Simplified and User-Friendly S-LCA: A Methodological Framework for Assessing Social Impacts of PEDs

In recent years, the transition toward sustainable urban development has accelerated, particularly through initiatives like Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), which aim to generate more energy than they consume. However, while environmental and economic dimensions of PEDs are widely studied, their social impacts remain significantly underexplored. At the same time, existing Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) methodologies are often too complex or resource-intensive for students, small organizations, or early-career practitioners to implement effectively. Barriers such as lack of training, methodological opacity, and limited data access persist, preventing the wider adoption of S-LCA in both academic and applied contexts. To address these challenges, this thesis develops a simplified and user-friendly S-LCA implementation methodology. Grounded in a comparative analysis of two internationally recognized standards—UNEP’s “Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of Products and Organizations” (2020) and ISO 14075:2024—the methodology breaks down each of the four S-LCA phases into concrete, actionable tasks. These are designed for clarity, adaptability, and educational use while preserving methodological rigor. The thesis uses a qualitative comparative method inspired by Masoodi (2017), adapting grounded theory and phenomenological principles to structure the simplification process. The simplified methodology is partially validated through an initial case study: the Milan-based pilot of the EU-funded ProLight project, which applies digital and participatory tools (such as the Planet App) within a social housing context. Phase 1 (Goal and Scope Definition) of the simplified S-LCA was successfully applied, demonstrating the feasibility of the approach even in cases where a defined functional unit was not available. Results confirm that the methodology is not only operationally effective but also adaptable to real-world constraints, making it a practical tool for wider dissemination.