Life Cycle Assessment

Overview of LCA and Methodology

October 30, 2012

Manufacturing

Distribution

UseEnd of Life

Raw Materials

Life Cycle of Products

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Life Cycle Assessment Phases

Goal and Scope Definition

Inventory Analysis

Impact Assessment

Interpretation

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Goal and Scope Definition

• Goal defines the intended application, audience, and reasons for LCA

• Scope defines the product system, product functions, and functional unit

• Scope defines other LCA parameters

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seeks to identify possible improvements to goods and services in the form of lower environmental impacts and reduced use of resources across all life cycle stages

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Goal: avoid burden shifting when optimizing a product in one particular area of the life-cycle.

What is better from a life-cycle perspective?

Life Cycle Thinking…

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Cradle-to-Grave - full LCA from resource extraction through product use and final disposal.

Other common scopes include:Cradle-to- Gate and Cradle-to-Cradle

Analysis Boundary

extraction use disposalmanufacture distribution

Source: Story of stuff, 2009

Scope of LCA

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Carbon Footprint… is a subset of an LCA focused solely on the Green House Gas emissions associated with a company, person, activity, or product.

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Value: energy consumption is a simple and valuable way to quickly assess comparable impacts of our decisions

Carbon-Based Analysis

Sustainability Toolbox

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Sustainability Standards

Product Category Rules

NSF Standard Development Structure

• Same accredited consensus process of development (as in performance standards)– Managed by NSF Standards Department Staff; experience in

developing national water and sustainability standards• Leverage existing technology expertise within the current

Water Joint Committees– Include involvement of representatives having knowledge and

expertise in product sustainability• Ensure regular follow-up with industry at large throughout

development– Awareness around content and structure of standards to enable

preparation for those seeking compliance– Broad input into the content and structure

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• Product Design and Materials Selection• Water Use and Conservation• Energy and Atmosphere• Human and Ecological Health• Social Responsibility• Disposal and End of Life

Sustainability Assessment Standards

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Aggregation of single attribute criteria to assess product on a life cycle basis

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Product Design Strategies

1. De-materialize – accomplish the same function using less resources

2. Close the materials loop – reuse and recycling materials prevents impacts incurred upstream

3. Design with benign materials – replacing potentially hazardous materials has become cost of entry

4. Use sustainable materials – materials derived from sustainable sources reduce environmental concerns

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Example Criteria:

Energy and Energy Efficiency

• Inventory of electrical and thermal energy

• Manufacturer use of renewable energy and energy reduction

• Supplier use of renewable energy

• Green house gas emissions inventory

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Potential for Tiered Performance

• Common template of “credits” earned toward a minimum threshold of performance.

Level 1/Conformant Level 2/Silver Level 3/Gold Level 4/Platinum

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• A set of specific rules, requirements, and guidelines for developing Type III environmental declarations for one or more product categories (ISO 14025).

• The PCR defines the product attributes and life cycle assessment criteria that must be reported for the Type III environmental declaration.

• Can be applied to Business to Business or Business to Consumer products.

What are Product Category Rules?

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PCR Defines LCA Analysis

LCA inventory analysis:• Data collection and calculation• Allocation of material and energy

flows and releases• Impact category selection• Parameters for reporting LCA

data• Materials and substances to be

declared in EPD• Other environmental data not

addressed by LCA

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Example: Draft Flooring PCR

• General Information

• Product Definition

• Product Characteristics

• Material Content

• Production Methods and Processes

• Delivery and Installation

• Use Stage

• End of Life Stage

• Life Cycle Assessment

• Additional Information, Evidence, and Test Results

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Environmental Product Declarations

Equal comparisons using standardized LCA data based on the PCR for that product

type (e.g., office chairs)

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Example of EPD

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Comparison of EPDs to Sustainable Product Certifications

Environmental Product Declaration:• Environmental data focus• Life cycle assessment

required• PCR provides framework

of data reporting for a life cycle assessment

• Summarizes environmental impacts

• Independently verified Technical Report

Sustainable Product Certification:• Triple bottom line• Multi-attribute, life cycle-

based • Defines sustainability

metrics and levels of achievement

• Ranks products on sustainable performance

• Certification with tiered ranking

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