The Green Cabin Alliance (GCA), which brings together experts and organisations from across the aircraft interiors industry with the shared aim of creating a step change in sustainability, is eager to standardise life cycle assessments (LCAs) to guide airlines and designers in making greener choices.
A LCA looks across a product’s lifecycle from design through manufacture, usage and disposal. It effectively allows you to see how a material is impacting the environment, and where in the lifcycle the biggest impacts are happening.
But presently there are variations in both the assessment methods and data used for LCAs, making it difficult for airlines and designers to make informed decisions about sustainable products.
During this spring’s Passenger Experience Conference in Hamburg, Germany, GCA co-founder Ben Smalley said it’s crucial for industry to start accurately capturing the carbon impacts of products.
For instance, assessing the true sustainability of pineapple leather versus traditional leather requires that all factors be considered, including energy use for production and the use of fossil fuels when transporting goods from unique producers.
GCA aims to lead the establishment of uniform practices by 2040.
The organisation’s ‘Vision for 2040’ will ensure clarity and justification for sustainable choices, explained Smalley, who also serves as business development director at thermoplastics specialist Sekisui Kydex.
Other members of GCA include Adient Aerospace, Mankiewicz, Muirhead, Plaswire, SIMONA Boltaron, Tapis, Testori, Thompson Aero Seating and Unum.
Under their vision, data such as LCAs on every material and company should be freely available and easy to access, like financial data is now, enabling designers and airlines to choose the most appropriate ones for their sustainability goals.
Standardised LCAs will prevent misdirected efforts on superficially green products. Proactive action from airlines and suppliers is crucial, but with robust data, the impetus for change becomes undeniable.
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Featured image credited to Mary Kirby
