Methodology Development

Description:

The development of the Engineering Trade-Offs (ETO) methodology is occurring as an in-house effort of the ETO team in 2000. While the conceptual model of engineering trade-offs has been completed, the practical means of applying the concept requires crafting a reliable tool while testing it in stages to ensure that it possesses the necessary, real-world attributes. The ETO team brings to this effort expertise in life cycle engineering (methodology design and application), environmental costing (application and guidance documentation), technology demonstration and validation, while developing expertise in organizational behavior.

ETO focuses on the: (1) evaluation of the economic and environmental trade-offs; (2) assessment of the impacts of implementation, and; (3) anticipation and accommodation of the social reaction (acceptance) to the decision.

Currently, the prototype for the ETO method can be summarized on the table below.

Status:

During the year 2000, the ETO methodology will be built from this prototype, with a guide being published at the end of the calendar year. At the same time, at least two case studies will be underway, in order to give context to this idea and provide lessons to the ETO team as we develop this method.

Estimated Completion Date: December 2001

Publications:

EPA, "Guide for Identifying Engineering Trade-Offs," (EPA 600 Series Report), December 2000 (Planned)

K. Stone, "Accounting for Engineering Trade-Offs in Decision-making," International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment (InLCA), Washington DC, April 2000.

Principal Investigator:

Kenneth Stone
stone.kenneth@epa.gov

Methodology Development

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