EMPOWERING FOUNDRIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY: A USER-FRIENDLY ECO-DESIGN TOOL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SELF-ASSESSMENT
- Federico Rossi - Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainability and Climate, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Chiara De Bernardi - Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainability and Climate, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Monia Niero - Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainability and Climate, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Marco Frey - Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainability and Climate, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
- Available online in Detritus - In Press
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Abstract
Given the role of aluminum as a strategic resource for several decarbonization strategies, its global demand has experienced an exponential growth. However, aluminum production remains highly energy-intensive and environmentally impactful. Our objective is therefore to support aluminum foundries in addressing the challenge of reducing their environmental burden. For this purpose, this study introduces a software (named Eco-design tool) developed for Italian small and medium aluminum foundries. The tool enables self-assessment of environmental performance based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which evaluates the impacts of the foundry process – including emissions, energy use and waste management. Through a user-friendly interface, the tool collects site-specific data from seven production phases to calculate key environmental indicators. The main output is a preliminary environmental profile that helps companies identify critical impact areas and supports informed decision-making, strategic planning and continuous improvement, helping companies align with circular economy principles and reduce environmental impacts. The Eco-design tool is particularly valuable for small and medium-sized companies lacking the resources for full-scale LCA studies and can guide them toward environmental certifications. Future work will focus on expanding the dataset, improving usability, and validating the tool across a broader sample of foundries.Keywords
Editorial History
- Received: 16 Jun 2025
- Revised: 08 Sep 2025
- Accepted: 29 Sep 2025
- Available online: 10 Oct 2025
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