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Module C Goal and Scope Definition

The document provides an overview of life cycle assessment (LCA), including its goal and scope definition phase. It discusses that LCA's goal and scope definition establishes the aim, breadth, and depth of the study according to ISO standards. This phase defines the function, functional unit, system boundaries, and alternatives to analyze. The purpose of LCA is to evaluate environmental consequences of fulfilling a function either descriptively or by comparing options. The scope further specifies the decision context, temporal/geographical coverage, and processes/impacts included.

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48 views

Module C Goal and Scope Definition

The document provides an overview of life cycle assessment (LCA), including its goal and scope definition phase. It discusses that LCA's goal and scope definition establishes the aim, breadth, and depth of the study according to ISO standards. This phase defines the function, functional unit, system boundaries, and alternatives to analyze. The purpose of LCA is to evaluate environmental consequences of fulfilling a function either descriptively or by comparing options. The scope further specifies the decision context, temporal/geographical coverage, and processes/impacts included.

Uploaded by

theo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Life Cycle Assessment

A product-oriented method
for sustainability analysis

UNEP LCA Training Kit


Module c – Goal and scope definition
1
ISO 14040 framework
Life cycle assessment framework

Goal
and scope
definition

Direct applications:
- Product development
and improvement

- Strategic planning
Inventory
analysis Interpretation - Public policy making

- Marketing

- Other

Impact
assessment

Source: ISO 14040


Life cycle goal and scope definition

• Goal and Scope definition is the LCA phase in which the


aim of the study, and in relation to that, the breadth and depth
of the study is established.
– International Standard ISO 14044
– Technical Report ISO/TR 14049
• It is the first phase of an LCA.

3
3
Contents • Purpose of LCA
• Goal of the study

• Scope of the study


– function, functional unit
and reference flow
– initial choices (system
boundaries, data categories,
inputs and outputs, data
quality, critical review)
– critical review and other
procedural aspects
Purpose of LCA

• The purpose of LCA is to compile and evaluate the


environmental consequences of options for fulfilling
a certain function.
– descriptive mode of LCA
– change-oriented mode of LCA

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5
Purpose of LCA

• Questions asked in descriptive LCA:


– Which environmental problems can be attributed to a
certain product?
– What is the share of a certain product in the world’s
environmental problems?

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6
Purpose of LCA

• Questions asked in change-oriented LCA:

– What changes in environmental problems occur if


option B is replaced by option A?

– What are the environmental problems of choosing


option A rather than option B for fulfilling a certain
function?

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7
Purpose of LCA

• Variety of change-oriented questions:

– Occasional choices
• Take train or plane for business meeting next week?

– Structural choices
• Take train or plane for weekly business meetings?

– Strategic choices
• Invest in rail infrastructure or airports?

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8
Purpose of LCA

• The LCA method and even its scientific basis will depend
on the purpose of the LCA.

– Descriptive LCA
• based on “logic”: axioms, definition, theorems

– Change-oriented LCA
• based on “science”: empirically established models,
inductive

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9
Types of LCA study

• Descriptive mode → attribution problem

• Change-oriented mode
– occasional choices → LP/OR-models
– structural choices → mainstream LCA
– strategic choices → scenario analyses

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10
Goal definition

• Intended application
– product development and improvement
– strategic planning
– public decision making
– marketing
– other

• An LCA’s final application may differ from intended


application.

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Goal definition

• Goal, application, decision to be supported

• Parties involved:
– researcher(s)
– commissioner(s)
– target audience(s)
– steering/supervising committee
– expert reviewer(s)

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Goal definition

• ISO’s “comparative assertion disclosed to the public”


ISO 14044 defines as an “environmental claim regarding the
superiority or equivalence of one product versus a competing
product which performs the same function.”

 ISO 14044 specifies nine evaluation steps required for


“comparative assertions” that are made to the public.

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13
Goal definition

• Is LCA the most appropriate tool to solve the problem?

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Scope definition

• Change-oriented, structural decision(s)


• Detailed LCA
• Temporal coverage
• Geographical coverage
• Technology coverage
• Coverage of processes
• Coverage of interventions and impacts

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Scope definition

System qualities to identify:


• Identification of system function
• Identification of functional unit
• Selection of alternatives
• Determination of reference flow for each alternative

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Scope definition

• Example:
– Function: lighting a room
– Functional unit: 1000 hours of 1250 lumen light
– Alternatives: incandescent, fluorescent and compact fluorescent

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Scope definition

• Example (continued)
– Reference flows
• 1000 hours fluorescent tube 1250 lumen light
• 1000 hours compact fluorescent 1250 lumen light
• 1000 hours incandescent 1250 lumen light

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Scope definition

• Functional unit: exercises


– electricity (coal, oil, wind)
– beverage containers (one-way, reusable)
– potatoes (traditional, organic)
– paint (alkyd, acryl)
– TV (normal, plasma)
– communication (paper, telephone, e-mail)

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19
Are there segments you wish to • Purpose of LCA
review from this module?
• Goal of the study

• Scope of the study


– function, functional unit
and reference flow
– initial choices (system
boundaries, data categories,
inputs and outputs, data
quality, critical review)
– critical review and other
procedural aspects
Module contents

This is an overview of d Inventory analysis


the remaining e Impact assessment
modules in the toolkit. f LCA interpretation
g Allocation in LCA
h LCA mathematics
i LCIA mathematics
j Life cycle costing
k Uncertainty in LCA
l Carbon footprint

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