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Hull Vane

Hull Vane

About the product:

The Hull Vane® is a patented submerged stern wing designed to reduce a displacement or semi-displacement ship’s resistance and motion in waves. Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Hull Vane team in-depth knowledge of hydrodynamics, they can customise and optimise the design of the Hull Vane® to achieve the highest level of performance.

Improved environmental impact:

The Water Revolution Foundation LCA study following ISO 14040 and 14044 confirms that yachts equipped with the innovative submerged wing Hull Vane present a lower environmental impact when compared with the same yacht that does not have the submerged wing; in other words it possesses the Business As Usual (BAU) Hull Vane’s innovative solution demonstrates a 14-15% reduction across all environmental impact categories in comparison to the BAU.

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LCA Summary
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Ecopoint

Ecopoint

The Ecopoint represents the total potential environmental load of a product or solution: it is a cumulative, more holistic value that includes the impacts on human health, the ecosystem and resource diversity. The single numerical score of Ecopoint represents the overall impact of a product or solution. This score can be interpreted as a measure of sustainability performance, where lower scores indicate lower environmental impact.

The Ecopoint therefore allows us to group the 9 other environmental indicators in three different categories of damage: (1) Human Health, (2) Ecosystem quality and (3) Resources. This way, obtaining a single score representing the total environmental impacts during the product's life cycle is possible.

Human Health and Ecosystem Impact

The ecopoint index factors in the impact on human health and ecosystems, how a product's life cycle may affect human well-being including health risks related to exposure to pollutants, and how it may impact ecosystems, including biodiversity and habitat disruption.

Resource Diversity

This takes into account the diversity and availability of natural resources, as well as the potential depletion of non-renewable resources and the consequences for future generations.

The Ecopoint index is essentially a form of multi-criteria assessment that allows decision-makers to weigh different environmental and sustainability factors. It acknowledges that environmental issues are interconnected, and a single value can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the trade-offs and impacts associated with a product.

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Photochemical Oxidation

Photochemical Oxidation

On Earth, pollution mixed with heat and sunlight creates a concentration of Ozone (O3 gaz) in the atmosphere (stratosphere + troposphere). This gaseous element, when released in the stratosphere, acts like sunscreen for all living organisms, shielding the Earth’s surface from most of the sun’s UV light (unless it creates depletion in the atmospheric layer).

However, when this concentration remains at ground level in the troposphere, it affects the air that we breathe as humans and therefore starts becoming a health hazard. When inhaled, ozone reacts chemically with many biological molecules in the respiratory tract, leading to a number of adverse health effects.

We call this secondary air pollution Photochemical Oxidation, also known as Summer Smog. Chemically speaking, photo-oxidant formation is a photochemical creation of reactive substances: it is formed in the atmosphere by nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight, often the consequence of emissions from fossil fuel combustion. POP calculates the destructive effects of ozone in the troposphere over a time horizon of 100 years.

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Global Warming

Global Warming

The Earth receives energy from the sun through solar radiation, with about half of this energy being absorbed by the earth’s surface. The other half is reflected back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation or heat. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap this radiation in the atmosphere, thereby heating the Earth. Consequently, the more GHGs that are present in the atmosphere, the warmer the Earth’s temperature becomes. This process is known as the greenhouse effect.

In order to make meaningful comparisons between GHGs, scientists have adopted CO2 as the benchmark for measuring their heat-trapping abilities. CO2 is a clear, odourless gas produced during carbon combustion and in the respiration of living organisms. The heat-trapping potential of a gas, measured against CO2 over a fixed period, is known as Global Warming Potential (GWP). CO2 is used as a benchmark to measure the GWP of substances, which is expressed in kg of CO2eq.

Ultimately, GWP evaluates the potential impact of different gaseous emissions on climate change by calculating the radiative force over a 100-year time horizon.

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Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone Layer Depletion

In the stratosphere, an ozone-rich layer called the Ozone layer exists. The formation of the ozone hole is directly linked to the stratosphere’s temperature. Once temperatures drop below -78°C, polar stratospheric clouds tend to form, exacerbating ozone depletion over both of the Earth’s hemispheres.

The Ozone layer acts like sunscreen for all living organisms, shielding the Earth’s surface from most of the sun’s UV light. Its depletion could cause serious damage for humans, animals, plants and materials. Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) calculates these destructive effectives over a time horizon of 100 years.

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Acidification

Acidification

Acidification is an environmental problem caused by acidified rivers/streams and soil due to anthropogenic air pollutants such as ammonia, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. When acids are emitted, the pH factor falls and acidity increases, which for example can involve the widespread decline of coniferous forests and dead fishes in lakes in Scandinavia.

In the ocean, we define acidification as a reduction of the pH over an extended period of time, and it is caused primarily by an uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere: the ocean absorbs the extra amount of CO2 emitted in our atmosphere. We are already observing this change in the deep ocean, especially at high latitudes.

It affects marine organisms, with a consequence on the ecosystems they belong to in and above water: disrupting the food chain (increase of the mobilisation and the leaching behaviour of heavy metals in soil), altered prey availability (for example, krill for whales), impact on habitats (lower pH destroys coral reefs), but also the amplification of noise pollution by a modification of the underwater acoustics.

As an indicator, Acidification Potential calculates the impact of the potential change in acidity in the soil due to the atmospheric deposition of sulfates, nitrates, phosphates, and other compounds.

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PM10

PM10

Dust from roads, farms, dry riverbeds, construction sites, and mines are types of PM10: particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less. These are coarse (bigger) particles, which can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. While fine (smaller) particles (PM2.5) are more dangerous and penetrate into the deep parts of your lungs — or even into your blood, it is important to measure the level of PM10 into the surrounding air.

Scientists have defined that a level of PM10 below 12 μg/m3 is considered healthy with little to no risk from exposure. If the level goes to or above 35 μg/m3 during a 24-hour period, the air becomes unhealthy, causing a risk exposure for people with existing breathing issues such as asthma or lung diseases.

With deposits accumulating onto surfaces, including vegetation, soil, and water bodies, PM10 also impacts soil erosion, water quality, aquatic life cycles, and can carry contaminants into ecosystems. It can lead to winter smog.

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Water Scarcity Footprint

Water Scarcity Footprint

The water scarcity footprint helps assess how particular water use contributes to or exacerbates water scarcity in a given area. We assess this impact by considering the quantity of water consumption and the water stress index (WSI) of the region from where the water is extracted, to determine the impact of freshwater consumption in view of its deprivation potential.

Water Stress Index for yachting

In yacht manufacturing for example, water consumption is significantly high for the extraction and production of materials. The amount of water consumed when producing yacht-building material is more than double than during the operating phase of the yacht. Further, hull construction requires water in various stages such as composite-moulding process, curing resins, and more. While these stages do not use large volumes of water individually, they become high over the course of yacht production. The water stress index can thus be an important metric in quantifying how much water is consumed and identifying hotspots where efforts to minimise water use can be implemented.

The Water Stress Index takes into account factors like available water resources, population, and industrial demand for water in that area. Of course, water resource exploitation may have a different impact depending on the extraction area.

Water scarcity impact

If the water scarcity impact is high, it indicates that your product or solution is exerting considerable strain on an already water-stressed region. Consequently, it may be prudent to explore more sustainable water sourcing or conservation measures to mitigate one’s heightened environmental damage. Conversely, if the water scarcity impact is low, it suggests that your product or solution exercises a relatively minor impact on water scarcity in that region, which can be a positive indicator of sustainability.

The indicators for WSI reflect the cumulative amount of direct and indirect emissions to help us understand how a product or solution’s water use might impact water shortages.

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Eutrophication

Eutrophication

Eutrophication calculates the destructive effects of ammonia, nitrates, nitrogen oxides and phosphorus (emitted in air and waters) on freshwater systems. In inland waters, it is one of the major factors that determine the ecological quality of an aquatic environment.

This process of pollution occurs when a lake or stream becomes over-rich in plant nutrient – as a consequence, phytoplankton increases, and the water becomes overgrown in algae and other aquatic plants. The plants die and decompose, robbing the water of oxygen so that ultimately the lake, river, or stream becomes lifeless.

While eutrophication occurs naturally in freshwater systems, man-made eutrophication occurs over millions of years and is caused by organic pollutants from man’s activities, like effluents from industries and homes.

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NOx

NOx

NOX are a group of highly reactive gases produced by various natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) sources. They strongly affect the air quality in our immediate surroundings, leading to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter, and contributing to acid rain or deposition, ozone depletion, and eutrophication of soil and water.

We know that the subsequent impacts of acid deposition and eutrophication onour soil and water can be significant, having adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes, damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. Furthermore, by contributing to the formation of atmospheric aerosols and particulate matter, NOx emissions can lead to the formation of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and affects human respiratory systems. When the environment is affected by NOx, it results in Summer smog, Winter smog, and Acidification in the environment impacted by its release.

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SOx

SOx

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas with a pungent odour, released into the atmosphere from both natural sources, such as volcanic eruptions, and anthropogenic (human-caused) sources emitted by the combustion of fuels containing sulphur.

Sulphur dioxide is a pollutant that contributes to acid deposition, which, in turn, can lead to potential changes in soil and water quality (eutrophication due to excessive nutrient input, as discussed above). Its effects can be counterbalanced by implementing flue gas desulfurization systems in power plants, and regulations on emissions from transportation sources. Winter smog and acidification are among the results of its presence in our atmosphere.

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Explore E8 & E9

Explore E8 & E9

About the product:

Pioneering LED technology since 2004, OceanLED custom-built underwater lights prioritize minimal energy use and environmental impact. They integrate improved sustainability into operations, including virtual demonstrations and more eco-friendly supply chains. The Explore E8 and E9 range has been designed in-house with the tenet of maximum output and effect for minimal use of energy. Due to its optimised design and attention to reduce its impact on our planet, the Explore Weld-In is a significantly improved performance and ocean-friendly product.

Improved environmental impact:

The LCA study reveals a notable reduction in environmental indicators ranging from 31% to 61.8% when comparing both steel and aluminium versions of OceanLED’s Explore E8 Weld-In models with the traditional product. The most substantial reduction is observed in the Water Stress Index, indicating a 6.15% reduction for steel version and a 61.8% reduction for the aluminium version. This reduction is attributed to the lower weight of OceanLED’s Explore E8 Weld-In model compared to an industry-leading, Business-As-Usual product, emphasising the importance of material selection in reducing environmental impact. The Explore E9 Weld-In model also show reduction in most indicators compared to the BAU scenario, except for the Water Stress Index. The Water Stress Index reduction is 5.1% for aluminium type but shows a 17.7% increase for the steel type. The increased impact for the steel type is due to its greater weight compared to the BAU scenario.

Learn more about Explore E8 & Explore E9.

LCA Summary
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Hempaguard X7

Hempaguard X7

About the product:

Hempaguard X7 is a high solids, advanced fouling defence coating based on ActiGuard® technology which utilizes the added effect of advanced hydrogel silicone and an efficient fouling preventing biocide. This boosts the antifouling barrier and prolongs the fouling free period.

Improved environmental impact:

The utilization of the LCA methodology enabled a comparative analysis of the sustainability claims between two scenarios: a yacht coated with the Hempaguard X7 formulation, and the conventional Hempel's Mille NCT 71880 coating [BAU]. The findings highlight that the innovative Hempaguard X7 formulation yields a notable 31.5% reduction in environmental impact at the endpoint level. Additionally, at the mid-point level, Hempaguard X7 demonstrates lower environmental impacts across most categories, excluding Ozone layer depletion. Furthermore, this novel formulation showcases significant reductions in water consumption and emissions of NOx, SOx, and Particulate matter, indicating its potential for enhanced environmental sustainability.

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Giraglia 633 Extra & Magellan 630 Extra

Giraglia 633 Extra & Magellan 630 Extra

About the product:

Magellan 630 EXTRA and Giraglia 633 EXTRA by Gruppo Boero combine superior performance and protection with a lower environmental footprint, whether based on a hydrophilic matrix self-polishing system or self-polishing copolymer (SPC).

Improved environmental impact:

The LCA study results show that Magellan 630 Extra significantly reduces environmental impact across all analysed categories. Compared to the Business as Usual product Altura 619, it reduces total environmental damage by 21.99%. Also, Giraglia 633 Extra proves to be a viable alternative with reduction of 18.9% in coparison to the Business as Usual Altura 619 Extra. From the sensitivity analysis, it appears that for both innovative scenarios, the main damage is related to the use phase, particularly the repainting done during the hull's lifetime. This damage, in particular, depends on certain substances used in the raw materials: pigment for Magellan 630 Extra and biocide & zinc oxide for Giraglia 633.

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RecondOil

RecondOil

About the product:

The SKF RecondOil Box offers high-performance oil filtration in a compact, durable design. Constantly eliminating nano-scale particles, varnish, and moisture, it prolongs oil life and minimizes the necessity for oil changes. With cleaner oil, enhanced machine performance, and increased sustainability, it transforms oil into a valuable asset. This innovative system improves sustainability, cuts total oil expenses, enhances system efficiency, and ensures machine availability. Operating offline without disrupting the main system, it's both compact and resilient.

Improved environmental impact:

The LCA study has revealed that use of the RecondOil ROBX3115DSL solution onboard a yacht leads to a considerable reduction across all the environmental impact categories analysed. It shows a reduction in the indicators ranging from 60.2% to 83.5%. In particular, the Water Stress Index has decreased by 83.46%, Global Warming Potential by 65.20% and NOx reduction by 60.22% in comparison to the Business As Usual.

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Awlgrip HDT

Awlgrip HDT

About the product:

Awlgrip HDT (High Definition Technology) represents a top-tier polyurethane sprayable topcoat renowned for its unmatched blend of hardness, micro-scratch resistance, and repairability. Engineered to deliver outstanding gloss, unrivaled appearance, and top-tier protection, it boasts high gloss and excellent image distinction (DOI). With its durable and repairable qualities, maintenance becomes simpler, and colors are ensuring precise matching.

Improved environmental impact:

The LCA study demonstrate that Awlgrip HDT exhibits a decrease in environmental indicators across all analysed impact categories compared to the conventional Awlgrip Topcoat. The reduction ranges from 40.35 to 55.48%, indicating that Awlgrip HDT represents a more environmentally friendly alternative. Additionally, the study shows all the analysed indicators divided into the three phases of the life cycle. For almost each category, the greatest part of the resulting environmental impact is due to Upstream and Downstream phases. The only exception is the PM category, which is likely more affected by truck and ship transportations.

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Fendaskin

Fendaskin

About the product:

Defenda has developed a world-class lineup of inflatable superyacht fenders and accessories, including the environmentally-improved fender cover Fendaskin. Addressing the issue of hundreds of thousands of annually discarded fender covers, typically manufactured from non-recyclable petrochemicals, Defenda Bioprene FENDASKIN introduces a breakthrough. Crafted from organic materials, these covers not only boast durability and aesthetic appeal but also ensure end-of-life recycling, marking a significant step toward sustainability in the yachting industry and potentially diverting hundreds of tons of unrecyclable waste from landfills.

Improved environmental impact:

Defenda’s innovation showed a reduction in environmental impact across all impact categories. The reduction ranges from 65.95% to 92.79%, demonstrating that the Fendaskin is a more sustainable option compared to its mainstream alternative made of neoprene [BAU]. The LCA has shown a decrease of GWP by 86.28%, Water Stress Index by 77,04% and NOX by 65.98% in comparison to BAU. It is possible to see some relevant contributions of the Downstream phase in NOx, SOx and Acidification categories mainly due to the long distance transportation by ship.

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LCA Summary
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Marine Inverter Air Conditioning with Direct Refrigerant Expansion

Marine Inverter Air Conditioning with Direct Refrigerant Expansion

About the product:

Leveraging the latest advancements in Direct Expansion Compressor Technology, Termodinamica sources high-quality components and utilizes specialized in-house software to cater to the specific needs of all maritime markets. A primary focus is to address the inefficiencies and excessive power consumption prevalent in traditional marine HVAC systems. By integrating advanced engineering principles, Termodinamica has created a solutions that not only deliver superior performance but also contribute to a more environmentally-friendly HVAC Solution.

Improved environmental impact:

The application of the LCA methodology enabled a comparison between Termodinamica's HVAC system solution and its Business As Usual counterpart. Results indicate a substantial decrease in environmental impact across all analyzed categories, ranging from 59.89% to 65.82%. Notably, the downstream phase contributes significantly to all impact categories due to energy consumption, particularly from diesel and grid electricity. Despite transportation distances for raw materials, their impact is relatively minor compared to other processes. Both solutions are affected by the use of refrigerant gases, which have a high impact on Ozone Depletion. Sensitivity analyses were conducted due to data limitations, revealing that even when considering variations in upstream processes, the environmental benefits of Termodinamica's solution remains evident.

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Permanent Washable Air Filters

Permanent Washable Air Filters

About the product:

The permanent washable panel filters by Fundamental Marine Development utilize synthetic fibre-forming polymers that become electrostatically charged as air passes over them, enabling high-efficiency filtration with minimal pressure drop. With an initial pressure drop typically at 90 Pa, recommended final pressure drop at 300 Pa, and maximum at 450 Pa, these filters offer an efficient, cost-effective, and more environmentally responsible alternative to disposable air filters. They can be easily retro-fitted into various systems like AHUs, fan-coil units, machinery space air intakes, or engine turbocharger filters.

Improved environmental impact:

The conducted LCA study compared a yacht using traditional disposable filters [BAU] with innovative washable air filters by FMD. The study shows a reduction in the indicators ranging from 56,76% to 99% for almost all indicators, with the only exception being the Water Consumption category, which is affected from the water needed to wash FMD filters.

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LCA Summary
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Air Vortex

Air Vortex

About the product:

The Air Vortex® Process utilizes conditioned turbulent airflow at the pipe system inlet and a vacuum collector at the outlet to clean pipes down to the substrate, followed by injection of polymer to evenly line the entire system, including bends, connections, and verticals. Attested Rigs mission is to address pipe system degradation caused by abrasion, erosion, corrosion, and wear and tear, leveraging years of engineering expertise to restore, preserve, and optimize pipe lifecycles. Cleaned and lined pipes create a non-corrosive barrier, reducing friction and energy loss.

Improved environmental impact:

The LCA study confirms that the Air Vortex solution developed by Attested Rigs in comparison with pipe substitution shows a reduction in the environmental indicators ranging from 85,0% to 95,4%. Concerning the results obtained, Upstream processes - in particular the energy consumption for the production of the polymer’s components - most significantly contribute to all impact categories, except for the Water Stress Index where Downstream processes are dominant (in particular the energy consumption for the Air Vortex® application).

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LCA Summary
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Via Maris Njørdal

Via Maris Njørdal

About the product:

VIA Maris Njørdal plates combine high strength with excellent bending properties and superior weldability. Casting of the raw material with a high amount of recycled content ensures a lower carbon footprint. Structures made of formed and welded VIA Maris products exhibit extraordinarily high rigidity, lighter, and safer constructions.

Improved environmental impact:

Speira's innovative aluminium solution significantly reduces environmental impacts across most categories, with reductions reaching up to 15%. This shows a marked improvement compared to traditional aluminium. The only category with minimal change is photochemical oxidation, which is closely linked to primary aluminium production.

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LCA Summary

How to compare non-comparable indicators: Finding the Ecopoint

Dilan Sarac | 23 May 2024

They say last but not least… We know you will enjoy this conclusion to our 5-part series guiding you through Environmental Indicators relevant to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology (find Part One to Four of our Series starting here).

The Ecopoint represents the total potential environmental load of a product or solution: it is a cumulative, more holistic value that includes the impacts on human health, the ecosystem and resource diversity. The single numerical score of Ecopoint represents the overall impact of a product or solution, and is an aggregated result of the 10 previous indicators discussed until now. This score can be interpreted as a measure of sustainability performance, where lower scores indicate lower environmental impact.

Therefore, the Ecopoint allows us to group the nine environmental indicators in three different categories of damage: (1) Human Health, (2) Ecosystem quality and (3) Resources. This way, obtaining a single score representing the total environmental impacts during the product’s life cycle is possible.

Human Health and Ecosystem Impact

The Ecopoint index factors in the impact on human health and ecosystems, how a product’s life cycle may affect human well-being including health risks related to exposure to pollutants, and how it may impact ecosystems, including biodiversity and habitat disruption.

Resource Diversity

This takes into account the diversity and availability of natural resources, as well as the potential depletion of non-renewable resources and the consequences for future generations.

Four important factors are combined to assess a product’s environmental impact using the Ecopoint measure:

  1. Characterization Factors (CA): These are like scores that show how harmful a substance or emission can be for the environment.
  2. Damage Assessment Factors (DA): They include different types of harm, like global warming or air pollution.
  3. Normalization Factor (NO): This gives you a way to compare the impact to an average or reference value.
  4. Weighing Factor (WE): This helps decide how much importance to give to each type of harm.

The Ecopoint index is essentially a form of multi-criteria assessment that allows decision-makers to weigh different environmental and sustainability factors. It acknowledges that environmental issues are interconnected, and a single value can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the trade-offs and impacts associated with a product.

Learn more

Get in touch with us at info@waterrevolutionfoundation.org to find out more about the scientific methodology used within our programmes and how you can get involved.