An exergy-based Ecological Indicator as a measure of our resource use footprint
by Enrico Sciubba
International Journal of Exergy (IJEX), Vol. 10, No. 3, 2012

Abstract: The concept of 'Ecological Indicator' (EI) is critically analysed to define the properties it ought to possess and to demonstrate that indicators based solely on material-and energy balances do not comply with the necessary properties. It is argued that exergy destruction and exergy of discharge, both acceptable thermodynamic indicators, cannot provide information on the human-specific impact of a pollutant (neither of them measures toxicity and non-energetic externalities). A recently proposed method, Extended Exergy Accounting (EEA), which includes in the exergy flow diagrams non-material and non-energetic production factors like labour, capital and environmental remediation costs, is shown to provide a proper measure of the amount of primary exergy resources consumed in the life-cycle of a material or immaterial commodity.

Online publication date: Thu, 10-May-2012

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