The transition toward advanced and sustainable materials is increasingly challenged by the volatility of raw material supply chains, particularly in the European context, where a strong dependence on critical raw materials requires rapid adaptation in material design and selection. In this scenario, decision-making tools play a crucial role in enabling timely responses to changes in availability, cost, and environmental impact, while maintaining required performance levels.

This contribution presents an integrated Life Cycle Performance Analysis (LCPA) approach embedded within a Sustainable Decision Support System to support material selection and, where relevant, process optimisation. The methodology goes beyond conventional life cycle assessment by coupling environmental indicators with performance-related metrics, enabling a balanced evaluation of functional efficiency, durability, and sustainability across the entire life cycle of a material solution. The approach facilitates systematic comparison of alternative material compositions and processing routes, while explicitly addressing trade-offs between technical performance, resource efficiency, and environmental footprint.

The resulting decision support system enables multi-criteria analysis that jointly considers performance targets, sustainability objectives, and supply-chain constraints. By organising information in a flexible and modular structure, the system supports rapid re-evaluation of material solutions when boundary conditions evolve, such as reduced availability of specific alloying elements or the need to prioritise lower-impact or locally sourced raw materials.