Life Cycle Inventory Analysis: Methods and Data (LCA Compendium – The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment)

✍ Scribed by Andreas Ciroth (editor), Rickard Arvidsson (editor)

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 216
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Analysis is the second phase in the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework. Since the first attempts to formalize life cycle assessment in the early 1970, life cycle inventory analysis has been a central part.

Chapter 1 “Introduction to Life Cycle Inventory Analysis“ discusses the history of inventory analysis from the 1970s through SETAC and the ISO standard.

In Chapter 2 “Principles of Life Cycle Inventory Modeling”, the general principles of setting up an LCI model and LCI analysis are described by introducing the core LCI model and extensions that allow addressing reality better.

Chapter 3 “Development of Unit Process Datasets”shows that developing unit processes of high quality and transparency is not a trivial task, but is crucial for high-quality LCA studies.

Chapter 4 “Multi-functionality in Life Cycle Inventory Analysis: Approaches and Solutions” describes how multi-functional processes can be identified.

In Chapter 5 “Data Quality in Life Cycle Inventories”, the quality of data gathered and used in LCI analysis is discussed. State-of-the-art indicators to assess data quality in LCA are described and the fitness for purpose concept is introduced.

Chapter 6 “Life Cycle Inventory Data and Databases“ follows up on the topic of LCI data and provides a state-of-the-art description of LCI databases. It describes differences between foreground and background data, recommendations for starting a database, data exchange and quality assurance concepts for databases, as well as the scientific basis of LCI databases.

Chapter 7 “Algorithms of Life Cycle Inventory Analysis“ provides the mathematical models underpinning the LCI. Since Heijungs and Suh (2002), this is the first time that this aspect of LCA has been fundamentally presented.

In Chapter 8 “Inventory Indicators in Life Cycle Assessment”, the use of LCI data to create aggregated environmental and resource indicators is described. Such indicators include the cumulative energy demand and various water use indicators.

Chapter 9 “The Link Between Life Cycle Inventory Analysis and Life Cycle Impact Assessment” uses four examples to discuss the link between LCI analysis and LCIA. A clear and relevant link between these phases is crucial.

✦ Table of Contents

Preface
References
Contents
Contributors
Chapter 1: Introduction to “Life Cycle Inventory Analysis”
1 A Brief History of Life Cycle Inventory Analysis
2 LCI Analysis in a Nutshell
2.1 Constructing a Flow Chart
2.2 Gathering Data
2.3 Conducting LCI Calculations
2.4 Interpreting Results and Drawing Conclusions
3 Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis
4 Overview of this Volume
References
Chapter 2: Principles of Life Cycle Inventory Modeling: The Basic Model, Extensions, and Conventions
1 The Basic Life Cycle Inventory Model
2 Some Fundamental Modeling Topics in the Basic LCI Model
2.1 Modeling Benefits and Impacts: The Functional Unit
2.2 Modeling Causality: Attributional Versus Consequential Perspectives
2.3 Setting Boundaries in an Infinite Inventory Model
2.4 Modeling Locations
2.5 When Can a Process Dataset be Considered Complete?
3 Extensions of the Basic LCI Model
3.1 Modeling Multifunctionality
3.2 Modeling Time
3.3 Low Probability Flows of High Impact, Unknown Mechanisms
4 Life Cycle Modeling Conventions
4.1 Modeling Transport Services
4.2 Modeling the Use Phase
4.3 Modeling End of Life
5 Conclusion
References
Chapter 3: Development of Unit Process Datasets
1 Introduction
2 General Procedures of Developing Unit Processes
2.1 Goal and Scope Definition of Unit Processes
2.2 Data Collection and Accounting of Flows
2.2.1 Data Sources and Selection
2.2.2 Accounting Flows from Raw Data
Mathematical Relations
Special Flows
2.2.3 Flows with Missing Data
2.3 Matching Flows with Background Datasets (Optional)
2.4 Internal Check
2.5 Sensitivity Analysis (Optional)
2.6 Data Quality Evaluation
2.7 Documentation
2.8 Critical Review
3 Tools
4 Conclusions and Outlook
References
Chapter 4: Multifunctionality in Life Cycle Inventory Analysis: Approaches and Solutions
1 Introduction
2 The History of Dealing with Multifunctionality
3 Definitions and Typologies
4 Solutions to the Multifunctionality Problem
4.1 System Expansion and Substitution
4.2 Partitioning
5 Other Approaches than System Expansion/Substitution and Partitioning
6 Discussion
7 Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendix: The Special Case of Closed-Loop Recycling
References
Chapter 5: Data Quality in Life Cycle Inventories
1 Data Quality: An Issue in Life Cycle Inventories
2 Definition of Data Quality and Fitness for Purpose
3 Addressing Data Quality in Life Cycle Assessment
3.1 Relevance of Data Quality in LCA
3.2 The Janus Property of Data Quality
3.3 Components of Data Quality Descriptors
3.4 Data Quality Topics in LCI and Generic Indicators
3.5 Data Quality Use Cases – Frameworks
3.5.1 Data Quality in the Environmental Footprint
The Category Rules
The Data Quality Assessment Formula
Review in the Environmental Footprint
3.5.2 Data Quality in the US Environmental Protection Agency
3.5.3 UNEP Global Life Cycle Access to Data (GLAD)
4 Notes on Selected Data Quality Indicators
4.1 Uncertainty
4.2 Reliability
4.3 Representativeness
4.4 Time
4.5 Location
4.6 Technology
5 Conclusion and Way Forward
References
Chapter 6: Life Cycle Inventory Data and Databases
1 Life Cycle Inventory Data and Databases, Definition and Introduction
2 The Role of Life Cycle Inventory Databases for Life Cycle Assessment
3 Types of Databases
4 Issues in Life Cycle Inventory Databases
4.1 Setup
4.2 Quality Assurance
4.3 Maintenance
4.4 Integration into LCA Software
5 Data Exchange
5.1 Information in LCI to Be Exchanged
5.2 Exchange Formats
5.3 Interoperability Concepts
6 Outlook
References
Chapter 7: Algorithms of Life Cycle Inventory Analysis
1 Introduction
2 Calculating Inventory Results
2.1 Representation with Linear Equations
2.2 Reformulation with Matrices
2.3 Calculating LCI Results
2.4 The Sequential Approach
2.5 Relations to Input-Output Analysis
3 Handling Specific Characteristics
3.1 Multiple Providers
3.2 Multifunctional Processes
3.3 Avoided Production
3.4 Waste Flows
3.5 Loops
4 Advanced Analysis Functions
4.1 Direct Contributions
4.2 Upstream Contributions
4.3 Contribution Trees
4.4 Relations to Impact Assessment
5 Performance Considerations
5.1 Selection of Algorithms
5.2 Precalculated Results
References
Chapter 8: Inventory Indicators in Life Cycle Assessment
1 Introducing Inventory Indicators
2 Energy Use Inventory Indicators
2.1 Inventory Indicators of Energy Use
2.2 Inventory Indicators of Energy Efficiency
3 Water Use Inventory Indicators
3.1 Water Extraction and Consumption
3.2 The Water Footprint Family
4 Additional Inventory Indicators
4.1 Waste Generation Inventory Indicators
4.2 Land Use Inventory Indicators
4.3 Material Use Inventory Indicators
4.4 Emission Inventory Indicators
5 Discussion and Outlook
References
Chapter 9: The Link Between Life Cycle Inventory Analysis and Life Cycle Impact Assessment
1 Introduction
2 Receiving Compartment Resolution: The Example of Toxic Emissions
3 Stressor Resolution: The Example of Particulate Matter Formation
4 Missing Characterization Factors: The Example of Metal Use
5 Missing Characterization Factors: The Example of Sum Parameters
6 Discussion and Outlook
References
Glossary
Index