provide a legitimate and scientifically founded, quantitative basis to steer and
monitor the transition towards a more sustainable and healthier society. The LCM
community must, however, confront important challenges to reach this objective, in
particular, in terms of positioning LCM on the political and business agendas,
simplifying and standardizing LCM methods without oversimplifying and
neglecting complexity, ensuring efficient communication and promoting innovation
based on LCM concepts and tools.
LCM 2017 was designed to tackle these challenges and offer to the LCM
community the opportunity to take LCM to the next level, to effectively contribute
to the journey towards a safer and more sustainable society.
First, the programme of LCM 2017 was designed around new (smart) technologies (and related implementation sectors) which, on the one hand, are likely to
disrupt the LCM practice in the coming years (e.g. smart sensors making data
collection much easier) and, on the other hand, for which the LCM toolbox has
great development potential. In over more than 35 sessions, there were sessions on
smart agricultural, smart manufacturing and smart mobility systems, including
urban infrastructures and energy for the built environment, sessions specifically
targeting the role of LCM for Circular Economies and vice versa, sessions on
sectors which are historically under-represented in the LCM series (like pharmaceutical industry or textiles). New technologies such as Blockchain, Building
Information Management (BIM), Nature-based Solutions for Cities, and Artificial
Intelligence were discussed. The focus on bridging the gap between science and
innovation was also pursued in the exhibition area, where companies have showcase technologies developed using the LCM toolbox.
Second, communication (BtoB and BtoC) is historically an improvement lever
for our community. The LCM toolbox is often considered by policy-makers and
business leaders too difficult, complex and expensive to understand, implement and
communicate. Indeed, this is certainly one of the reasons why other approaches,
simpler albeit sometimes less rigorous scientifically speaking, could have a much
stronger impact on business than LCM.
LCM 2017 included a number of sessions focusing on current standardization
approaches, LCM guidelines and best practices as well as on the visualization and
interpretation of LCM results.
Finally, from our perspective, it is very important for the LCM community to
bridge the gap with other scientific and business communities, pursuing similar
objectives, often in a complementary way. This combination can bring higher
visibility to policy to the LCM toolbox and to other influential institutions and thus
avoid the risk of being considered the result of a niche community of users and
academics. With this objective in mind, a number of transversal sessions were run,
such as a discussion panel devoted to the funding of LCM and Circular Economies,
thanks to the involvement of the European Investment Bank.
This book is a selection of the most relevant contributions to the LCM 2017
together with a resume of the discussion and outcomes from each session.
vi
Preface
monitor the transition towards a more sustainable and healthier society. The LCM
community must, however, confront important challenges to reach this objective, in
particular, in terms of positioning LCM on the political and business agendas,
simplifying and standardizing LCM methods without oversimplifying and
neglecting complexity, ensuring efficient communication and promoting innovation
based on LCM concepts and tools.
LCM 2017 was designed to tackle these challenges and offer to the LCM
community the opportunity to take LCM to the next level, to effectively contribute
to the journey towards a safer and more sustainable society.
First, the programme of LCM 2017 was designed around new (smart) technologies (and related implementation sectors) which, on the one hand, are likely to
disrupt the LCM practice in the coming years (e.g. smart sensors making data
collection much easier) and, on the other hand, for which the LCM toolbox has
great development potential. In over more than 35 sessions, there were sessions on
smart agricultural, smart manufacturing and smart mobility systems, including
urban infrastructures and energy for the built environment, sessions specifically
targeting the role of LCM for Circular Economies and vice versa, sessions on
sectors which are historically under-represented in the LCM series (like pharmaceutical industry or textiles). New technologies such as Blockchain, Building
Information Management (BIM), Nature-based Solutions for Cities, and Artificial
Intelligence were discussed. The focus on bridging the gap between science and
innovation was also pursued in the exhibition area, where companies have showcase technologies developed using the LCM toolbox.
Second, communication (BtoB and BtoC) is historically an improvement lever
for our community. The LCM toolbox is often considered by policy-makers and
business leaders too difficult, complex and expensive to understand, implement and
communicate. Indeed, this is certainly one of the reasons why other approaches,
simpler albeit sometimes less rigorous scientifically speaking, could have a much
stronger impact on business than LCM.
LCM 2017 included a number of sessions focusing on current standardization
approaches, LCM guidelines and best practices as well as on the visualization and
interpretation of LCM results.
Finally, from our perspective, it is very important for the LCM community to
bridge the gap with other scientific and business communities, pursuing similar
objectives, often in a complementary way. This combination can bring higher
visibility to policy to the LCM toolbox and to other influential institutions and thus
avoid the risk of being considered the result of a niche community of users and
academics. With this objective in mind, a number of transversal sessions were run,
such as a discussion panel devoted to the funding of LCM and Circular Economies,
thanks to the involvement of the European Investment Bank.
This book is a selection of the most relevant contributions to the LCM 2017
together with a resume of the discussion and outcomes from each session.
vi
Preface