The Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory

The Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab) is a collaborative cloud-computing platform for compiling large-scale, high-resolution, enviro-socio-economic accounts based on multi-region input-output (MRIO) tables and for... [ view full abstract ]

The Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab) is a collaborative cloud-computing platform for compiling large-scale, high-resolution, enviro-socio-economic accounts based on multi-region input-output (MRIO) tables and for conducting integrated sustainability assessment projects. IELab features a web-based interface that allows researchers from anywhere in the world to use a IELab’s features such as tailoring MRIO tables to match their individual research questions, calculating footprints, product layer decompositions or structural path analyses without the need for data handling or coding. This highly versatile, user-focused philosophy makes IELab the first project that allows researchers from any background to use the insights provided by input-output analysis without the need for extensive and specialised training. The IELab has so far been successfully used for a number of research projects including, for example, assessments of biofuels and low-carbon construction materials or high-resolution waste modelling. This talk will focus on the questions "What are the specific features of IELab that were used in the research and could the research have happened without them?" and will explain how IELab can efficiently complement research activities and foster collaborations.