nordlca guide for lca of road and rail infrastructure for lca of... · several lcas have been...

Guide for LCA of Road

and Rail Infrastructure NordLCA

Report number 2020-09

EAN number 978-87-93945-77-7

Project NordLCA

Report number

Date 16.06.2020

Project manager Bob Hamel, Norwegian Public Road Administration

Financial partners Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA), Swedish Transport Administration (STA) and Finnish Transport Infra-structure Agency (FTIA).

Members of the project group

Soile Knuuti (FTIA), Åsa Lindgren (STA), Bob Hamel (NPRA) Scientific partners Tyrens (S), Østfoldforskning (N), Destia (SF)

Report title Guide for LCA of Road and Rail Infrastructure

Summary

In a joint effort, the Nordic National Road Administrations (NRAs), Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA), Swedish Transport Administration (STA) and Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA), want to further develop their Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools and procedure for using LCA of road and rail infrastructure. A common project was been established in 2017 – the NordLCA project. Several LCAs have been performed and LCA tools have been developed for civil engineering works, thought mainly focusing on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. The experience is that LCA can vary in results significantly. The NRAs find it very important to clarify why those differences occur. Minimizing these differences and ensuring results reliability is needed. Thus, a guide for how to use LCA for Road and Railway projects has been developed. The guide has been developed in two steps, with a draft developed as a first step by Norway (Østfoldforskning), Finland (Destia) and Sweden (Tyréns). The scope of the guide is to define how LCA is to be used within road and railway planning, construction and maintenance and narrow down the room for interpretation when using standards which will result in more comparable results. The focus of this guide is carbon emissions, but the guide is applicable for other environmental impact categories. The target audience is LCA users within the National Road and Railway Authorities, including project leaders, planners and procurement professionals. Tool developers and tool buyers may benefit from the guide as well as LCA consultants/service providers and those responsible for procuring these services.

Keywords Lyfe Cycle Analysis, LCA, Infrastructure, Greenhouse gas emissions

Language English. Also available in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish

Number of pages 44

2

ASSIGNMENT GUIDE FOR LCA OF ROAD AND RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Status: Final

PARTICIPANTS

Customer: Nordic National Road Administrations (NRAs), Norwegian Public

Roads Administration (NPRA), Swedish Transport Administration

(STA) and Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA).

Contact person: Bob HameI, Norwegian Public Roads Administration

Consultant: Tyréns

REVISIONS

Date: 2020-04-20

Version: 1.0

Project manager: Bob Hamel, Norwegian Public Roads Admin-

istration

Date: 2020-06-16

Contact persons: Soile Knuuti, Finnish Transport Infrastructure

Agency; Åsa Lindgren, Swedish Transport Administration; Bob

Hamel (Norwegian Public Roads Administration)

Date: 2020-06-16

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 6

1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................ 6

1.2 Purpose of the Guide and target audience ........................................................................ 6

1.2.1 How to use the Guide ..................................................................................................... 6 Part 1 - Introduction to LCA, standards and planning processes

2 LCA in short .............................................................................................................................. 8

2.1 Introduction to LCA methodology ...................................................................................... 8

2.2 Standards for LCA of civil engineering works .................................................................. 10

2.2.1 Suite of standards ......................................................................................................... 10

2.2.2 Environmental assessment at civil engineering works level ......................................... 11

2.2.3 Environmental assessment at construction products level (EPD and PCR) ................ 12

2.3 Comparison Between Projects and for sub-construction works ...................................... 14

3 Planning processes for road and rail infrastructure projects ............................................ 15

3.1 Planning process description ........................................................................................... 15

3.2 Decision making in road planning process ...................................................................... 16

3.3 Using LCA in road and railway planning .......................................................................... 18 Part 2 - LCA in road and railway planning

4 Defining the LCA study .......................................................................................................... 19

4.1 Purpose of the assessment - goal and scope definition .................................................. 19

4.1.1 Defining the goal ........................................................................................................... 19

4.1.2 Defining the scope ........................................................................................................ 19

4.2 Data quality ...................................................................................................................... 21

4.3 Life cycle impact assessment .......................................................................................... 21

5 LCA implementation in road and railway planning ............................................................. 22

5.1 Feasibility studies............................................................................................................. 22

5.1.1 goal ............................................................................................................................... 22

5.1.2 scope ............................................................................................................................ 22

5.1.3 data quality .................................................................................................................... 23

5.2 Preliminary engineering planning .................................................................................... 24

5.2.1 goal ............................................................................................................................... 24

5.2.2 scope ............................................................................................................................ 25

5.2.3 data quality .................................................................................................................... 26

5.3 Final engineering planning ............................................................................................... 26

5.3.1 goal ............................................................................................................................... 26

5.3.2 scope ............................................................................................................................ 26

5.3.3 data quality .................................................................................................................... 28

5.4 construction ...................................................................................................................... 29


5.4.2 Defining the scope ........................................................................................................ 29

5.4.3 data quality .................................................................................................................... 31

4

5.5 Operation and Maintenance ............................................................................................ 31


5.5.2 scope ............................................................................................................................ 31

5.5.3 data quality .................................................................................................................... 33

6 Communicating results .......................................................................................................... 34

6.1 LCA practitioner, as well as target audience ................................................................... 34

6.2 LCA tool and database .................................................................................................... 34

6.3 planning process stage .................................................................................................... 34

6.4 Goal and Scope ............................................................................................................... 34

6.5 recommendation .............................................................................................................. 34

7 National Guidelines development ......................................................................................... 35

7.1 Planning stages and decision support ............................................................................. 35

7.2 GOAL and Scope definition ............................................................................................. 35

7.3 LCA tools ......................................................................................................................... 35

8 Green procurement of infrastructure .................................................................................... 36

8.1 Environmental Product Declarations in green procurement ............................................ 36

8.2 Defining environmental performance goals and metrics ................................................. 36

9 Procurement of LCA services ............................................................................................... 37

9.1 Methodological considerations ........................................................................................ 37

9.2 Applied LCA tools and LCA databases ........................................................................... 37

10 References ............................................................................................................................... 38

10.1.1 Introduction to BIM ...................................................................................................... 40

10.1.2 Setting requirements for BIM coordination ................................................................. 40

10.1.3 Seamless integration to LCA software ....................................................................... 41

10.1.4 Standardization ........................................................................................................... 41

5

ABBREVIATIONS

AADT: Average Daily Traffic

CEN: European Committee for Standardization

EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment

EPD: Environmental Product Declaration

FDIS: Final Draft International Standard

FTIA: Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency

GHG: Green House Gas

GWP: Global Warming Potential

GUID: Globally Unique Identifier

ISO: International Standards Organization

LCA: Life Cycle Assessment

NPRA: Norwegian Public Roads Administration

NRA: Nordic National Road Administration

PCR: Product Category Rules

PDT: Product Data Templates

RSL: Reference Service Life

STA: Swedish Transport Administration

6

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

In a joint effort, the Nordic National Road Administrations (NRAs), Norwegian Public Roads

Administration (NPRA), Swedish Transport Administration (STA) and Finnish Transport Infra-

structure Agency (FTIA), want to further develop their Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools and

procedure for using LCA of road and rail infrastructure. A common project was been estab-

lished in 2017 – the NordLCA project.

Several LCAs have been performed and LCA tools have been developed for civil engineering

works, thought mainly focusing on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. The experience is that

LCA can vary in results significantly. The NRAs find it very important to clarify why those dif-

ferences occur. Minimizing these differences and ensuring results reliability is needed. Thus,

a guide for how to use LCA for Road and Railway projects has been developed. The guide has

been developed in two steps, with a draft developed as a first step by Norway (Østfold-

forskning), Finland (Destia) and Sweden (Tyréns).

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE AND TARGET AUDIENCE

The scope of the guide is to define how LCA is to be used within road and railway planning,

construction and maintenance and narrow down the room for interpretation when using

standards which will result in more comparable results. The focus of this guide is carbon

emissions, but the guide is applicable for other environmental impact categories.

The target audience is LCA users within the National Road and Railway Authorities, including

project leaders, planners and procurement professionals. Tool developers and tool buyers

may benefit from the guide as well as LCA consultants/service providers and those responsi-

ble for procuring these services.

1.2.1 HOW TO USE THE GUIDE

TARGET GROUP: LCA PRACTITIONER

As an LCA practitioner it is critical to familiarize oneself with the topics discussed under part

1 of this document. This will ensure sufficient background knowledge and will allow navi-

gating to the appropriate sections in part 2. The following sections should be focused on:

• Part 1 (chapters 1-3): Introductory text – ensure clear understanding

• Part 2 (chapter 4): Definition of methodology aspects – in combination with chapter

5

• Part 2 (chapter 5): Guidance on implementation – specific issues to each planning

stage addressed. Navigate to relevant planning stage

• Part 2 (chapters 6-9): Additional information – ensure clear understanding of results

communication

TARGET GROUP: PROJECT MANAGERS

As a project manager, an understanding of basic LCA concepts and how LCA can support de-

cision making during the infrastructure planning process is critical. The following sections

should be focused on:

• Part 1 (chapters 1-2): Introductory text – ensure clear understanding

• Part 2 (chapters 6-9): Additional information – ensure clear understanding

8

Part 1 – Introduction to LCA, standards and

planning processes

2 LCA IN SHORT

The following chapter provides an introduction to LCA methodology as well as the standards

developed and applied.

2.1 INTRODUCTION TO LCA METHODOLOGY

The concept of LCA can be understood as stated by Baumann and Tillman (2004): It means

that a product is followed from its ‘cradle’ where raw materials are extracted from natural

resources through production and use to its ‘grave’, the disposal.

LCA addresses the environmental aspects and potential impacts in this context and the gen-

eral categories of environmental impacts needing consideration include resource use, human

health, and ecological consequences (ISO 14040:2006).

There are four phases in an LCA study as illustrated in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1 Phases in LCA studies.

LCA aims to assess the environmental impact of products, product systems such as a trans-

portation system or a road, and services. The methodology has been developed to be able to

capture the inflows and outflows from activities in all life cycle stages associated with a

9

product or product system and all environmental impacts related to these inflows and out-

flows. It considers the entire technical system related to a product from ‘cradle to grave’, i.e.

from raw material acquisition to final waste treatment of waste products.

One of the greatest advantages of LCA is the ability to avoid so-called “problem shifts” or

partial optimization, both with respect to life cycle stages and to environmental impacts:

1. It captures all life cycle stages where impact occurs in order to identify the important

stages and associated processes such as production processes, traffic or maintenance.

2. It captures several environmental impacts simultaneously to identify the important en-

vironmental issues.

From several examples presented in the current literature, it may be seen that even when

studying the same kind of construction works or building materials, LCA results may differ

significantly. It can be shown in Figure 2.2 where four different calculation tools for LCA of

infrastructure projects were used (A-D). Each point represents result from different LCA

study for the same product.

Figure 2.2 The results of the emission calculations carried out in the Kivikko street project (note the y-axis loga-

rithm scale). The computation “C” is in kg CO2eq, the other calculations are in kg CO2. Source: Känkänen et al 2017.

10

How can this be explained? Performing LCA analyses of construction products, buildings or

other civil engineering works requires methodological considerations on several dimensions,

leading to a variety of explanations of differences in results. It can be seen in Figure 2.3 that

some of the deviation of the results originate from incoherent way of modelling the working

phases in the calculation tools.

Figure 2.3 The deviations of the calculations results originate from many sources.

There are a number of methodological options that may potentially influence the results from

the LCA: the definition of scope, including the choice of functional unit (the defining reference

for the analysis to be performed) and the system boundaries, data selection and data quality,

impact assessment methods.

2.2 STANDARDS FOR LCA OF CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS

2.2.1 SUITE OF STANDARDS

The purpose of the European Standards developed for LCA of civil engineering works is to

enable comparability of the results of assessments. The series of standards are given in Fig-

ure 2.4. The green colored standards are environmental related standards for building, while

red refers to social performance and blue to economic performance of buildings. The light

blue boxes represent civil engineering works and include all three pillars of performances.

11

Figure 2.4 Suites of European standards. Source: CEN/TC 350.

For civil engineering works the framework for sustainability assessment was published in

2017. The standard is EN 15643-5:2017: Sustainability of construction works - Sustainability

assessment of buildings and civil engineering works - Part 5: Framework on specific princi-

ples and requirement for civil engineering works. And it provides specific principles and re-

quirements for the assessment of environmental, social and economic performance of civil

engineering works taking into account its technical characteristics and functionality.

There is also parallel work to EN 15643-5:2017 going on in the ISO-organization. ISO is in a

process to finalize the parallel standard ISO/FDIS 21931-2:2018 Sustainability in buildings

and civil engineering works -Framework for methods of assessment of the sustainability per-

formance of construction works - Part 2: Civil engineering works.

This document will use requirements and principles form EN 15643-5:2017 (civil engineering

works) and EN 15978 (building level assessment) as bases for recommendations.

2.2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AT CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS LEVEL

The framework standard EN 15643-5:2017 gives principles for designing the LCA. It follows

the same principles as for buildings.

12

LCA of civil engineering works requires information related to different activities along the

life cycle of infrastructure. Thus, Figure 2.5 shows the information modules the life cycle is

covered by. Resource use, emissions and environmental impacts that are caused by a given

activity are assigned to the respective information module.

Figure 2.5 Information modules applied in the assessment of environmental, social and economic performance

of a civil engineering works (EN 15643-5:2017).

This structure differs slightly from the one used for EPD and LCA for buildings. A pre-con-

struction phase is introduced - A0. In addition, use phase is introduced. Here impacts and

aspects caused by the user’s utilization of the civil engineering works can be included, e.g.

the fuel consumed by the vehicles use of a road. For roads this will include e.g. traffic, oper-

ation and maintenance. The standards are developing and there will be a new information

module "C5 Re-landscaping" introduced in the revision of ISO 21931-2 which is the ISO

framework standard for civil engineering works.

2.2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AT CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS LEVEL (EPD AND PCR)

An EPD is an executive summary of an LCA of a construction product or service. The EPD is

an “information carrier”, similar to the content of nutrients on a package of food, and pro-

vides data input to support building and civil engineering works environmental assessment.

Information from an EPD regarding information modules A1-A3 (cradle-to-gate information

for the product) is the information used at building level for the different construction prod-

ucts that represent the building. Then the EPD may contain information regarding how the

construction product is transported to construction site (A4), how it should be installed in a

given context (A5), how often it needs to be replaced and how this could be done (B4), and

how the scenarios for waste processing for both the replaced product (B4) and for the prod-

uct after end-of-life of the building (C1-C4) may look. As a construction product may be used

for several purposes, the end of life scenarios will always be based on assumptions.

ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 give rules for how to perform LCA for all products and services.

ISO 14025 is the corresponding standard that established the principles and specifies the

procedures for developing EPD for all products and services, while EN 15804 or ISO 21930,

13

both give core rules for ‘all’ construction products and services. They include rules for all

stages until the end of ‘cradle-to-gate’ (A1-A3) that apply to all construction materials, and

guidelines for the creation of scenarios in the construction phase, use phase and end-of-life

(A4-C4, see Figure 2.5). The latter must be detailed specific for each product category; e.g.;

asphalt, or concrete product, by so called product category rules (PCR). PCR define the rules

and requirements for the EPDs of a certain product category. PCRs developed for infrastruc-

ture include CPC 53210, 53211 and 53212.

It is mandatory that EPDs provide information on ‘cradle-to-gate’ (information modules A1-

A3) for construction products as well as modules C and D. A1-A3 is minimum based on the

previous version of EN15804. The revised EN15804 has included more mandatory modules

(C and D). PCRs can also define extended mandatory modules. In addition, an EPD program

operator can in their General Program Instructions (GPI) define more mandatory modules. An

example is A4 that is included in Norway. EPDs for construction materials must be in accord-

ance with EN 15804. They must also be 3rd

party verified, and approved/published by an EPD

Program Operator. Due to a transition period between the previous and the current version

of EN 15804, EPDs published during this time may differ in their scope and the modules in-

cluded.

As illustrated in Figure 2.6, several EPDs and other information will be ’added up’ to make

the full LCA of the civil engineering works.

Figure 2.6 Link between product level information and building level assessment (Rønning, 2017).

14

Essential for material and product data exchange are digital EPD’s. BuildingSMART develops

standards for Product Data Templates (PDT) for building materials and products (EN ISO

23387). The environmental properties are handled in the same way as other properties of

the product in a digital product template. Templates will enable data exchange through the

life cycle of the product, using the same data structure, terminology and GUIDs, thus making

the data machine-readable.

2.3 COMPARISON BETWEEN PROJECTS AND FOR SUB-CONSTRUCTION WORKS

Comparisons between alternatives at early planning stages can provide valuable input in de-

ciding what the best infrastructure solution would be for a specific project. Applying LCA

methodology for the purpose of comparing between LCA studies has several limitations re-

lated to the specific parameters defined at project level. Direct comparisons between pro-

jects that have different parameters and serve different traffic flows are of limited use and

cannot provide a useful result. Details on the parameters that have to be considered when

defining the LCA study are addressed in detail in chapters 4 and 5 of this document.

EN 15804 specifies that comparisons are possible at the sub-construction works level, e.g.

for assembled systems, components or services for one or more life cycle stages. In all cases

of comparing construction products, the principle that the basis for comparison of the as-

sessment is the construction works level shall be maintained by ensuring that the same func-

tional requirements are met and:

• the same functional requirements as defined by legislation or in the client’s brief are

met,

• the environmental performance and technical performance of any assembled sys-

tems, components, or products excluded are the same,

• the amounts of any material excluded are the same,

• excluded processes or life cycle stages are the same,

• the influence of the product systems on the operational aspects and impacts of the

civil engineering works level are taken into account.

To ensure comparability, it is important that construction products within the same product

group or products that solve a specific function, have used the same ‘calculation rules’ and

assumptions.

15

3 PLANNING PROCESSES FOR ROAD AND RAIL INFRASTRUC-

TURE PROJECTS

The chapter presents an overview of the infrastructure planning process in the Nordic coun-

tries. Process stages have been named to accommodate eventual differences between coun-

tries.

3.1 PLANNING PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Planning of roads and railways is a stepwise process where the levels of accuracy and detail

increase as the planning proceeds.

Figure 3.7 illustrates an approximation of the process of road and railway planning in Fin-

land, Sweden and in Norway. The planning process stages are feasibility study, design con-

sisting of preliminary engineering planning and final engineering planning, construction and

operation & maintenance. The plans are coordinated with the land use planning. The engi-

neering plans are approved by formal approval decisions.

The impacts of the project are assessed in all planning phases when alternatives are being

decided upon, compared and chosen. When the potential negative environmental impacts of

a road/rail construction project are at significant level and extent, an EIA (Environmental Im-

pact Assessment) is done. LCA can be used for assessment of impacts in each planning

phase as well as operation and maintenance.

Figure 3.7 Approximation of the planning process of road/railway in Finland, Sweden and in Norway.

16

At the feasibility study -stage the necessity and the timing of the project are the main ques-

tions to consider. Moving into the design phase, at the preliminary engineering planning the

approximate location of the road/railway corridor is examined. The final engineering plan-

ning phase determines the precise location of the road or the railway, areas required for the

road or the railway, intersections, solutions for pedestrian and bicycle traffic and public

transport, other detailed solutions such as measures necessary to the prevention of negative

traffic impacts and the cost estimate of the road or railway. After design is complete, the

construction phase starts and covers the drafting of the documents that are required for con-

struction of the road or the railway. The plan is usually done by the contractor and during

the phase the actual construction materials and products, working methods and working or-

der are decided.

3.2 DECISION MAKING IN ROAD PLANNING PROCESS

The principles that are chosen for planning of a road/rail project have a big influence on the

potential impacts of the project. To give a concrete example, if the principle decision is that

the road will have interchanges instead of level intersections, there will be significant im-

pacts on right of way and the need for bridges. The planning principles are formally ap-

proved in the preliminary engineering planning phase and in the final engineering planning

phase (see Figure 3.1, “Approval decision”). Planning principles that are formally approved in

the preliminary engineering plan are usually no longer subject to change through objections

or appeals in the final engineering planning phase. The formality of the planning process

must be taken into consideration when assessing the impacts of a road/rail construction pro-

cess.

The outcome of a feasibility plan is project goal setting, evaluation of alternatives, prelimi-

nary impact assessment and cost estimation.

At preliminary engineering planning the following principles/solutions are processed/ap-

proved:

• approximate location of the road/railway

• general traffic and road engineering and landscaping solutions including:

− number of lanes,

− principles of connections to road network (intersections/interchanges),

− road dimensioning speed,

− principles of organizing local traffic and walking and cycling

− principles of landscaping and green areas

− bridges (length, width, underpass height)

• principles of prevention of negative impacts on the environment (see section 3.3)

• preliminary estimate of costs and division of costs (if available)

At final engineering planning the following principles/solutions are processed/approved:

• precise road/railway area (right of way)

• detailed traffic and road/rail engineering and landscaping solutions

− specific location, alignment and elevation of the road

17

− typical cross section (lanes, shoulders, slopes)

− technical cross-section, pavement

− drainage solutions

− road gear and road equipment

− bridges

− tunnels

• solutions of prevention of negative impacts on the environment (noise and groundwa-

ter protection solutions)

• estimate of costs and division of costs

During construction, the actual materials, products, working methods and working order are

decided by the contractor according to the requirements that are set by the customer of the

construction project.

During operation and maintenance, the materials, products, working methods and working

order of operation and maintenance are decided by the contractor according to the require-

ments that are set by the customer of the works. The level of maintenance is decided by the

road/rail owners and it is dependent on the importance of the road/rail connection and traf-

fic, amongst other things.

Figure 3.3 Determination and accumulation of costs and GHG-balance, traffic costs and effects not included

The aim of Figure 3.3 is to illustrate at which phase the most important decisions are made

that have an influence on GHG-emissions and at which phase the GHG-emissions accumulate.

The GHG emissions of traffic are not shown.

18

3.3 USING LCA IN ROAD AND RAILWAY PLANNING

EXAMPLE: USE OF LCA IN THE PLANNING PROCESS

During the preliminary engineering planning, LCA is used to calculate the GHG emissions

and compare impact of different choices of alignment of the infrastructure. In tools used in

the Nordics, there are standard measures which describes the normal workflow in a meas-

ure, for example, material and energy used per kilometer of a concrete tunnel, and a stand-

ard number for the GHG emission of that measure. In this phase, approximate amounts of

bridges, tunnels and road or rail construction methods are calculated for each alignment and

the amounts are used in the tool with the standard measure data. The results from the calcu-

lations is one basis of many to consider when deciding upon an alignment.

In the next phase, the final engineering planning phase where the alignment has been cho-

sen, the tool is used in two ways:

• to evaluate different technical construction solutions

• to calculate a total amount of emissions and energy use for the whole infrastructure

(not including traffic) as it gets more and more precise.

The first calculation of the whole chosen alignment is considered the baseline for the pro-

ject. From the result of the baseline calculation, there are requirements from the NRA to re-

duce the GHG emission by a specific percentage. As the calculations proceed, the standard

measures are changed for more specific data on amounts and sizes, according to the specif-

ics found in the early civil engineering, but still there are not any specific data on materials,

i.e. EPD-data. The calculation is hence more specific than in the former phase, but still quite

unspecific as there are no specific suppliers of materials yet. As the project proceeds, it gets

more and more detailed. In the implementation phase (which also includes the structural de-

sign phase and selection of construction materials), the calculations follow the same pattern

as described above. The final calculation gives input to the procurement process, where it

sets the baseline on climate emissions requirements for the contractor to follow and reduce.

After procurement, the contractor supplies update the model with specific material data and

completes the calculations.

It is important to mention that the above example is not without limitations in data availabil-

ity and the need to make assumptions that would ideally be covered by specific data.

19

Part 2 – LCA in road and railway planning

4 DEFINING THE LCA STUDY

In defining how an LCA study will be carried out, certain parameters must be addressed as

well as how data and data quality requirements are handled. The starting point for any dis-

cussion on topics such as LCA goal and scope definition as well data and data quality re-

quirements, are LCA standards such as ISO 14044 and EN15804. This guide goes a step fur-

ther and narrows the room for interpretation found in standards, addressing topics that are

specific to road and rail infrastructure and taking into account the developed PCRs for both

road and rail (CPC 53210, 53211 and 53212).

4.1 PURPOSE OF THE ASSESSMENT - GOAL AND SCOPE DEFINITION

4.1.1 DEFINING THE GOAL

An LCA can provide support for decision making across all stages of the planning process as

well as the development of a climate declaration for a completed project. The specific goal at

each planning stage will vary to reflect the type of decision being taken. During feasibility

studies and early planning, the goal will relate to providing decision support in selecting in-

frastructure solutions, e.g. selecting a specific corridor. During the later planning stages and

construction, the goal will be to identify solutions for elements, components and materials

with the lowest environmental impact.

It should be noted that all assessments will have a large degree of uncertainty due to these

activities linked to operation and maintenance taking place in the future and the assump-

tions that will have to be made. It is therefore critical not to assume that increased emissions

occurring during construction will be compensated during operation and maintenance, as

there is a very high level of uncertainty.

The intended audience will include decision makers and consultants that deliver the design

as well as stakeholders such as public authorities.

4.1.2 DEFINING THE SCOPE

Product system definition

Product systems in order of complexity are defined as:

1. Transportation system (e.g. combination of transportation solutions)

2. Project (e.g. road/rail from point A to point B)

3. Element (e.g. stretch of road, bridge, tunnel)

4. Component (e.g. pavement overlay, railway sleepers)

5. Material (e.g. asphalt type)

Functional unit

20

The functional unit of the LCA shall follow the principles defined under ISO 14044 and will

depend on the types of decisions being made. When reporting overall emissions of road/rail

infrastructure at a national level, a representative functional unit is to be chosen that may

differ from what is suggested below.

For feasibility studies and early planning the functional unit is to be defined as:

• One complete project in operation over the sudy assessment period. The result is

to be presented as a total as well as individualy for all life cycle stages of the project.

For later planing stages and construction the functional unit will vary for road and rail

infrastructure and is to be defined as:

• Road infrastructure: one km of road. The road’s overall environmental impact and

the environmental impact per km shall be reported together with the total amount of

Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT), speed limit, dimensions and number of lanes.

The option to define the functional unit as one m2

of road may also be considered

when supported by the study goal and the product system definition.

• Rail infrastructure: one km of railway (km of railway with a given function and

number of tracks). The railway’s overall environmental impact and the environmental

impact per km shall be reported together with type of vehicle operation (e.g, high

speed, metro, etc.).

(Note that the PCR defines the functional unit of one m2 of road, while this guide defines the

functional unit as one km of road. It is expected that in the coming revision of the PCR, the

functional unit will change to one km of road, as is defined in this guide.)

It should be noted that there are many expected differences between road/rail through

tunnel or bridge and the details of each stretch should be described and presented together

with the functional unit.

When defining the functional unit, it is common practice to identify the actual function of the

product or system. In the case of road and rail infrastructure, this is the transportation of

passengers or freight. It was briefly considered that the functional unit defined should ad-

dress the actual function of the infrastructure. However, the impact on the results of as-

sumptions made on passenger load is too big and too uncertain.

System boundaries

The system boundarie should follow EN 15804:2019 and EN 15978:2011. Any changes of

the system boundaries should be stated in LCA reports to ensure transparency when

communicating results. In this guide, activities are addressed under each planning stage that

require specific consideration.

Reference Service Life (RSL) and study assessment period

The RSL is the service life of rail/road infrastructure which can be expected under normal

operating conditions. An RSL of 60 years is suggested. However, a longer or shorter RSL may

be defined when supported by the study goal and product system definition. Elements or

components might have a specific RSL that will often be lower than 60 years. When assessing

then environemntal impact at element or component level, it is recommended to use the

estimated service life of each element or component, as provided by the supplier.

21

4.2 DATA QUALITY

Data quality requirements set in this guide vary with the applicable planning process stage

of the LCA (see chapter data quality sections in chapter 5). The requirements are less strin-

gent during early planning while they increase significantly during the later planning stages

and construction.

Further work on standardization of emission factors, system boundaries and even RSL for el-

ements and components would allow for higher data quality and comparability of results.

The example of Norway where a number of LCA tools have aligned their methodology should

be viewed as a possible way forward at a national level, which could then be implemented in

the Nordics as a subsequent step.

4.3 LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT

The environmental impact categories assessed in an LCA following this guide shall include

Global Warming Potential (GWP 100), defined as GWPFOSSIL according to EN 15804:2019.

In addition, it is recommended that GWP from land use and land use change (GWPLULUC) is re-

ported, while reporting GWPBIOGENIC and GWPTOT is optional.

GWPFOSSIL Mandatory

GWPLULUC Recommended

GWPBIOGENIC Optional

GWPTOT = GWPFOSSIL + GWPBIOGENIC + GWPLULUC Optional

When applicable, results should be reported separately for GWPFOSSIL, GWPLULUC, GWPBIOGENIC

and GWPTOT.

Though this guide focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, for an extensive overview of the

environmental impact of the rail/road infrastructure project, it is recommended that the envi-

ronmental impact categories assessed are not limited to GWP and instead include all core en-

vironmental impact indicators specified in EN 15804:2019.

22

5 LCA IMPLEMENTATION IN ROAD AND RAILWAY PLANNING

The following chapter describes the goal and scope of the LCA at each planning stage as well

data quality requirements. In addition, the study goal is linked to LCA integration in decision

making. This section of the Guide is aimed to provide a hands-on tool for carrying out an

LCA at different planning stages. This chapter is to be used as a hands-on tool when carrying

out road and rail LCAs, where the user can navigate to the appropriate section for their plan-

ning stage.

5.1 FEASIBILITY STUDIES

5.1.1 GOAL

During feasibility studies the LCA can provide decision support when selecting transporta-

tion solutions. An LCA study carried out at this planning stage will estimate the estimated

environmental impact of each available option. At this point, the impact of not carrying out

an infrastructure project should be assessed. Limitations will be expected as at this stage

there will be limited understanding of the soil quality and terrain and the choice of construc-

tion method.

5.1.2 SCOPE


During feasibility studies the product system under evaluation is a complete rail/road

infrastructure system.

Functional unit

For feasibility studies where a transport solution is being decided upon, the functional unit is

to be defined as:

• One complete project in operation over the study assessment period. The result

is to be presented as a total as well as individualy for all life cycle stages of the

project.

System boundaries

The following activities are addressed that require specific consideration and are to be

managed as instructed in this guide which may vary from the direction provided by EN

15804:2019 and EN 15978:2011:

Material and construction (A1-A5)

Climate impact from material production (A1-A3) and construction (A4-A5) should always be

reported separately.

It is recommended that the following is included in the system boundaries:

• Deforestation and clearing activities.

• Material production (A1-A3) of major materials needed for road, rail, tunnel and

bridge construction, such as concrete, steel, pavement, gravel, piles, ballast, rails,

sleepers, etc.

23

• Ground works for filling and excavation (A4 & A5). This applies to both rock shafts,

crushed rock, earth fill and shaft and includes machine operation as well as

production and use of explosives. Climate impact from A4 & A5 is to be reported

separately.

• Emissions from production and combustion of fuel for vehicle and machine

operation.

• Optional - Manufacture and maintenance of vehicles and machinery used in

construction (A4-A5) of infrastructure.

Operation and maintenance


• Maintenance activities such as preventitive maintenance, resurfacing, or winter

maintenance.

• Operation activities such as lighting, energy required for contact wire, tunnel

ventilation, operation of ferries and pumping in subsea tunnels.

Use of infrastructure


• Traffic - Emissions from production of energy and the production and combustion of

fuel used by vehicles in traffic over the applicable study assessment period. The

calculation of emissions during operation is based on the assumption on Annual

Average Daily Traffic (AADT), the share of heavy traffic and the height of back slope

as well as the applicable RSL. The RSL will have an impact on assumptions related to

technology development and improved vehicle fuel/energy efficiency, though these

will have a large degree of uncertainty.

The following may be excluded from the system boundaries as they are expected to have a

minor contribution to the overall environmental impact:

• Manufacturing and maintenance of vehicles in traffic.

5.1.3 DATA QUALITY

Data quality requirements specific to material type and quantity as well as activities taking

place as part of construction works should follow the principles laid out in EN 15804:2019.

Any deviations should be documented in LCA reports to ensure transparency when com-

municating results.

During Feasibility studies data availability is limited. Approximations need to be made with

respect to material types and quantities, energy and fuel use during construction as well as

parameters related to infrastructure maintenance and in-traffic vehicle operation over the

study assessment period.

It is recommended that data is sourced from previous LCA studies on similar infrastructure

projects. This data should be combined with simulations on traffic conditions based on the

specific parameters of the present feasibility study. Assumptions related to technology devel-

opment and improved vehicle fuel/energy efficiency should be made and documented, as

this is expected to have an increasingly significant impact over the operational lifetime.

24

5.2 PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PLANNING

5.2.1 GOAL

During preliminary engineering planning the environmental impact of alternative corridors

can be assessed. At this point of the planning process it is also possible to assess specific

elements within an infrastructure solution, such as alternative options for a bridge or a tun-

nel. There will be a high level of uncertainty in the results of these studies, but it is expected

that they will give an indication on the way forward and provide a ‘’best guess’’.

25

5.2.2 SCOPE


• Project (e.g. road from point A to point B)

• Element (e.g. bridge, tunnel)

Functional unit

For preliminary engineering planning the functional unit is to be defined as:

• One complete project in operation over the study assessment period. The result

is to be presented as a total as well as individualy for all life cycle stages of the

project.

System boundaries



15804:2019 and EN 15978:2011:

Material and construction

Climate impact from material production (A1-A3) and transport/construction (A4-A5) should

always be reported separately.



• Material production (A1-A3) of major materials needed for road, rail, tunnel and

bridge construction, such as concrete, steel, reinforcement, pavement, gravel, piles,

ballast, rails, sleepers, etc.

• Ground works, reinforcements and transportation for filling and excavation (A4 &

A5). This applies to both rock shafts, crushed rock, earth fill and shaft and includes

machine operation as well as production and use of explosives. Climate impact from

A4 & A5 is to be reported separately.


operation.






maintenance.


ventilation and pumping in subsea tunnels.

26











5.2.3 DATA QUALITY



Any deviations should be documented to ensure transparency when communicating results.

During preliminary engineering planning data availability is limited. Approximations need to

be made with respect to material types and quantities, energy and fuel use during construc-

tion as well as parameters related to infrastructure maintenance and in-traffic vehicle opera-

tion over the study assessment period.

It is recommended that data is sourced from previous LCA studies on similar infrastructure

projects. This data should be combined with simulations on traffic conditions based on the

specific parameters of the present feasibility study. Assumptions related to technology devel-

opment and improved vehicle fuel/energy efficiency should be made and documented, as

this is expected to have an increasingly significant impact over the operational lifetime.

5.3 FINAL ENGINEERING PLANNING

5.3.1 GOAL

During final engineering planning the environmental impact of alternative components of a

transportation infrastructure solution, such as a pavement, asphalt type or railway sleepers,

can be assessed.

Increased availability of specific data during final engineering planning allows for refining

the assessment carried out during the previous planning process stages on project and ele-

ment product system levels.

5.3.2 SCOPE




• Component (e.g. pavement)

• Material (e.g. bitumen)

27

Functional unit

For final engineering planning the functional unit will vary for road and rail infrastructure

and is to be defined as:



AADT, speed limit, dimensions and number of lanes. The option to define the

functional unit as one m2

of road may also be considered when supported by the

study goal and the product system definition.



impact per km shall be reported together with type of vehicle operation (e.g high


System boundaries



15804:2019 and EN 15978:2011:


Climate impact from producing material (A1-A3) and the transport/construction (A4-A5)

should always be reported separately.



• Material production (A1-A3) of materials needed for road, rail, tunnel and bridge

construction, such as concrete, steel, reinforcement, pavement, gravel, piles, ballast,

rails and sleepers.

• Material production (A1-A3) of materials needed for station buildings, such as shafts,

filling and all material in road/rail substructures, construction works (bridges,

tunnels, work and rescue tunnels, geotechnical reinforcement measures, grouting,

road rails, fences and posts including foundations.

• Ground works, reinforcement and transportation for filling and excavation (A4 & A5).

This applies to both rock shafts, crushed rock, earth fill and shaft and includes

machine operation as well as production and use of explosives. Climate impact from

A4 & A5 is to be reported separately.

• Transports (A4) from the production site to the building site for materials such as

concrete, grouting, steel beams, asphalt, grinders and rails.

• Energy use for construction equipment A5.


operation.



28




maintenance.


ventilation, operation of ferries and pumping in subsea tunnels

• Emissions from production and combustion of fuel for vehicle and machine operation

during operation and maintenance activities













5.3.3 DATA QUALITY




During final engineering planning specific data on the material types, material quantities, en-

ergy and fuel use during construction as well as specific data parameters related to infra-

structure maintenance and in-traffic vehicle operation are becoming available. Environmental

Product Declarations (EPDs) may be available from suppliers providing an even higher data

quality level.

For material types and quantities used in infrastructure construction (A1-A3) specific data is

to be used and combined with generic average values for emission factors. In the event that

a supplier EPD is available, the specific data published in the EPD should be used instead of

generic data.

For transport distances (A4) and energy use (A5) during the construction of the infrastruc-

ture project, general average values should be used together with general average values for

emission factors. This is also applicable to ground works (A4-A5).

For the assessment of traffic during the assessment period, simulations on traffic conditions

are to be based on the specific parameters of the actual project studied. Assumptions re-

lated to technology development and improved vehicle fuel/energy efficiency should be

29

made and documented, as this is expected to have an increasingly significant impact over

the operational lifetime.

5.4 CONSTRUCTION


During construction the environmental impact of alternative materials and products, working

methods and working order and components of a transportation infrastructure solution are

assessed. These may be options for a pavement, asphalt type or railway sleepers.

At this stage an LCA provides the background for any applicable environmental certification

processes.

5.4.2 DEFINING THE SCOPE






Functional unit

For construction the functional unit will vary for road and rail infrastructure and is to be

defined as:



AADT, speed limit, road width and number of route file stated). The option to define

the functional unit as one m2







System boundaries



15804:2019 and EN 15978:2011:






30

• Material production (A1-A3) of materials needed for road, rail, tunnel and bridge

construction, such as concrete, steel, reinforcement, pavement, gravel, piles, ballast,

rails and sleepers.

• Material production (A1-A3) of materials needed for station buildings, such as shafts,

filling and all material in road/rail substructures, construction works (bridges,

tunnels, work and rescue tunnels, geotechnical reinforcement measures, grouting,

road rails, fences and posts including foundations.

• Ground works and transportation for filling and excavation (A4 & A5). This applies to

both rock shafts, crushed rock, earth fill and shaft and includes machine operation as

well as production and use of explosives. Climate impact from A4 & A5 is to be

reported separately.

• Transports (A4) from the production site to the building site for materials such as

concrete, grouting, steel beams, asphalt, grinders and rails.



operation.






maintenance.

















31

5.4.3 DATA QUALITY




During construction specific data on the material types, material quantities, energy and fuel

use during construction as well as specific data parameters related to infrastructure mainte-

nance and in-traffic vehicle operation are available. Environmental Product Declarations

(EPDs) from suppliers provide a higher data quality level and shall be integrated in the as-

sessment when available.

For material types and quantities used in infrastructure construction (A1-A3) specific data is

to be used and combined with generic average values for emission factors. In the event that

a supplier EPD is available, the specific data published in the EPD should be used instead of

generic data.


ture project, real transport distances should be used together with general average values

for emission factors. This is also applicable to ground works (A4-A5).

For the assessment of traffic during the infrastructure project RSL or assessment period, sim-

ulations on traffic conditions are to be based on the specific parameters of the actual project

studied. Assumptions related to technology development and improved vehicle fuel/energy

efficiency should be made and documented, as this is expected to have an increasingly sig-

nificant impact over the operational lifetime.

5.5 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE


During operation and maintenance, the LCA is used for certification and validation/evalua-

tion of the LCA models developed under previous planning stages. In addition, LCA studies

can assess alternative options considered during maintenance activities, such as resurfacing,

rebuilding of pavement and the replacement of railway sleepers.

5.5.2 SCOPE






Functional unit

For construction the functional unit will vary for road and rail infrastructure and is to be

defined as:



AADT, speed limit, road width and number of route file stated). The option to define

32

the functional unit as one m2







System boundaries

the following activities are addressed that require specific consideration and are to be


15804:2019 and EN 15978:2011:





• Deforestation and clearing activities

• Material production (A1-A3) of materials needed for operation and maintenance.

• Transports (A4) from the production site to the building site.



operation.






maintenance.











33




LCA studies carried out during operation and maintenance may involve the evaluation of al-

ternative products that may or may not have an impact on the emission resulting for vehicle

operation. An example would be selecting between different asphalt types with a different

rolling resistance. Both scenarios in an eventual LCA study would impact the emission com-

ing from vehicle traffic to a possibly large extent. Therefore, it is recommended that traffic is

included in the system boundaries when carrying out LCAs during the planning stages of op-

eration and maintenance.




5.5.3 DATA QUALITY


place as part of manufacturing should follow the principles laid out in EN 15804:2019. Any

deviations should be documented to ensure transparency when communicating results.

During operation and maintenance specific data on the material types, material quantities,

energy and fuel use during construction as well as specific data on infrastructure mainte-

nance and in-traffic vehicle operation are available. Environmental Product Declarations

(EPDs) from suppliers provide a higher data quality level and shall be integrated in the as-

sessment when available. Note that available EPDs may have been updated since integration

in previous planning stage studies and that the most recent version should be used.

For material types and quantities (A1-A3) specific data is to be used and combined with ge-

neric average values for emission factors. In the event that a supplier EPD is available, the

specific and most recent data published in the EPD should be used instead of generic data.


ture project, specific values should be used together with general average values for emis-

sion factors.

For the assessment of traffic during the infrastructure project RSL or assessment period, spe-

cific data based on actual traffic conditions are to be used. Assumptions related to technol-

ogy development and improved vehicle fuel/energy efficiency should be made and docu-

mented, as this is expected to have an increasingly significant impact over the operational

lifetime.

34

6 COMMUNICATING RESULTS

Successfully communicating LCA results is key in supporting decision making. The following

section provides an overview of what should be included when communicating the results of

an LCA study. When communicating LCA results it is often recommended to follow require-

ments detailed in ISO 14044. This may, however, not be practical when the goal of the as-

sessment is to support planning process stages. The following sections present the infor-

mation that should be included when LCA results will support an infrastructure project.

6.1 LCA PRACTITIONER, AS WELL AS TARGET AUDIENCE

Together with providing information on who has carried out the LCA, specifying the target

audience provides a clearer understanding of how the results are communicated.

6.2 LCA TOOL AND DATABASE

LCA tools and associated databases have a significant impact on the results of an LCA. This

is true even when the same set of standards and guidelines is followed, as results may vary

due to the specific methodological choices that are built in to an LCA tool, such as what

parts of each life cycle stage are included. Also, generic LCA data sets are developed with

specific assumptions that may vary between databases.

6.3 PLANNING PROCESS STAGE

Including the actual planning process stage of the LCA study when communicating results

allows for a clearer understanding of the methodological choices made.

6.4 GOAL AND SCOPE

It is recommended to include the goal and scope of the LCA study when communicating LCA

results. This should include the functional unit, the product system level and the selected as-

sessment period.

6.5 RECOMMENDATION

Expertise of LCA calculations is needed for presenting the results and providing a recom-

mendation based on the findings of the LCA study. To provide useful decision support, it is

recommended that the presentation of LCA results is followed by a recommendation based

on the findings of the study. An LCA expert can interpret the numbers in the results, evalu-

ate impact categories and provide a clear recommendation on what alternatives would be

preferable from an environmental point of view. As LCA results may be challenging to inter-

pret for a non-LCA expert, providing a recommendation based on the study results shifts the

task of result interpretation to the LCA practitioner or the Project manager and ensures that

the information reaching decision makers is clear.

Presenting the results in a clear short document where the front worksheet covers points 6.1

to 6.4 is recommended. Subsequent worksheets can present the results in diagram and table

form and finally provide a recommendation statement. Depending on the audience, develop-

ing a more extensive and even ISO 14044 compliant report may be more suitable. The for-

mat and delivery of results should be agreed upon in advance together with the intended au-

dience.

35

7 NATIONAL GUIDELINES DEVELOPMENT

This guide is a basis for defining country specific LCA guidelines for participating countries.

The development of national LCA guidelines for infrastructure will aim to address country

specific issues related to planning process stages, LCA study definition and applied LCA

tools as well as national legislation, which are not covered in this guide. In addition, data

quality issues such as the requirement for EPD data may be included. It is recommended that

the national guidelines are used to harmonize and align methodology, agreeing on emission

factors, system boundaries and even RSL definition. This could be a first step in reaching a

fully compatible methodology and implementation across all Nordic countries. The content

of the national guidelines documents is not defined in detail in this guide, as it will most

likely vary with each country. The format could be an electronic handbook, facilitating use-

ability and updating.

7.1 PLANNING STAGES AND DECISION SUPPORT

The planning process stages in this guide represent the overall workflow of infrastructure

projects in participating countries but are not specific to any of them.

The development of national guidelines will aim to define the specific planning process

stages of infrastructure projects for each country. In addition, critical points for decision

making may be defined, as well as specific presentation formats for LCA results.

7.2 GOAL AND SCOPE DEFINITION

Through the development of the national guidelines, the study goal and scope may be fur-

ther refined from the starting point given in this guide to ensure applicability to country spe-

cific processes. The Goal and Scope may also be defined separately for rail and road infra-

structure as there will be differences between the two.

Though the product system levels and functional unit definitions provided here can be re-

garded as sufficient, it is recommended to use the national guidelines to provide additional

direction in system boundary definition. System boundaries may be defined in further detail

to reflect country specific conditions in construction, operation and maintenance as well as

use of infrastructure and management of aspects related to traffic.

7.3 LCA TOOLS

The focus of the present document is to further define a methodological framework within

ISO and EN standards. As established country-specific tools vary in built-in methodology, it is

recommended that the development of the national guidelines addresses this issue. In addi-

tion, differences between LCA methodology and implementation practices defined in this

guide and the specific built-in methodology and implementation of country-specific LCA

tools are evident. The national guidelines are to function as a driver for further development

of LCA tools and implementation processes, with the end goal of consistent and transparent

LCA practices in road and rail infrastructure across Nordic countries. Harmonization at a na-

tional level should be followed by a similar process at a Nordic level, increasing data quality,

comparability and transparency.

36

8 GREEN PROCUREMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE

The results from LCA studies can support green procurement and setting requirements in

rail and road infrastructure projects. Environmental requirements may be set, where LCA

studies function as both evidence of environmental performance as well as estimating the

environmental impact during the life cycle of the project. For example, a supplied product

can use LCA data to prove its environmental performance and provide the necessary infor-

mation for that data to be used in the LCA at project level. In addition, LCA studies can facili-

tate environmental goal setting, providing a measurable and verifiable process for integrat-

ing environmental performance to procurement activities.

8.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATIONS IN GREEN PROCUREMENT

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) according to ISO 14025 are based on the results

of LCA studies. EPDs can be developed at varying product system levels and provide verifia-

ble information on the environmental impact of the material or component of an infrastruc-

ture project.

Setting requirements for the delivery of ISO 14025 compliant EPDs during procurement pro-

cesses provides a basis for assessing the environmental impact of alternative options as well

as the complete infrastructure project. EPDs allow for evaluation of suppliers’ environmental

performance, as suppliers with lower environmental impact can be selected against alterna-

tive options.

It is recommended to request EPDs for materials, elements and components in tenders or re-

quests for quotation. More than providing for verifiable evidence of environmental perfor-

mance and supporting decision making processes, EPD may also function as a driver for in-

creased environmental awareness for suppliers and achieving the ripple effect of lower envi-

ronmental impact supply chains.

8.2 DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND METRICS

Environmental performance data based on LCA results can provide specific emission and im-

pact targets that are to be met. As preliminary assessment of environmental impact at pro-

ject level is carried out, a baseline can be set defining the expected environmental impact of

an infrastructure project during the life cycle. The initial LCA can be remodeled with an opti-

mal, lower environmental impact scenario. This can be used to define numerical goals for

project environmental performance.

It is recommended that procurement activities utilize this information and support the pro-

cess through integrating these goals to tender documents and quotation requests. Similar

goals may be established at product system levels of component and material.

37

9 PROCUREMENT OF LCA SERVICES

Outsourcing LCA services provides a viable alternative when the necessary competence is not

available within the organization, or when the work volume does not justify the cost of main-

taining internal resources and LCA software license fees. When procuring LCA services it is

recommended to consider awareness and compliance of the service provider to ISO

14040/14044 and EN 15804 standards, as well as the content of the present document. In

addition, it is recommended to ensure that the service provided will be using LCA tools and

databases that comply with methodology and data quality requirements defined in ISO

14040/14044 and EN 15804 standards.

9.1 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Awareness and implementation of ISO 14040/14044 and EN 15804 standards provides a

foundation for delivering LCA related services to the level of quality needed. Following the

methodological principles defined in the standards and this guide will ensure consistent

study definition and modelling principles and minimize margins of error.

In addition, it is recommended that LCA service providers ensure that the content of this

guide, together with national versions of the document, is followed during LCA project deliv-

ery. This is important as specific methodology and implementation related issues are ad-

dressed, which have a profound impact on the quality and consistency of the study.

9.2 APPLIED LCA TOOLS AND LCA DATABASES

LCA service providers will have access to LCA tools and databases available in the market.

Examples of such tools are Klimatkalkyl, VegLCA, One Click LCA and FORE. Proficiency in

working with specific tools is recommended to ensure project delivery quality and efficiency.

In addition, it is recommended that LCA service providers as users of the tool and even tool

developers demonstrate that applied software and databases are in line with standardization

and data quality requirements presented in this guide and in national guidelines. This will

ensure that the methodological principles defined in this guide can be followed.

38

10 REFERENCES

• Baumann and Tillman (2004): he Hitch Hiker's Guide to LCA: An orientation in life cy-

cle assessment methodology and application.

• Bouška, R. (2016). ”Evaluation of maturity of BIM tools across different software plat-

forms.”

• I: Procedia Engineering 164 (2016), s. 481–486. ISO 10303

• EN 15643-5:2017: Sustainability of construction works - Sustainability assessment of

buildings and civil engineering works - Part 5: Framework on specific principles and

requirement for civil engineering works

• EN 15804: Sustainability of construction works - Environmental product declarations -

Core rules for the product category of construction products

• EN 15978: Sustainability of construction works - Assessment of environmental perfor-

mance of buildings - Calculation method

• EN 81346-1: 2009 Industrial systems, installations and equipment and industrial

products - Structuring principles and reference designations - Part 1: Basic rules

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products - Structuring principles and reference designations - Part 2: Classification of

objects and codes for classes

• EPD International AB (2018a): Railways product category classification: un cpc 53212,

Version 2.01

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product category classification: un cpc 53211, version 2.0

• ISO 12006-2: 2015: Building construction - Organization of information about con-

struction works - Part 2: Framework for classification

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and framework

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ments and guidelines

• ISO 16739-1:2018: Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for data sharing in the construc-

tion and facility management industries — Part 1: Data schema

39

• ISO 21930:2017: Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works — Core rules

for environmental product declarations of construction products and services

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Framework for methods of assessment of the sustainability performance of construc-

tion works - Part 2: Civil engineering works

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work for methods of assessment of the environmental, social and economic perfor-

mance of construction works as a basis for sustainability assessment — Part 2: Civil

engineering works

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tion objects used in the life cycle of any built asset — Concepts and principles

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and methods for infrastructure for Finland, Sweden and Norway, Project report

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40

APPENDIX 1: Building Information Modelling/Management

(BIM) integration

One of the major challenges when carrying out life cycle assessments are data availability

and efficiently conveying relevant information such as material types and quantities, from

infrastructure project designers to LCA practitioners.

Building Information Modeling/Management (BIM) is a process that begins with the creation

of an intelligent 3D model and enables document management, coordination and simulation

during the entire lifecycle of a project. BIM 3D models developed by infrastructure project

designers in e.g. Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, often contain adequate infor-

mation for carrying out LCAs. Establishing seamless integration between BIM and LCA soft-

ware solutions would provide for reduced time and costs for LCAs across the infrastructure

planning process. Though this is not in place at the present time, the possibilities are there

to make it a reality.

10.1.1 INTRODUCTION TO BIM

BIM is defined as models with interdisciplinary knowledge resources and information about a

building, which creates a basis for decision making throughout the complete lifecycle (Na-

tional Institute of Building Science 2015). According to BIM alliance (2017) there are four cri-

teria that are to be met when using the term BIM:

1. Information management occurs through one or several object oriented models

2. Properties are associated to objects in the models

3. Objects in the models are related to each other

4. Information may be viewed in different ways from one model

Through BIM, all necessary data is integrated in a single file or model that can interactively

provide all involved in the project with relevant information. BIM models can include several

levels, depending on the type of information that is included. Examples are 2D, 3D, 4D

(where time planning is included), 5D (including cost) and even 6D (Bouška 2016). The 6th

dimension may involve aspects related to environmental and social sustainability.

10.1.2 SETTING REQUIREMENTS FOR BIM COORDINATION

For BIM models developed during a project to be successfully used for retrieving data rele-

vant to carrying out LCAs, specific information must be included. EPD information/indicators

are such an example and should be handled as any other data field. The BIM coordinator in

each project has the possibility to define what parameters are to be included and how the in-

formation will be entered BIM, facilitating the work of consultant that will be working with

LCA. Requirements on how the BIM coordination work is to be carried out, defining what in-

formation is to be included in the models and in what format, should be set by the commis-

sioner of the work. As a minimum, BIM models should include:

• the type of materials – for example, steel, aluminum, HDPE, etc.

• the material amount in a defined unit – for example, kg, m3, etc.

When the above parameters are included in a BIM model, the LCA practitioner has access to

readily available information that will need to be entered manually to LCA software. This

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information will be completed with data from transportation and construction processes as

well as operation and maintenance.

10.1.3 SEAMLESS INTEGRATION TO LCA SOFTWARE

When transferring information from BIM models to LCA software, a lot of manual labor is re-

quired. More often than not, the information in a BIM model is incomplete and/or has been

entered with inconsistent nomenclature. This will need to be managed by the LCA practi-

tioner while entering data in to the LCA model.

For seamless integration to LCA software, adding LCA related parameters to BIM models

needs to be standardized in order to ensure consistency in format, nomenclature and the

use of a common unit system. LCA software providers will need to accommodate for this into

LCA tool development and provide the necessary add-on features for the integration to work

successfully. A number of LCA tool providers are already working in this direction and spe-

cific BIM import add-on features are included in software such as One Click LCA. However, as

standardization and consistency are lacking when LCA parameters are included in BIM mod-

els, the process of importing to LCA software still requires significant manual work.

10.1.4 STANDARDIZATION

Seamless integration of LCA and BIM software requires further work at this point in time, but

is not unattainable. The building and construction industry has been carrying out work in the

direction of standardization. Examples of current work focused in standardizing file formats

and facilitating information exchange include ISO 10303 ”Standard for the Exchange of Prod-

uct model data” (STEP). STEP is applicable in a variety of technical areas such as architecture,

electronics, naval architecture and many more (Pratt et.al. 2005).

Additional initiatives aimed to facilitate information exchange within CAD, BIM and other re-

lated areas include developments within buildingSMART, an organization that is a part of the

”National Institute of Building Science” (NIBS). Within buildingSMART, an open and neutral file

format has been developed. This file format called ”Industry Foundation Classes(IFC), allows

the transfer of information and models between different software (Smith and Tardif 2008).

The goal being that data exchange is made possible between all involved competence areas

during a project life cycle, irrespective of the software that is being used. The IFC format is

an international standard ISO 16739 (buildingSMART 2018).

CoClass is a new classification system within the building and construction industry adapted

to digital modelling. CoClass aims to increase the possibility of using the full potential of

BIM. For example, physical appearance, building parts and the relationship to each other,

material content, environmental impact, energy use and maintenance specifications, is infor-

mation that is detailed in a well-constructed building model. Through the detailed descrip-

tion of objects, properties and activities during the project life cycle in CoClass, better com-

munication is achieved between technical areas during the project life cycle.

CoClass is an implementation of the standard 81346 series and is based on the following in-

ternational standards:

• EN ISO 12006-2: 2015 Building construction - Organization of information about con-

struction works - Part 2: Framework for classification

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• EN IEC 81346-1: 2009 Industrial systems, installations and equipment and industrial

products - Structuring principles and reference designations - Part 1: Basic rules

• EN IEC 81346-2: 2019 Industrial systems, installations and equipment and industrial

products - Structuring principles and reference designations - Part 2: Classification of

objects and codes for classes

• ISO 81346-12: 2018 Industrial systems, installations and equipment and industrial

products - Structuring principles and reference designations - Part 12: Construction

works and building services

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