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The development and implementation of new technologies can generate many effects for the economy, the quality of environment and human life. For that reason, when a decision about using new or developing already functioning technologies is made, the Sustainability Assessment of the Technology (SAT) should be carried out. The methodology of assessing social impacts is worst developed compared with assessment of economic and environmental impacts, so there is still need to find appropriate indicators and methods for measuring this kind of impacts. It should be stated that the SAT methods currently used take into account the assessment of social aspects, but the complexity of this assessment is various. For that reason, this article presents an overview of indicators, tools and methods used for evaluation of social impacts in the SAT. Then, an assessment of selected SAT methods has been conducted to indicate which of the SAT methods is the most comprehensive in relation to the social aspects in the final assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularity metrics are useful for empirically assessing the effects of introduction of circular economy principles at product and company level. Due to the fact, that the concept of circular economy is new, one standardized method for measuring the circularity of products and company has still not been developed. For that reason, in this article the multidisciplinary literature review was carried out for indicating existing methods, tools and indicators dedicated to measure the circularity. This analysis has provided information allowing to indicate a trend for future development of circularity metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents an analysis of the applicability of environmental life cycle costing to the sustainability assessment of the technologies (SAT). In practice various indicator sets are used to SAT, but in most cases their application allows to express the results obtained in each pillars of sustainable development in various units. Such situation makes difficult the interpretation of results. Environmental life cycle cost allows to express economic and environmental impact of technology in one monetary value and thanks to that it may be used to sustainability assessment of the technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of selected environmental methods and tools. This analysis has been carried out in order to recognise their applicability for supporting eco-innovation implementation within National Smart Specialisation framework in Poland. It was based on multiple criteria which took into account characteristics related to advantages and disadvantages of relevant methods and tools. On the basis of Delphi methodology, the panel of experts has determined a set of most suitable environmental methods and tools in relation to their analytical opportunities and eco-innovation development support potential as well as possible difficulties in their sufficient application. The conducted study has indicated that implementation of National Smart Specialisations in Poland may rise structural changes and build unique capabilities related to eco-innovation implementation. However, this complex process needs the support of appropriate utilisation of specific environmental methods and tools which have been identified and assessed considering their applicability for that purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the selected issues related to the development of methods and indicators for measuring eco-innovation at the micro-level and explores how they may be employed in practice. On the basis of multidisciplinary literature review the various economic and environmental methods and indicators, which might be involved in measuring eco-innovation, have been discussed. This analysis has resulted in development of an original approach to measuring eco-innovation based on ecoefficiency indicator. It takes into account the Life Cycle Assessment results (endpoints) expressed in monetary terms and the value added by particular eco-innovation defined as specific functional unit. The economic value of the Life Cycle Assessment results comprises a sum of values of damage in human health, damage in ecosystem quality and damage in resources, whereas the value added is a difference between the value of revenues generated in the eco-innovation life cycle and the conventional life cycle cost of eco-innovation calculated for functional unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a conceptual model of eco-innovative product design and development built on life cycle approach. A proposed model is based on literature review, observations of the design process and interviews carried out among representatives of teams developing eco-innovations. Particular attention was paid to knowledge management related to reduction of the environmental impact of ecoinnovation throughout its life cycle. Specific methods, techniques and tools dedicated to the analysis and assessment of environmental aspects related to product life cycle suitable for different stages of design and development process have been identified. The basic assumption was not only to provide useful basis to design and development of eco-innovative products. An effort has also been made to formulate proposal how to use eco-efficiency indicator to assess a level of eco-innovativeness of the alternative products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]