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Environmental Protection Research

Ostfold Research is a leader among the Nordic countries in the field of Environmental Protection Research. The foundation for this type of research is the prevention of environmental problems, thus avoiding the necessity of repairing the damage after it has occurred. It also contributes to the products and energy and waste systems in industry being as environmental and resource efficient as possible.

Ostfold Research's main focus is on the analysis and documentation of environmental and resource efficiency in different types of systems, from individual companies, products and their value chains to the entire network of companies and businesses. Examples of the latter are waste systems, energy systems and the industrial ecological network. The methodological basis is life cycle assessments, LCA, and systems analysis, where environmental conditions are assessed in relation to the products or the systems functionality, and often in combination with business administration and economics.

The analysis and documentation of environmental and resource efficiency is used by Ostfold Research's clients in development projects,  strategy development, supplier development, turnover/sale of products and in the development of policy and procedures for the public sector.

The Environmental Protection Research is concentrated on three research areas:

• Construction, energy consumption and the service sector
• Energy and waste resources
• Optimal packaging and food products

EPR had nine permanent employees in August 2007. These employees make up a multidisciplinary team where the emphasis is on university and college educated personnel in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and energy studies, ecology and biology. One of the employees has a PhD in systems analysis and environmental analysis. One is in the process of completing his PhD, while another two have started theirs.