Advancing product service systems - Life cycle assessment: Robust method for sustainability assessment

An increasing number of industries are embracing sustainable business models in response to heightened competition, environmental pressures, and evolving customer expectations. One prominent business model involves integrating Product-Service Systems (PSS). Despite the potential for PSS to be regarded as a sustainable business model, there is a notable limitation of robust assessments to measure its performance. Conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the predominant method used for evaluation, inadequately captures the dynamic complexities inherent in PSS systems. This study proposes a dynamic PSS-LCA advancement by integrating system dynamics to assess environmental and economic performance over time. Complexity Through establishing robust functional units and simulating system behaviors, this framework addresses the limitations of traditional LCA methodologies. The framework was applied to a DSLR camera service case study, which shows that although PSS can reduce emissions compared to the traditional sales model, its success depends on managing user behavior and service quality. This study underscores the importance of dynamic assessment tools to accurately evaluate the sustainability of PSS implementation.