Empowering foundries for sustainability: a user-friendly eco-design tool for environmental self-assessment

This study presents an Eco-design tool developed for Italian aluminum foundries, aimed at enabling self-assessment of their environmental performance. The tool utilizes a user-friendly interface that allows foundries to input site-specific data related to materials, energy, emissions, and waste across seven production steps. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, the tool calculates environmental impact indicators such as climate change, acidification, and eutrophication using data from the ecoinvent database. By providing a preliminary eco-profile, the tool helps foundries evaluate their performance before, eventually, pursuing certifications like the EU Ecolabel or Made Green in Italy (MGI). This approach is particularly useful for small and medium-sized companies that lack the resources for comprehensive LCA studies. The tool also supports decision-making, strategic planning, and continuous improvement, helping companies align with circular economy principles and reduce environmental impacts. Future developments include expanding its database, improving data integration, and validating the tool on a broader scale.