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102-0348-00L 3 Credits DR , MSC D-USYS , D-BAUG , D-ARCH

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Prospective Environmental Assessments

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Stefanie Hellweg, Dr. Andy Spörri, Dr. Niko Heeren

Prerequisite for this lecture is basic knowledge of environmental assessment tools, such as material flow analysis, risk assessment and life cycle assessment. Students without previous knowledge in these areas need to read according textbooks prior to or at the beginning of the lecture.

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Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:38:23

Abstract

This lecture deals with prospective assessments of emerging technologies as well as with the assessment of long-term environmental impact caused by today's activities.

Objective

- Understanding prospective environmental assessments, including scenario analysis techniques, prospective emission models, dynamic MFA and LCA. - Ability to properly plan and conduct prospective environmental assessment studies, for example on emerging technologies or on technical processes that cause long-term environmental impacts. - Being aware of the uncertainties involved in prospective studies. - Getting to know measures to prevent long-term emissions or impact in case studies - Knowing the arguments in favor and against a temporally differentiated weighting of environmental impacts (discounting)

Content

- Scenario analysis - Dynamic material flow analysis - Temporal differentiation in LCA - Systems dynamics tools - Agent based models - Assessment of future and present environmental impact - Case studies

Resources

Lecture Notes

Lecture slides and further documents will be made available on Moodle.

General Information

Language: English
Levels: DR , MSC
Frequency: Yearly recurring

Examination

Type: graded semester performance

The performance assessment of this lecture is based on three exercises (distributed over the semester) that will be completed and graded during the semester.

Course Components

Type	Title	Time & Place	Hours
lecture with exercise	Prospective Environmental Assessments	Tue 15:45-17:30 (HCI D 2)	2 h weekly

Offered In

Civil Engineering Master
- Major Courses
  - Major in Construction and Maintenance Management
Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems Master
- Electives (The entire course programs of ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich are open to the students to individual selection. The students have themselves to check whether they meet the admission requirements for a course.)
  - Recommended Electives of Master Degree Programme
Environmental Engineering Master
- Majors
  - Major Urban Water Management
    - Compulsory Modules
      - Ecological Systems Design
  - Major Resource Management
    - Compulsory Modules
      - Ecological Systems Design
- Elective Modules (For all majors.)
  - EM: Ecological Systems Design (Elective Module for Majors "Environmental Technologies", "River and Hydraulic Engineering" and "Water Resources Management".)
Doctorate Environmental Systems Sciences (More Information at: )
- Subject Specialisation
  - Environmental Sciences
    - Environmental Systems Policy
Integrated Building Systems Master
- Main Courses
  - Specialised Courses