Certbie
Question 1 of 30
Dr. Anya Sharma, an environmental consultant, is tasked with conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on two competing lighting solutions for a newly constructed office building: traditional incandescent bulbs and energy-efficient LED bulbs. The client, \"GreenBuild Solutions,\" wants to make an environmentally conscious decision based on the LCA results, adhering to ISO 14044 standards. Dr. Sharma begins by defining the goal and scope of the LCA, aiming to compare the environmental impacts of each lighting system from cradle-to-grave. However, she struggles to determine the appropriate functional unit for the study. If Dr. Sharma incorrectly defines the functional unit as simply \"one light bulb,\" without considering factors such as lifespan, light output (lumens), and energy consumption over time, what is the most likely consequence for the LCA, according to the principles outlined in ISO 14044?
The LCA results will be skewed, making a fair comparison between the two lighting systems impossible, as the functional unit does not account for differences in lifespan and energy consumption, potentially leading to a misleading conclusion about which option is more environmentally friendly.
The LCA will still be valid, as the functional unit is a standardized measure and any differences in lifespan and energy consumption can be accounted for in the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) phase through normalization techniques.
The critical review process will automatically correct the improperly defined functional unit, ensuring the validity of the LCA results regardless of the initial definition.
The LCA will only be applicable to the manufacturing phase of the lighting systems, excluding the use and end-of-life phases, thus simplifying the analysis and avoiding the complexities of comparing different lifespans.