Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Quantify impacts and make decisions
The life cycle assessment (LCA) is carried out within our Design for Tomorrow department and is included in the eco-design justification dossier, which aims to assess a product’s environmental performance throughout its development.
What are the advantages of LCA?
More specifically, LCA aims to quantify and identify all the material and energy flows involved in the life cycle of a product, service or process by means of:
Why conduct a life cycle assessment?
Life cycle assessment is the first step in conducting an informed and effective eco-design process by quantifying and evaluating the impacts across a product’s entire life cycle. It enables comparisons to be made between options at a global level (recycling, relocating production) or a local level (design elements, manufacturing processes). Finally, LCA identifies the most effective levers for reducing the overall impact.
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What are the stages in a life cycle assessment?
Life cycle assessment is an iterative process; each phase of an LCA builds on the results of the previous phases, and there is a back-and-forth between them at every stage
A life cycle assessment is carried out in five stages, beginning with the definition of the objectives and scope of the study, followed by the inventory. The inventory involves identifying and quantifying elements such as manufacturing processes (including the disposal of process and product waste), the production and consumption of fuels, electricity and heat, lighting and heating, distribution and various types of packaging, as well as the recovery of products after use (reuse, recycling and energy recovery). The third stage of the LCA is the assessment of environmental impacts, leading to the fourth stage, which is the analysis of the assessment results.
At the end of the process, LCA enables us to understand the relevant areas for action, so that we can take effective action.
The key stage of an LCA: Stage 5, Taking action
The fifth stage is based on the results of the life-cycle analysis carried out. In light of the findings, effective measures can be implemented:
Example of a life cycle assessment
Shown here is an extract from the life cycle assessment results for a smart button. This graph allows us to identify which phase of the life cycle has the greatest impact. We can see that the production phase, shown in orange on the graph, accounts for the largest share of the product’s environmental footprint.
How do you perform a life cycle assessment (LCA)?
We can help you calculate and analyze your product’s ecological footprint using LCA.
Life cycle assessment is the starting point for understanding your product’s impact on the environment. To help you understand the ins and outs of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), we’ve put together 14 answers that will shed some light on the subject.