Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an essential tool for evaluating the environmental impact of a product—from its manufacture to its end of life. Governed by ISO standards 14040 and 14044, it relies on a rigorous, systemic, and quantitative approach.
First developed in the United States in 1969, it has since become a cornerstone of industrial decarbonization.
But learning LCA doesn’t have to be boring!
That’s exactly the spirit behind the new MOOC “Why LCA?”, available free of charge from January 6 to March 2, 2026, and accessible via the IFP School website.
This MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) delivers rigorous instruction while adopting a pop, offbeat, and distinctly seventies-inspired visual identity. “Why LCA?” playfully riffs on the famous “YMCA” to present life-cycle assessment from a fresh perspective.
The goal: to make a highly technical subject accessible and engaging—without ever compromising scientific rigor.
Designed by the Lab e·nov™, IFP School’s digital culture laboratory, in partnership with Axens, this MOOC draws on the expertise of Julien Garcia and Leidy Tatiana Vargas Ibañez, Research Engineers at the Economics & Foresight Division of IFP Energies nouvelles.
A unique format: serious in substance, bold in style
Delivered in English with French subtitles, Why LCA? offers a clear and progressive introduction to life-cycle assessment, but in an unusual format:
- Short, lively, and illustrated video modules,
- A pop-inspired visual universe,
- Assessment presented as a challenge.
Learners discover the systemic logic of LCA, its role in project management, its applications, its benefits, as well as its limitations. They are invited to explore the four phases of the methodology, the associated regulations, modeling tools, and the basics of interpreting results.
“Life-cycle assessment has become one of the key environmental criteria in industry. It allows for the comparison, for each product, of greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution, consumption of natural resources, impacts on biodiversity, and even waste management costs,” explains Julien Garcia.
“Our ambition was to make this essential method not only understandable, but also enjoyable to explore—even a little surprising,” adds Marie de la Villèsbrunne, Operational Manager and Educational Coordinator at Lab e·nov™.
An Immersion in LCA Applied to Industrial Technologies
The second part of the MOOC moves beyond theory to dive into real-world case studies provided by Axens, illustrating the practical application of LCA to innovative processes: biofuels, recycling processes, catalysts, and more.
Project managers share their hands-on experience and reveal how LCA guides the design, environmental assessment, and management of their processes. Julien Garcia and Leidy Tatiana Vargas Ibañez complement these insights by highlighting the key lessons learned from the case studies presented.
It is also in this section that learners will have the opportunity to learn how to read a real LCA report!
With educational value for our students, this MOOC is offered in various School programs as an introduction to the LCA methodology before using reference databases. It is also integrated into the Experience Sharing Module, in which students apply LCA to projects related to decarbonization and critical materials.
Targeted Skills and Certification
To validate their learning, learners complete quizzes, analyze case studies, and explore dedicated infographics.
At the end of the course, learners will be able to:
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explain the core principles of LCA;
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describe its key stages and their objectives;
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identify when and how to use LCA in a project;
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locate the relevant regulatory information;
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interpret the main indicators in an LCA report.
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A completion badge is awarded for a score of 60% or higher.
Registration and information
Registration for the “Why LCA?” MOOC is now open at:
https://academy.ifp-school.com/course/index.php?categoryid=7&lang=fr
A discussion session with the instructors and LCA specialists from IFPEN will be organized soon.
To learn more about this module or to explore — together with your company — the development of new, innovative training courses, please contact the Lab e·nov™.