Assignment Building a relatively simple LCA model of a reference toaster and then changing this concept in some way to compare the environmental impacts of the new toaster to the reference. The model is built using an online tool from Sustainable Minds. http://www.sustainableminds.com/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. You need to set up a free trial account which is good for 7 days to complete this model. http://www.sustainableminds.com/get-started (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. You then need to download the example data which include the reference Toaster Bill of Materials (BOM). You will follow the instructions below and on the website to build the reference Toaster. SM Toaster Example Instructions.pdf Then, you will change the concept for this toaster by changing any combination of materials, processing, use, transportation, and disposal. When you upload the reference Toaster BOM, you will likely find that the steel base material is not found automatically. In this case, click on this material and chose the following material: Materials --> Metals --> Ferrous --> Iron Alloy --> Steel, converter, low-alloyed The following short Video demos may be helpful for you: 2. Overview and Tour 3. Setting Up the Project http://www.sustainableminds.com/watch-the-demos (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Your final deliverable for this example credit is an uploaded document which shows the summary results page for your reference Toaster and new concept Toaster along with a paragraph which comments on your design changes and the results. I also want a 1 page summary of the pros and cons of this model tool compared to SimaPro. Include any details of problems or confusion that you had with the Toaster example. I am trying to decide if we should use this model tool in addition to or instead of SimaPro in the future and your comments will be helpful. Example Project Instructions We invite you to experiment with the example projects we have available - a toaster, diaper, baby wipe, and surgical gown. The instructions and information for each are in this document and the BOMs are in the same .zip file that you downloaded. For procedural instructions, the Quick Start Guide is a reference that provides information about how to conduct an Sustainable Minds Life Cycle Assessment (SM LCA). Please refer to the guide as needed. If you are interested in learning and exploring more reference information for detailed guidance while working within the software, click on the links in the 'Learn more about' section displayed on the right hand side of the page. You can also visit the User's Guide: Conducting an SM LCA, section two of the Learning Center. Example Project: Redesign a Toaster Instructions File Name: 'SM_Toaster_BOM.tsv.txt' Scenario: As a result of a new green products initiative, Oster has hired you to help redesign their ToastMaster to reduce its environmental impact in the next version. Marketing communications will be developed based on the design and manufacturing decisions that makes the newer version greener than the last. Their goals for the redesigned toaster are to: Reduce the CO2 footprint from the existing model Reduce the amount of material that ends up in the landfill Reduce the human health impacts of the new toaster It's your job to redesign the existing toaster to meet the client's goals. About current toaster 'ToastMaster': This toaster lasts 5 years and experiences 300 toast cycles per year. After 5 years of use, the toaster is disposed of in a sanitary landfill in the US. Produced in East China, the toaster is shipped 6500 miles from China to LA by oceanic freighter and trucked 1400 miles to Walmart in Kansas City via 28-ton truck. The toaster and packaging combined weighs 4.2 lbs. The toaster uses 120 Volts, 6.7 Amps typical US electricity mix for resistant heat, one minute per toast cycle. The bill of materials (BOM) of the current toaster is provided in the folder of example projects with the file name 'SM_Toaster_BOM.tsv.txt'. What we want you to do: Create a new project for your redesign of the toaster Create the reference based on the current toaster Create one (or several) toaster concept(s) from the reference that attempt to meet the new toaster goals Additional Data that you need: Project Functional Unit: Hour of Use Reference Concept Total Amount of Service Delivered: 5 hours (300 minutes) per year over 5 years = 25 hours Step-by-Step Instructions: Step 1: Create a project: identify project, provide goals and define assessment scope. Step 2: Create the reference concept: define the reference and build the SBOM. SBOM data can be entered in two different ways: 1. Manual entry or 2. Materials data can be imported using the example BOM import template provided. We suggest you try manual entry first to familiarize yourself with the Impact Factor database. Keep in mind, the BOM import capability only imports material data. You will still need to manually enter process, use phase, transportation and end-of-life information. Sustainable Minds, LLC, Cambridge Innovation Center, One Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142 Once within the System BOM tab, 1. Click on the Import BOM button on the right hand side. The Import BOM window will then appear. 2. In the Upload BOM section, click on the Choose File button. 3. Open the downloaded folder 'Sustainable_Minds_Example_Projects' and select the file titled \"SM_Toaster_BOM.tsv.txt' then click Upload file. 4. The BOM is now imported. Review the information and click Import to SBOM. If a pop-up window appears, this may be due to the browser you are using, click Ok. 5. Now you can click through the different assemblies and manually enter process, use phase, transportation and end-of-life information as provided in the description above. Step 3: Create new concept(s) for comparison to the reference: create new concept(s) and build SBOM(s). Examples of strategies you might want to use to create new concept(s): use low-impact materials (e.g. use renewable, recycled or reused; avoid toxic or harmful materials), reduce size and weight, increase energy efficiency (e.g. reduce electricity consumption during use with more efficient toaster), increase transport efficiency (e.g. change modes of transport), optimize product lifetime (e.g. design to support and motivate extended product life), optimize end-of-life (e.g. use recyclable or bidegradable materials), optimize packaging, combination of strategies. Once within the Concepts tab, 1. Click on the Create a new Concept button on the left hand side. Enter the concept name, upload an image, provide a concept description, and enter the total amount of service delivered. 2. You can copy and edit an existing concept when creating additional ones 3. Manually create the SBOM incorporating ecodesign strategies. Step 4: View Results Use all the different result views that are available: impacts by SBOM input, carbon footprint by SBOM input and impacts by Life Cycle Phase and carbon footprint by Life Cycle Phase. Read the section 'Step 3: Comparing and interpreting results' in the Learning Center for further steps that you can take during this interpretation stage. Revisit the goals outlined for this project. Did you redesign(s) meet the client's goals? If not then continue exploring ecodesign strategies and generate additional concepts. You have finished this example project once you have selected a final design that meets the goals outlined for the project and demonstrates an improvement in environmental performance compared to the reference concept, in this case, the 'ToastMaster.' Step 5: Now that you have successfully built the toaster SBOM and improved upon the environmental performance from the reference toaster, you're ready to conduct another assessment on another one of the example projects or on a product you've designed or manufactured! Continue reading this document to find the instructions for the other example projects. If you're ready to try the assessment with a product you've designed or manufactured, we suggest you prepare by selecting a product and collecting product life cycle information: materials by weight, processes, energy use, transportation, and end of life scenarios. If you have access to an LCA of an existing product, that's a great place to start. 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