue then is to create maximum value for the end-user at a minimum of eco-costs (environmental burden). The calculation model can not only be applied in the stage were the design is ready (the classic LCA approach), but can also be applied in the early design stages of a feasibility study (when data on costs and market values are estimated). Calculations in combination with LCC and WLC are possible as well.

The rather complex issue of "allocation" in Product-Service Systems and in the End of Life phase, has been resolved in a practical and consistent way (where the existing LCA methodology failed until now to provide sufficient practical answers). This makes the system suitable for Cradle to Cradle calculations.
Furthermore the model comprises a system for modelling the issue of land-use, to be able to facilitate decisions with regard to spatial planning.

The theoretical basis of the model has been published in the Int. J. of LCA and some subsequent publications in J. of Cleaner Production , J. of Sustainable Product Design and Int. J. of Ecodynamics. A book is available for civil students (publisher: Aeneas, The Netherlands).

To facilitate calculations, a set of data on the eco-costs is provided in the Excel files at this site (eco-costs for more than 8000 pure substances, materials, processes and services). In due course, the data for materials will be made available in the IDEMAT database. At the Delft University of Thechnology databases for Simapro, EcoIT and CES are available as well.