Practical training on designing greener products, design for sustainability and environmental impact assessment using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with the openLCA software
On 6 November 2025, the International Institute for the Implementation of Sustainable Development (MIITR) organised a five-hour practical training on designing greener products, design for sustainability and environmental impact assessment using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with the openLCA software. The workshop was delivered within the Erasmus+ ECOThink project and brought together participants from companies, research organisations and the education sector.
The training guided participants step by step through the complete LCA workflow – from the basics of Life Cycle Assessment and the installation and use of the openLCA tool, to evaluating the environmental footprint of products and services and identifying strategies for reducing it. Through concrete case studies and examples of good practice, participants learned how to identify key environmental hot-spots across the life cycle and integrate design for sustainability into their everyday decision-making.
The event was designed as an interactive, hands-on session. Participants worked directly in openLCA on their own laptops, tested the examples themselves, and discussed how to apply the methodology to their own products, processes and teaching practice. Manuals and worksheets developed within the ECOThink project will remain available as long-term learning resources, supporting the continuous use and dissemination of LCA knowledge even after the training.
The training was led by Dr Damjan Krajnc, LCA expert and ECOThink project collaborator. Partners and stakeholders are invited to share this news within their networks and to follow ECOThink communication channels for information on upcoming trainings and materials co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
