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What does a life cycle assessment look like?

Create a life cycle assessment: Easier than you think, more important than you think

What does a yogurt pot have to do with climate protection? Quite a lot - if you look at what goes into its production: energy, raw materials, transportation. And this is exactly what a life cycle assessment makes visible. It shows where environmental impacts occur - over the entire life cycle. For companies, this is the first step towards taking responsibility. And to work with data instead of gut feeling. Sounds complicated? It doesn't have to be. We at natureOffice can help you - with advice, strategy and software.

What exactly is a life cycle assessment? - A brief introduction without frills

A life cycle assessment is a methodical procedure for evaluating the environmental impact of a product, process or entire company. It provides clarity about CO2 emissions and resource consumption. And it helps to identify hotspots - i.e. places where a particularly high level of emissions is generated.

There are different aspects that a life cycle assessment considers, records or includes:

Life cycle assessment / product life cycle assessment: this refers to the entire life cycle of a product - from raw material extraction to disposal. Also known ascradle-to-grave.
Core balance (gate-to-gate): Focuses only on a specific production step - e.g. the period from goods receipt to goods issue.
Complementary balance sheet: Supplements the core balance sheet with upstream or downstream processes.
Process Life Cycle Assessment: Depicts the environmental impact of an individual process - e.g. a printing press or a transportation step.
Operational balance sheet: Shows the environmental impact of an entire company or site.

Regardless of which balance sheet is drawn up: The aim is to systematically record environmental impacts and create a basis for decision-making.

Goals and advantages - the benefits of a life cycle assessment

Create transparency
Finally, real figures instead of gut feelings - for customers, stakeholders and yourself.
Increase efficiency
If you know your hotspots, you can optimize them and save costs.
Minimize risks
Rising CO₂ prices or new regulations will not catch you unprepared.
Foundation for everything else
Without reliable data, there can be no sensible sustainability reporting or credible climate strategy.

Standards and laws - what you need to know before you start

A life cycle assessment is not a legal requirement for many companies - but it is often highly advisable. However, in some sectors, such as the construction industry, it is already mandatory. Certain standards are decisive here:

ISO 14040 and ISO 14044: The internationally recognized standards for conducting life cycle assessments.
DIN EN 15804: Concerns environmental product declarations (EPD) for construction products.
DIN EN 15978: regulates the life cycle assessment of buildings in the construction industry.

In addition, more and more clients, investors and authorities are demanding comprehensible environmental indicators. The life cycle assessment is also a suitable tool for companies that want to calculate their carbon footprint .

The 4 phases in the life cycle assessment process - procedure and structure explained step by step

The preparation of a life cycle assessment follows a clear process. Four phases that build on each other - and provide a meaningful picture at the end.

1
Target definition and system boundaries
This is where you determine what the life cycle assessment should achieve: Is it about a product? A location? The entire company? The processes to be included are then defined. Two approaches are available: Cradle-to-grave ("from the cradle to the grave") maps the complete life cycle - from raw material extraction to disposal or reuse. Cradle-to-gate, on the other hand, ends at the factory gate, for example when the product is sold. Both are justified. The only important thing is to clearly state what is being considered - and what is not.
2
Life Cycle Inventory
In this phase, data is collected: Input and output - in figures. How much energy is consumed? Which raw materials are used? What emissions are produced? The result is a comprehensive collection of data.
3
Life cycle impact assessment
The data from the life cycle inventory is now converted into environmental impacts such as global warming potential. This makes it clear which processes are particularly relevant.
4
Evaluation of the life cycle assessment (Results and Interpretation)
The data is analyzed, interpreted and put into a meaningful context. This is not just about figures, but also about recommendations: What can be improved? Where is there potential for savings?

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Life cycle assessment made simple - working together for greater clarity and transparency

You want to create your life cycle assessment - but don't know where to start? That's where we come in. natureOffice supports you on several levels:

Consulting

Our advice on sustainability strategy brings clarity and structure to your company.

360-degree solutions

From the carbon footprint and sustainability reporting to the long-term climate strategy.

Creation and evaluation

We can take over the entire accounting process for you - or support you with the internal implementation.

Software solutions

Our web-based tools can be used to record life cycles, calculate environmental impacts and present results in an understandable way.

Data collection

We show you where relevant data is located - and how to collect it efficiently.

"Does it all sound technical? Don't worry. You know your company - we have the solutions."

FAQs: Frequently asked questions

A life cycle assessment evaluates all aspects of the environmental impact of a product, process or company. It analyzes resource consumption, emissions and other environmental impacts in order to make informed decisions for greater sustainability.
The life cycle assessment is intended to create transparency, uncover weaknesses and make optimization potential visible. Companies can use it to improve their environmental performance, reduce risks and meet reporting requirements or sustainability targets.
The LCA consists of four phases:
1. Goal definition and system boundaries (Goal and Scope)
2. Life Cycle Inventory
3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment
4. Evaluation (Results and Interpretation)
Reliable data usually comes from internal sources (e.g. production data), but also from external databases such as ProBas or industry association databases. Relevant primary data can also be generated via material flow analyses.
Companies in the construction industry or those that require environmental declarations for their products are legally obliged to do so. For all others, it is voluntary - but still useful with regard to investors, banks, customers, supervisory authorities and other stakeholders.