LCA

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a standardized method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product, process, or system by analyzing its entire life cycle.

An LCA takes into account all stages of a product’s life — from raw material extraction, production, and distribution to use, disposal, or recycling. This holistic approach helps to identify where the greatest environmental impacts occur and provides a foundation for improving sustainability performance.

What does an LCA include?

An LCA typically covers:

• Upstream processes such as resource extraction and material production
• Core processes including manufacturing and assembly
• Downstream processes such as product use, reuse, recycling, and final disposal

The analysis considers various impact categories, including carbon footprint (CO₂e), energy use, water consumption, and waste generation.

Why is LCA important?

Life Cycle Assessment provides valuable insights for:

• Sustainable product design and material choices
• Corporate environmental reporting and Scope 3 emission analysis
• Regulatory compliance, e.g., CSRD, Ecodesign, or Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)
• Supporting Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculations and overall carbon accounting

By quantifying environmental impacts across the full product life cycle, LCA helps companies make data-driven sustainability decisions and identify effective reduction strategies.