LCA Final Exam: Questions With Complete Solutions
What can an LCA do? Correct Answer - • Determining the potential
environmental impacts of a product.
• Identifying (hidden) environmental hotspots of a product.
• Identifying shifts of burden between life cycles and impacts.
Aims of a LCA? Correct Answer - •Identify options for environmental
improvement (i.e. assist ecodesign).
•Inform decision makers.
•Marketing (i.e eco-labels).
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Correct Answer -
Environmental report/declaration informing about the environmental impact
from goods and services. → used to communicate LCA results (B2B)
Product Category Rules (PCR) Correct Answer - • Basis for EPDs.
provides specific rules for conducting an LCA for a particular product group.
(specify the functional unit, impact categories and LCIA method)
What is defined by goal and scope of an LCA? Correct Answer - • What is
my target and why do I want to do an LCA?
• For whom do I want to do it?
• What is my functional unit (and the reference flow)?
• What are the system boundaries?
•Definition of the environmental impact categories
Examples of LCA impact categories Correct Answer - -Global warming.
-eutrophication.
-smog.
-ozone depletion.
Functional Unit Correct Answer - Defines what precisely is being studied
System boundary Correct Answer - determines which unit processes to be
included in the LCA study. i.e.:
-boundaries between the technological system and nature.
-Geographic area.
-Time scale.
, 4 main steps in a LCA Correct Answer - 1. Definitaion of goal and scope.
2. Preparation of Life Cycle Inventory (LCI).
3. Life cycle impact assesment (LCIA).
4. Study interpretation.
What is an LCSA? Correct Answer - Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment
What reports compose a LCSA? Correct Answer - LCA, SLCA, & LCC
ISO 14040/44 (methodological framework) Correct Answer - The only
standardized method to assess potential environmental impacts of products
along their entire life cycle
- a compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and potential
environmental impacts of products
Life cycle inventory (LCI) Correct Answer - The compilation and
quantification of inputs and outputs for a product throughout its life cycle
Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) Correct Answer - aims at
understanding and quantifying the significance of the potential environmental
impacts of a product throughout its life cycle
Life cycle interpretation Correct Answer - • Analysis of the effects of
parameter fluctuation to the overall result.
-sensitivity analysis: comparison of different scenarios
-scenario analysis: conclusions and recommendations
LCAs with one impact category Correct Answer - LCA with focus on one
impact category. i.e. climate change, water footprint
How ares LCAs used in policy? Correct Answer - • As basis for
environmental labels
• In the EU the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), a current initiative
for implementing LCA, gaining a lot of attention
LCAs informs decision makers allowing them to: Correct Answer - 1.
Reduce negative impacts of product on the environment.
2. Identify what can be improved.
What can an LCA do? Correct Answer - • Determining the potential
environmental impacts of a product.
• Identifying (hidden) environmental hotspots of a product.
• Identifying shifts of burden between life cycles and impacts.
Aims of a LCA? Correct Answer - •Identify options for environmental
improvement (i.e. assist ecodesign).
•Inform decision makers.
•Marketing (i.e eco-labels).
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Correct Answer -
Environmental report/declaration informing about the environmental impact
from goods and services. → used to communicate LCA results (B2B)
Product Category Rules (PCR) Correct Answer - • Basis for EPDs.
provides specific rules for conducting an LCA for a particular product group.
(specify the functional unit, impact categories and LCIA method)
What is defined by goal and scope of an LCA? Correct Answer - • What is
my target and why do I want to do an LCA?
• For whom do I want to do it?
• What is my functional unit (and the reference flow)?
• What are the system boundaries?
•Definition of the environmental impact categories
Examples of LCA impact categories Correct Answer - -Global warming.
-eutrophication.
-smog.
-ozone depletion.
Functional Unit Correct Answer - Defines what precisely is being studied
System boundary Correct Answer - determines which unit processes to be
included in the LCA study. i.e.:
-boundaries between the technological system and nature.
-Geographic area.
-Time scale.
, 4 main steps in a LCA Correct Answer - 1. Definitaion of goal and scope.
2. Preparation of Life Cycle Inventory (LCI).
3. Life cycle impact assesment (LCIA).
4. Study interpretation.
What is an LCSA? Correct Answer - Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment
What reports compose a LCSA? Correct Answer - LCA, SLCA, & LCC
ISO 14040/44 (methodological framework) Correct Answer - The only
standardized method to assess potential environmental impacts of products
along their entire life cycle
- a compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and potential
environmental impacts of products
Life cycle inventory (LCI) Correct Answer - The compilation and
quantification of inputs and outputs for a product throughout its life cycle
Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) Correct Answer - aims at
understanding and quantifying the significance of the potential environmental
impacts of a product throughout its life cycle
Life cycle interpretation Correct Answer - • Analysis of the effects of
parameter fluctuation to the overall result.
-sensitivity analysis: comparison of different scenarios
-scenario analysis: conclusions and recommendations
LCAs with one impact category Correct Answer - LCA with focus on one
impact category. i.e. climate change, water footprint
How ares LCAs used in policy? Correct Answer - • As basis for
environmental labels
• In the EU the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), a current initiative
for implementing LCA, gaining a lot of attention
LCAs informs decision makers allowing them to: Correct Answer - 1.
Reduce negative impacts of product on the environment.
2. Identify what can be improved.
