The Green Cabin Alliance (GCA), which brings together experts and organizations from across the aircraft interiors industry with the common goal of a critical step towards sustainability, aims to standardise life cycle analyses (LCAs) to help airlines and designers make more environmentally friendly choices.

A life cycle assessment looks at the entire life cycle of a product, from design to manufacture, use and disposal. It effectively shows you how a material affects the environment and at which point in the life cycle the greatest impacts occur.

But currently there are differences in both the assessment methods and the data used for life cycle assessments, making it difficult for airlines and designers to make informed decisions about sustainable products.

During the Passenger Experience Conference in Hamburg this spring, GCA co-founder Ben Smalley said it was crucial for the industry to accurate recording of the CO2 impact of products.

For example, to assess the true sustainability of pineapple leather compared to conventional leather, all factors must be taken into account, including the energy consumption for production and the use of fossil fuels in transporting goods from different manufacturers.

GCA aims to advance the introduction of uniform procedures by 2040.

The organization’s “Vision for 2040” will provide clarity and justification for sustainable decisions, said Smalley, who also serves as Director of Business Development at thermoplastics specialist Sekisui Kydex.

Other members of the GCA include Adient Aerospace, Mankiewicz, Muirhead, Plaswire, SIMONA Boltaron, Tapis, Testori, Thompson Aero Seating and Unum.

Their vision is that data such as life cycle assessments for every material and company should be freely available and easily accessible, just as financial data is today, so that designers and airlines can choose the most suitable ones for their sustainability goals.

Standardised life cycle assessments will prevent misguided efforts in favour of superficially environmentally friendly products. Proactive action by airlines and suppliers is critical, but with solid data, the impetus for change is undeniable.

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Courtesy of Mary Kirby