Design and Lifecycle Assessment

In its formal configuration, LCA is almost always used for a comparative study -evaluating multiple designs or decision alternatives. The comparison is performed on the basis of a functional unit, which may be a physical unit (e.g., a pound of a chemical product or a piece of gadget) or a service unit. The latter is usually 

Methodology for performing lifecycle assessment has been discussed in many books dedicated to the subject (e.g., Goedkoop, 1994 Curran, 1996) and will not be elaborated in great depth here. In essence, LCA begins with the definition of goal and scope, and is followed by the development of lifecycle inventory (LCI), where information on the inflows and outflows of materials and energy for 

Finally, as the last step in LCA methodology, the findings obtained from LCIA are analyzed for their significance, statistical uncertainty, and so on. Primary concerns may be identified and recommendations made based on the analysis. 

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