Life Cycle Assessment
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a systematic method used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle. It is a comprehensive approach that assesses all stages of a product’s life, from raw material extraction to disposal or recycling, often summarized as “cradle to grave” (or alternatively “cradle to cradle” for closed-loop systems).
Whereas “cradle to gate” LCA focuses on evaluating the environmental impacts associated with the production of a product up to the point it leaves the manufacturing facility (the “gate”). This approach considers only the stages from raw material extraction (the “cradle”) through material processing, manufacturing, and transportation to the factory gate, excluding the product’s use phase and end-of-life disposal.
Bicon Consultants – helping companies assess their product’s life cycle impact assessment. Our LCIA Services are particularly valuable for designers, manufacturers, and policymakers looking to minimize the environmental footprint of production systems and materials.
key stages of life cycle impact assessment services
– Raw Material Extraction: Examines the environmental impact of obtaining raw materials, including mining, harvesting, and energy consumption.
– Manufacturing and Production: Evaluates the resources and energy used, as well as emissions and waste generated during production.
– Transportation and Distribution: Considers the environmental costs of transporting raw materials, finished products, and intermediate components.
– Usage: Assesses the energy, water, and other resources consumed during the product’s operational life.
– End-of-Life (Disposal or Recycling): Examines how the product is disposed of, recycled, or repurposed, including emissions from these processes.
commonly used tools in lca:
- SimaPro:
- SimaPro is a professional LCA software widely used in industries and academia for environmental modeling and analysis.
- It offers extensive databases, impact assessment methods, and a user-friendly interface for conducting complex LCA studies.
- SimaPro is often used to generate EPDs, calculate PCFs, and compare alternative product designs.
- Gabi:
- GaBi (Ganzheitliche Bilanz, or “holistic balance”) is another leading LCA software offering advanced tools for life cycle modeling.
- It includes access to robust databases (e.g., GaBi databases) and supports compliance with ISO standards.
- GaBi is known for its extensive industrial application in sectors like automotive, electronics, and construction.
- OpenLCA:
- OpenLCA is an open-source software for performing LCA. It supports various life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods and databases such as ecoinvent, ELCD, and Agrifootprint.
- It is widely used by researchers, practitioners, and companies due to its flexibility, accessibility, and compatibility with ISO standards for LCA.
key goals of lca:
– To identify opportunities for reducing environmental impacts.
– To compare the environmental performance of alternative products or processes.
– To support decision-making in design, manufacturing, and policy-making.
– To foster sustainable practices in industries and organizations.
Contact us at Bicon Consultant’s office nearest to you or submit a business inquiry online.
Bicon really helped us achieve our energy goals. The onsite team, with capability to understand the real issues, coupled with their suggestions ensured us help meet our energy targets.
