ifu Hamburg Launches Software Tool: Umberto NXT LCA raises Life Cycle Assessments to a New Level
Submitted by: PR-echt
2013-04-25 00:01:56
Evaluating environmental impacts is a complex task that can only be solved with the right set of tools. A new software solution, Umberto NXT LCA, relies on three strengths.
(OPENPRESS) Hamburg, Germany — The requirements for LCA analysis tools are constantly increasing due, for example, to globalized production systems and ever more complex supply routes. A new software solution, Umberto® NXT LCA, supports environmental consultants, process engineers, and process technicians in developing comprehensive analyses of product life cycles. As well as for external communication, the results of these analyses are used for internal decision-making where they provide the necessary transparency in a world of complex information.
Umberto® NXT LCA is a product from ifu Hamburg GmbH (Institut fur Umweltinformatik). For more than 20 years, the company has been developing software solutions that allow clients worldwide to generate life cycle assessments and to achieve greater resource efficiency. "Improvement of our software is fueled by constant interaction with our clients. This is the biggest driver when it comes to optimizing our programs. Of course it's useful that we're also using the software for LCA projects ourselves. It helps us come up with great ideas for new features and capabilities", Jan Hedemann, CEO of ifu Hamburg GmbH, explained.
The software is able to model entire process chains using a visual approach. This visualization illustrates the relationships among purchased resources, procedures and machinery, losses due to quality control and waste, released gases, and the environmental effects of the system overall. In addition to the many different visualization options, the new software also focuses on an intuitive user interface. Even complex system models can be created quickly and are clearly displayed.
"For a long time now, users of previous Umberto versions have asked for an 'undo/redo' function since being able to try out ideas for process and product improvement is a crucial source of innovation. The new version now includes the 'undo/redo' option. Our goal is to provide optimal support for the creators of innovation and their advisors", Jan Hedemann continued.
Every LCA project depends on the accuracy of the available data. That's why Umberto NXT LCA includes the ecoinvent LCA database. The software can be used with both ecoinvent version 2 and the new, forthcoming version 3. In addition, the new data-related features enable the user to develop models more quickly. Visualization of information is at the heart of the analytical process as well as the subsequent presentation of results. Through the use of Sankey diagrams, the software enables users to show the entire material and energy streams quantitatively. These diagrams can be created for an entire process, for individual products or for individual impact categories. In addition, they aid communication with various interest groups since results can be presented much more easily and understandably when they are graphically based.
"Our goal was to provide a tool that lets users develop LCAs and, at the same time, communicate their results properly. A comprehensive understanding of any given system is crucial nowadays, because consideration of environmental impacts is very closely related to economic decisions. After all," Jan Hedemann concluded while summarizing the growing importance of LCAs, "if you're using your resources more efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way, you're also helping your bottom line."
Download a free trial version of the new software at http://www.umberto.de/en/umberto-nxt-lca
