The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Center, under the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Balamand (UOB), is a first of its kind in Lebanon and the MENA region that demonstrates salient work and encumbers a brilliant mission, which paves the way to attain the UN sustainable development goals at the Univeristy of Balamand. The LCA Center is working closely with Matelec S.A.L., which is a leading Lebanese contractor for building power infrastructure in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as a high-quality manufacturer of a variety of electrical equipment. Matelec S.A.L. is the first platinum sponsor for the UOB LCA Center.

Life Cycle Assessment is a method for assessing how a product, a process, and/or a service affect the environment at every stage of its life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to disposal. With consumers demanding "greener" products, LCA is recently growing in prominence in Lebanon and the MENA region. This methodology can be applied to the creation of products, marketing campaigns, and public policies.

The LCA Center has completed several projects for Matelec S.A.L., such as a carbon footprint study for 57 distribution transformers, 3-days training on environmental LCA, as well as LCA reports and environmental product declarations for 4 distribution transformers. These were completed due to the joint efforts of Dr. Rima Manneh (UOB Associate Professor and LCA Center Director, Chemical Engineering Department), Dr. Makram El Bachawati (UOB Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Department), and our Chemical Engineering Alumnus, Ms. Marleine Boutros.

In particular, a carbon footprint analysis is an LCA that concentrates on the detection of climate change consequences and is used to determine the amount of CO2eq emitted over a product life cycle. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, specifically SDG 7 "Affordable and Clean Energy" and SDG 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production”, are addressed by the LCA Center at UOB in this context. The LCA Center provided comprehensive training on LCA at the UOB premises for Mr. Rabih Dib, the Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) Manager at Matelec S.A.L. The training was held from the 9th to the 11th of May 2022 and covered all phases of an LCA, as well as how to use LCA software with a practical case study.

As a result of this significant collaboration, the industry was able to secure greenhouse gas verification statements according to ISO14067 and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for the studied distribution transformers.

This groundbreaking partnership will hopefully inspire other sectors in Lebanon and wider to collaborate with the UOB LCA Center. Involving UOB Engineering alumni or current students and enhancing their proficiency in LCA consultation work is another great opportunity.

UOB Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Prof. Rami Abboud commended the efforts of the LCA Center, directed by Dr. Rima Manneh, knowing that they have his full encouragement and support. ​