Rolf Frischknecht

Dr. Sc. Techn. - Managing Partner of ESU-services

Rolf Frischknecht studied civil engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. Between 1990 and 1997 he worked at the Department of Energy Technology at ETH Zurich on methodology, data collection and data management for Life Cycle Inventories of energy systems and was responsible for the development of the first version of an Internet-based LCA database and laid one principle foundation stone for the current ecoinvent database. He wrote his Ph.D. on life cycle inventory analysis and decision making. In 1998 he founded ESU-services and since 2006 he is managing partner of ESU-services Ltd, together with Niels Jungbluth. From 1998 to 2005 he was project leader of the design, build-up and introduction of the ecoinvent database, the most widespread international, web-based LCA database world wide. From 2005 to March 2008 he lead the ecoinvent Centre, maintaining and further extending the ecoinvent database. He teaches LCA on bachelor and master level at ETH Zürich. He is chair of the work area "resources and materials" of the international UNEP SETAC life cycle initiative, member of the international advisory council of the ecoinvent Centre and member of the advisory board of the Swiss LCA discussion forum.

phone:  +41 44 940 61 91
mail:      frischknecht(at)esu-services.ch
skype:   frischknecht1708

Formation

• Ph.D. on decision-supporting Life Cycle Inventory Methodology, ETH Zürich (1998)
• Postgraduate studies on energy and environment, Fachhochschule beider Basel, Muttenz (1990)
• Dipl. Bau-Ing. ETH with emphasis on structural and hydraulic engineering, ETH Zürich (1986)

Experiences

• LCA database design, implementation and management for companies and authorities
• Environmental management consultancies based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Research in the field of LCA
• Application of ecological scarcity concepts on countries and regions
• Training courses in LCA and in the LCA database management, in particular the ecoinvent database
• Lectures at the ETH Zurich on life cycle assessment (masters and bachelor level)
• Peer Review of LCA studies and Papers
• Peer Reviews of papers submitted to the International Journal of LCA, the Journal for Cleaner Production and the Environmental Impact Assessment Review

Professional Affiliations 

• Chair of the work area "Resources & Materials" of the UNEP SETAC Life Cycle Initiative
• Member of the international advisory council of the ecoinvent Centre
• Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
• Member of the Advisory Board of the LCA Discussion Forum
• Member of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
• Member of the Swiss Engineers and Architects Association (SIA)
• Member of the German Engineers Association (VDI)

Hobbies

• Family
• Hiking
• Jogging
• Playing trumpet