Life cycle assessment

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Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an analytical method used to quantifiably measure the environmental impacts generated by a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. LCA is governed by ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method of assessing the environmental impact of a product or service throughout its life cycle.

Although Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is often associated with established products or industries, it can also be applied to startups to evaluate the environmental impact of their products, processes, or services.

Conducting an LCA can:

➡️ Ensure compliance with regulations (RE2020, Climate Law...);

➡️ Improve the environmental performance of products (eco-design);

➡️ Attest to the credibility of environmental initiatives;

➡️ Transparently inform customers/consumers about the environmental quality of products and services, offering a significant competitive advantage.

1️⃣ Defining the scope of the LCA

Clearly define the scope of the LCA by identifying the specific products, processes, or services you want to assess. This will help target analysis efforts on the most relevant and significant elements for the startup.

2️⃣ Data collection and impact assessment

Gather relevant data for each life cycle stage identified within the LCA scope. This could involve information on energy consumption, emissions, materials used, waste management, etc. Once the data is collected, assess the environmental impacts associated with each stage using appropriate evaluation methods.

3️⃣ Analyzing results and identifying improvement opportunities

Analyze the LCA results to identify areas with high environmental impact and improvement opportunities. This could include actions such as process optimization, reducing energy consumption, using more sustainable materials, enhancing waste management, and more.

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