Hunter Hub Skills Clinic | An Introduction to Environmental Life Cycle Assessment: Understanding your Product’s Footprint
Session Overview
Join us for another Hunter Hub Skills Clinic and gain valuable insights into Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and integrating sustainability practice into your business.
Led by Dr. Shiva Zargar, LCA Scientist, Entrepreneur, and Founder of Build Neutral, this session will introduce life cycle assessment (LCA) as a practical tool for innovators to measure and manage the full environmental impact of their products and services, from raw materials extraction to end-of-life.
Participants will learn how to use LCA insights to avoid greenwashing, meet investor and customer expectations, and integrate sustainability as a value driver rather than an afterthought. Real-world examples will show how life cycle thinking helps startups reduce costs, improve resilience, and accelerate growth in an increasingly sustainability-conscious marketplace. Whether you’re building a hardware product, developing clean tech, or launching a service, this session will give you the knowledge and inspiration to design for impact from day one. provide in-depth guidance on navigating business loan opportunities and funding options to support the growth of your business.
Who Will You Hear From?
Dr. Shiva Zargar
Dr. Shiva Zargar is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Scientist, Entrepreneur, and the Founder of Build Neutral, an indigenous-owned sustainability consulting firm that helps startups and businesses reduce their environmental impacts and unlock growth through data-driven solutions. With over 10 years of experience in LCA and as an accredited environmental product declaration (EPD) verifier, she brings deep technical knowledge and industry insight to her work.
Shiva holds a PhD in Sustainable Bioeconomy from the University of British Columbia, supported by the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, along with two master’s degrees in biosystem mechanics in the field of renewable energies and another in biology focusing on environmental impact assessment. Her work spans industrial ecology, environmental impact assessment, and techno-economic analysis, empowering innovators to embed sustainability into their ventures from day one.
Schedule of Events
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM: Check-In & Light Refreshments
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM: Speaker Presentation
1:15 PM – 1:30 PM: Final Q&A and Depart
What are Skills Clinics & Who can Attend?
This event is open to UCalgary students, postdocs, faculty, staff, and alumni interested in developing their entrepreneurial skills and networking within the innovation community. We showcase leaders from Calgary’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, representing diverse backgrounds and achievements. Skills Clinics are designed to empower participants to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.
Location
Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, Collision Space 401 | 460 Campus Lane NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
401 is located on the 4th floor of the Hunter Student Commons