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SA - Methods and Tools > 5. LCA, LCC & Ecolabeling > Flashcards

5. LCA, LCC & Ecolabeling Flashcards

1
Q

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA) Definition from ISO 14040:2006

A

“Compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle”

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2
Q

Process

A

Set of interrelated or interacting activities that transforms inputs into outputs.

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3
Q

Elementary flow

A

Material or energy entering the system that has been drawn from the environment without previous human transformation, or material or energy leaving the system that is released into the environment without subsequent human transformation

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4
Q

Product flow

A

Products entering from or leaving to another product system

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5
Q

Intermediate flow

A

Product, material or energy flow occurring between unit processes of the product system.

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6
Q

System boundary

A

Set of criteria specifying which unit processes are part of a product system

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7
Q

Impact category

A

Class representing environmental issues of concern to which life cycle inventory analysis results may be assigned

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8
Q

Characterization factor

A

Factor derived from a characterization model which is applied to convert an assigned life cycle inventory analysis result to the common unit of the category indicator

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9
Q

Allocation

A

Partitioning the input or output flows of a process or a product system between the product system under study and one or more other product systems

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10
Q

LCA Phases from ISO 14040:2006

A
  • Goal and Scope
  • Inventory Analysis (Life Cycle Inventory = LCI)
  • Impact Assessment (Life Cycle Impact Assessment = LCIA)
  • Interpretation
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11
Q

LCA Stages (general) from ISO 14040:2006

A
  • Extraction and upstream production
    I Transport
  • Manufacture
    I Transport
  • Use
    I Transport
  • Disposal / Recycling
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12
Q

Functional Unit

A

Functional unit is a quantified amount of function obtained from the product or process

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13
Q

Phase 1: Goal and Scope: Goal Definition

A

Goal statement is the first component of an LCA and guides much of the subsequent analysis.
Must State:
- Intended Use
- Reasons for study
- Audience
- Whether comparative and disclosed to public

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14
Q

Phase 1: Goal and Scope: Scope Definition

A

Scope provides background information, details methodological choices, and lays out report format.
Scope includes:
- Product system
- Functions of systems
- Functional unit
- System boundary
- Allocation procedures
- Impact categories, assessment method and interpretation type
- Data requirements
- Assumptions
- Limitations
- Initial data quality requirements
- Type of critical review, if any
- Type and format of report

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15
Q

Phase 2: Life Cycle Inventory

A
  • As much input and output data as possible is collected
  • Can be presented in report or kept private, such as if confidentiality agreements warrant
  • Useful for other researchers that could use that data
  • All material flows entering and leaving the product system are compiled in an inventory (Input / Output Table)
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16
Q

Phases 3: Life Cycle Impact Assessment

A
  • Impact categories, indication, and characterization models are chosen
  • Data are grouped based on potential to cause certain environmental impacts (classification)
  • Input and output quantities converted to potential impacts based on characterization factors (characterization)
  • Optional steps: Normalization, grouping, weighting
17
Q

LCA - Classification and Charaterization

A

A.) Classification:
The material flows compiled in the life cycle inventory are assigned to environmental impact categories
B) Characterization:
Each material flow is multiplied by a characterization factor which expresses its individual contribution to the environmental impact

18
Q

Phase 4: Interpretation

A
  • Continually ongoing during assessment to help guide other phases
  • Discussion of inventory analysis and impact assessment results
    in LCA study (In an LCI study, only inventory needs to be discussed)
  • Can be modeled as conclusions and recommendations to the decision maker
  • Should be consistent with and based on goal and scope of the study
  • Should reflect the various uncertainties inherent in LCA including:
    (- LCA is based on a relative approach using a functional unit, - Impacts are “potential”)
  • Discussion of results obtained in the life cycle inventory analysis and impact assessment according to the aims
    defined in the goal and scope definition
  • Identification of relevant environmental consequences
  • Identification of processes and materials that cause a strong impact
    (significance analysis)
  • Analysis of the effects of parameter fluctuation to the overall result (sensitivity analysis)
  • Comparison of different scenarios (scenario analysis)
19
Q

Limitations of LCA

A
  • “Not a complete assessment of all environmental because only those identified in the goal and scope
    are considered
  • LCI can rarely, if ever, include every single process and capture every single input and output due to system
    boundaries, data gaps, cut off criteria, etc.
  • LCI data collected contains uncertainty
  • Characterization models are far from perfect
  • Sensitivity and other uncertainty analyses are not fully developed
20
Q

Summary Features of an LCA

A
  • Systematic procedure for environmental assessment through product or process life cycle
  • Functional unit basis for comparisons differs from many other environmental management techniques
  • Amenable to data confidentiality needs and proprietary matters
  • Open to update based on new science and developing techniques
  • Not overly restrictive
  • Impacts identified are all expressed as POTENTIAL
  • LCIA converts LCI results to environmental issues based on characterization factors
  • Systematic approach to identify, check, evaluate and present information based on goal and scope
  • Iterative process with continual interpretation
  • May link to other environmental management techniques
21
Q

Life Cycle Costing: Definition Code of Practice for Life Cycle Costing

A

“Life cycle costing is a powerful technique that supports the analytical processes by which managers can make the most cost effective decisions on options presented to them at differing life cycle stages and at different levels of the life cycle cost estimate”.

22
Q

Costs to be included

A
  • Acquisition costs: for example, the purchase price or lease costs.
  • Transport costs (if not already included in the cost of purchase).
  • Installation costs: for heating and lighting systems, for example.
  • Operating and maintenance costs: this includes, for example energy costs (e.g. electricity, gasoline, diesel), costs for drinking water supply and sanitation (e.g., for cleaning services), cost of paper and other consumable materials (e.g., toner cartridges, lubricants,
    cleaning agents), taxes, insurance costs, training costs, maintenance and maintenance costs, repair costs (spare parts, working hours), cost of necessary accessories
  • Disposal Costs: transport to the waste disposal company and cost of waste treatment and disposal
  • Residual value : revenue from the sale of the product after the end of the period of use and value of the object after the end of the useful life of the life cycle cost calculation, if this can still be used further
23
Q

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Definition Huppes et al

A

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a similar concept . It comes from the business sector, and determines the total costs (both direct and indirect) throughout the life cycle of a product or
service, up till the preparation of the location of facilities for a next economic use.

24
Q

LIFE CYCLE COSTING in Procurement

A

The inclusion of all the costs in the procurement process is a way of visualizing hidden costs, which are by no means negligible, and bringing them into the procurement decision moment.

25
Q

Criticism of LCC

A

Last, but not least, it has to be stressed LCC is not suitable as a sole indicator for sustainability, since it only represents the economic dimension, which is not sufficient as a stand alone assessment

26
Q

What is Life Cycle Cost Analysis?

A
  • LCC is a valuable technique that is used for predicting and assessing the cost performance of constructed asset
  • Through LCCAnalysis it is possible
    to preview the costs related to a project or to a building during its whole useful life. So, it is possible to evaluate if it is
    really convenient or only the cheapest
27
Q

What is Ecolabelling?

A

“Ecolabelling” is mainly a voluntary or mandatory method of environmental performance certification and labelling that is practised around the world. An “ecolabel” is a label which identifies overall, proven environmental preference of a product or service within a specific product/service category and it can be based on life cycle considerations. There
are different classifications of label.”

28
Q

Blue Angel

A

The first label, the Blue Angel , was created in 1978 by the German Federal Ministry, covering six product groups including CFC free spray cans, low noise lawn mowers and returnable bottles.

29
Q

EPA’s Classification of Environmental Product Information Schemes (EPIS)

A
  • First party verification is performed by marketers on their own behalf to promote the positive attributes of their products
    -Third party verification is carried out by an independent source that awards labels to products based on certain environmental criteria

SA - Methods and Tools (7 decks)

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