Application of the life cycle approach to the set-up of a pilot aquaponic facility in Belgium

Aquaponics is a technique which combines recirculating aquaculture systems with hydroponic cultivation. In the last decades aquaponics gained increasing attention as a sustainable way of producing fish and vegetable for human consumption. However, previous studies, suggest that the environmental and economic sustainability of aquaponics is still a controversial subject matter. Flexible assessment tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), allow one to investigate the whole process, from the design up to the operating phases. The aim of the present study is the combined application of LCA and LCC to highlight critical aspects related to the construction of an indoor pilot aquaponic facility in Belgium