# Life Cycle Assessment: Do more than measure your environmental impact

Advanced digitalization helps companies achieve their carbon neutral goals by not only measuring their current environmental impact, but also the impact of future decisions.

## (Sustainability)Urgent times call for effective solutions

Committing to carbon neutrality is just the first step. The second is how you actually achieve it. This starts with being able to measure the environmental impact of your business end-to-end.

But that shouldn’t be the limit. **Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)** tools/software, also known as *life cycle analysis*, enables you to assess the sustainability of any decision you make, even before they’re implemented.

## Reimagining Sustainability: Lifecycle Assessment With Virtual Twins

Discover how the **3D**EXPERIENCE platform helps manufacturer make sustainability a part of every stage of innovation.

[Reimagining Sustainability](/media/25099)

[   Get the ebook     ](/media/unlock-sustainable-design-virtual-twins-and-lifecycle-assessment)

EBOOK

### The Role of Lifecycle Assessment in Achieving Net-Zero Goals

LCA is not just a measurement tool; it’s a strategic asset in the quest for net-zero carbon emissions. Companies aiming to achieve net-zero must identify and mitigate emissions across the entire lifecycle of their products and services. From sourcing raw materials to end-of-life disposal, LCA provides actionable insights to reduce greenhouse gas emissions effectively.

For example, by leveraging LCA tools, businesses can pinpoint high-impact areas such as energy-intensive manufacturing processes or inefficient transportation routes. This data empowers them to implement targeted changes, such as adopting renewable energy sources, streamlining logistics, or investing in more sustainable materials.

**80%**1 of a product or service’s design determines its environmental impact throughout the lifecycle.

**56%** of [executives know the importance](https://www.3ds.com/sustainability/ft-report-reinforces-sustainable-innovation) of integrating sustainability principles into product and service development.

Yet only **26%** have revised their product and service development processes to maximize any sustainability benefits.

### Lifecycle Assessment in the Circular Economy

A circular economy focuses on minimizing waste and maximizing resource efficiency by designing products and systems that enable reuse, refurbishment, and recycling. Lifecycle Assessment plays a critical role in this model by providing data on the environmental impact of materials and processes.

For instance, an LCA study can help businesses compare the environmental benefits of recycling materials versus sourcing new ones. By using LCA insights, companies can design products with extended lifespans, modularity for easier repair, and materials that are simpler to recycle—key principles of circularity.

## csi entwicklungstechnik

German engineering services provider csi entwicklungstechnik adopted the **3D**EXPERIENCE platform and its cloud-based sustainability solution to embed Life Cycle Assessment into a virtual twin to support the eco-design process for its customers which include international automotive OEMs.

[(csi banner)](/media/17949)

[Read the full story](https://www.3ds.com/insights/customer-stories/csi-sustainable-automotive)

## EPFL Racing Team

The Swiss EPFL Racing Team is the first Formula Student organization with its own sustainability department. The team uses the **3D**EXPERIENCE platform and its solution, [Eco-Design Engineering for Education](https://www.3ds.com/edu/education/academics/solutions/3dexperience/design-engineering/eco-design), to assess the environmental impact of its electric formula racing car. Through a comprehensive lifecycle assessment (LCA), they were able to examine which areas of the vehicle to improve, using this analysis to guide the eco-design of its next-generation racing car.

[(Sustainability) EPFL Racing Team - Designing sustainable racing cars with LCA](/media/14784)

[Read the full story](https://www.3ds.com/insights/customer-stories/epfl-racing-team-lifecycle-assessment)

## (Sustainability) What is Life Cycle Assessment and why do you need it?

LCA quantifies the environmental impact of end-to-end business products and services, from sourcing raw materials to delivering finished goods. By using data about a company’s processes and from thousands of sources, LCA aims to answer questions such as:

1. Which product designs and material selections are the most **sustainable** ones?
2. Which processes have the **lowest consumption** of land and water resources?
3. Which manufacturing and supplier strategy has the best **carbon footprint**?

LCA tools have been available for decades, but they have long been the preserve of specialist teams, and their findings have been difficult and time-consuming to integrate into product development and delivery.

However, thanks to advanced digitalization and **virtual twin technologies**, LCA is now being put in the hands of teams who can use it to **optimize design choices**, right from the beginning, with a clear understanding of what actions have the highest environmental impact.

This allows project teams to **work collaboratively** and identify optimal trade-offs, test designs virtually and cost-effectively, and reduce cycle times.

## (Sustainability) The power and potential of LCA within the virtual twin

Dassault Systèmes’ **Sustainable Innovation Intelligence** solution enables this integration of LCA and virtual twin technologies with design and delivery functions.

By **combining LCA with the virtual twin**, detailed environmental assessments are available from as early as the ideation stage, and then to every member of the innovation process downstream.

To consistently deliver accurate insights, Dassault Systèmes has partnered with environmental intelligence provider **ecoinvent**. Their database includes over 26,000 datasets, with data updated every year. Their coverage going well beyond carbon, supporting impact assessment across a wide range of environmental indicators, including all 16 categories recognized by the EU Product Environmental Footprint method, from water scarcity and land use to human toxicity and resource depletion, and an expanding number of use cases.

 LCA brings the metrics needed to evaluate environmental impacts across the product lifecycle. Integrating that with virtual twin technology opens new possibilities to address those impacts very early on.

**Emilia Moreno Ruiz**

The ecoinvent Association

CTO, ecoinvent

 ![Emilia Moreno Ruiz](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2026-07/emilia-moreno-ruiz.jpg)

### Key Factors of the Sustainable Innovation Intelligence Solution

The Sustainable Innovation Intelligence solution enables companies to:

- Follow a **sustainability-driven engineering approach** that sets sustainable goals, reinforces [**eco-design**](https://www.3ds.com/sustainability/circular-economy/eco-design) practices and drives innovation throughout the product lifecycle
- Assess human activities and **optimize for sustainability**
- Understand a product’s **environmental impact across the value chain**, from raw materials, to packaging and transport, to manufacturing, to recovery and end-of-life
- Explore **design alternatives** and model various trade-off scenarios

## The ecoinvent Database

ecoinvent is an independent non-profit association founded and governed by leading Swiss research institutions and universities. Our mission is to enable people and organizations to make science-based, data-driven sustainability decisions. We do this by maintaining the world's most widely used and transparent environmental database, which spans every major sector and geography. We reinvest all license revenue into improving the quality and completeness of our database and innovating to meet evolving user needs.

Global industry leaders, researchers, policymakers, and software providers partner with ecoinvent to support more sustainable decisions. From life cycle assessment (LCA) and ecodesign to product carbon footprinting, supply chain optimization, corporate carbon accounting, and Scope 3 reporting, ecoinvent underpins the tools, frameworks, and standards that the sustainability era is being built on. We have been doing this for over two decades.

 ![Lifecycle Assessment Advances Sustainability > ecoinvent Association > Dassault Systèmes®](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2023-09/ecoinvent-logo.png)

[   Learn more about The ecoinvent Database     ](https://ecoinvent.org/the-ecoinvent-database/)

---

1Source: “[The Contribution of Design to Sustainable Development](https://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/guest-articles/the-contribution-of-design-to-sustainable-development/)” by Euractiv
2Source: “[E](https://ecoinvent.org/the-ecoinvent-database/)[coinvent](https://ecoinvent.org/the-ecoinvent-database/)[ database](https://ecoinvent.org/the-ecoinvent-database/)” by IISD

## Life Cycle Assessment: Frequently Asked Questions

## What is Life Cycle Assessment and why is it important for net-zero product development?

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a standardized methodology—governed by ISO 14040 and 14044—that quantifies the environmental impact of a product from raw material extraction through manufacturing, distribution, use and end-of-life disposal. For organizations pursuing net-zero carbon targets, LCA is the measurement foundation that makes those commitments achievable rather than aspirational.

Research shows that 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined during the design phase. That means LCA must be integrated early—not applied retrospectively—to drive meaningful carbon footprint reductions. Without it, sustainability decisions are largely guesswork.

[Learn how eco-design and LCA work together](/sustainability/circular-economy/eco-design "Eco-Design: Aligning Sustainability & Innovation in Product Development").

## How does eco-design differ from conventional product development, and what role does LCA play in making it work?

Eco-design is a product development approach that treats environmental performance as a core design requirement—alongside cost, quality and technical function—from the earliest concept stage. Conventional product development typically addresses environmental impact late in the cycle, when changes are expensive and options are limited. Eco-design reverses that sequence entirely.

LCA is the measurement engine that makes eco-design quantifiable and defensible:

- It provides the environmental data needed to compare material and process alternatives objectively
- It identifies which design decisions carry the highest environmental cost before those decisions are locked in
- It enables engineers to balance trade-offs between recyclability, energy efficiency, material sourcing and carbon impact with actual numbers
- It produces documented evidence of environmental improvement that satisfies regulatory and stakeholder demands

[Learn more about eco-design on the **3D**EXPERIENCE platform](/products/catia/sustainable-design "Sustainable by Design").

## What are the stages of a product's life cycle when considering a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis?

According to the KPMG Life Cycle Assessment Guide, a product's life cycle consists of five main stages, which are analyzed during an LCA to evaluate environmental impacts:

1. **Raw Material Extraction:** The process of sourcing natural resources required for production.
2. **Manufacturing and Processing:** Transforming raw materials into finished products, which involves significant energy use and emissions.
3. **Transportation and Distribution:** Moving products through the supply chain, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
4. **Usage and Retail:** The period when the product is used by consumers, including maintenance and energy consumption.
5. **Waste Disposal/Recycling:** Managing the end-of-life phase, whether through landfill, recycling, or reuse.

For each of these stages, conducting a detailed **inventory analysis** is crucial to quantify the inputs (e.g., materials, energy) and outputs (e.g., emissions, waste). The **reasons** for performing such an analysis include identifying high-impact areas and developing strategies to reduce a product’s overall environmental footprint.

## What are the life cycle assessment steps?

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) **evaluates the environmental impact** of a product or system throughout its life cycle. According to science portal ResearchGate, steps include:

1. **Goal and Scope Definition:** Establishing the objectives and boundaries of the study to ensure a clear focus.
2. **Inventory Analysis:** Collecting and quantifying data on all inputs (e.g., raw materials, energy, water) and outputs (e.g., emissions, waste) throughout the product's lifecycle. This step provides the foundational data for the subsequent impact assessment.
3. **Environmental Impact Assessment:** Using the results of the inventory analysis to evaluate the potential environmental impacts across various categories, such as climate change or resource depletion.
4. **Interpretation:** Analyzing the findings to draw conclusions, identify improvement opportunities, and ensure alignment with the study goals.

The importance of inventory analysis cannot be overstated, as it underpins the accuracy and reliability of the entire LCA process. One of the main reasons for conducting LCA is to make informed decisions that reduce environmental impacts while supporting sustainable practices. By following these structured steps, businesses can effectively identify areas for improvement and minimize their environmental footprint.

## What is LCA according to ISO 14040 and 14044?

ISO standards **14040** and **14044** provide internationally recognized guidelines for conducting Lifecycle Assessments (LCA), ensuring consistency, transparency, and reliability in evaluating the environmental impacts of products, processes, or services. These standards outline a structured methodology that generally consists of four key phases:

1. **Defining Study Objectives and Scope:** This phase involves establishing the purpose of the LCA, the system boundaries, and the functional unit (the basis for comparison). It sets the framework for the assessment, determining which aspects of the product lifecycle will be analyzed and the goals to be achieved.
2. **Compiling a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI):** This step entails collecting and quantifying data on all inputs (e.g., raw materials, energy, water) and outputs (e.g., emissions, waste) associated with the product lifecycle. The LCI phase is critical for building a comprehensive dataset that serves as the foundation for subsequent analysis.
3. **Conducting a Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA):** Using the inventory data, this phase evaluates the potential environmental impacts across various categories, such as global warming potential, resource depletion, and water usage. This step provides actionable insights into the most significant areas of environmental concern.
4. **Performing an Interpretation of the Findings:** The final phase involves analyzing the results in the context of the study objectives, identifying key areas for improvement, and making recommendations. It ensures that the conclusions drawn are consistent with the goals and boundaries defined earlier.

These ISO standards ensure that LCAs are performed in a standardized, systematic, and credible manner, allowing for comparability across studies and enabling organizations to confidently use the results to inform sustainability strategies, decision-making, and reporting. By adhering to these guidelines, companies can ensure their LCA studies meet rigorous international benchmarks, building trust with stakeholders and supporting compliance with environmental regulations.

## How does Lifecycle Assessment help address climate change and global warming?

Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive methodology developed by the **International Organization for Standardization (ISO)** to address climate change and global warming by systematically identifying and quantifying **greenhouse gas (GHG)** emissions and other environmental impacts across a product's lifecycle. This includes raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, usage, and end-of-life disposal. By analyzing the entire lifecycle, LCA provides actionable insights to reduce carbon footprints and improve overall sustainability.

In addition to its environmental focus, LCA also incorporates **social aspects**, evaluating how production processes and supply chains affect communities and workers. This broader perspective ensures that solutions for mitigating climate change also promote ethical and responsible practices across industries.

The main reasons LCA is effective in combating climate change include:

1. **Comprehensive Analysis:** LCA evaluates every stage of a product's lifecycle, using a **reference flow** (a quantifiable measure of output) to ensure no stage of greenhouse gas emissions is overlooked.
2. **Informed Decision-Making:** LCA empowers businesses and decision-makers to select materials, processes, and designs that minimize emissions while considering social implications.
3. **Supply Chain Optimization:** It identifies inefficiencies and high-impact areas within the supply chain, such as energy-intensive production or long-distance transportation, enabling targeted improvements.
4. **Support for Climate Goals:** By identifying areas for emission reductions, LCA helps organizations align with global climate change initiatives, such as the Paris Agreement, net-zero goals, and ISO standards.

For example, in the [**construction industry**](https://www.3ds.com/industries/architecture-engineering-construction/achieve-sustainable-construction), LCA can demonstrate that using low-carbon concrete reduces GHG emissions significantly. It can also highlight that sourcing materials locally minimizes transportation-related emissions while supporting local communities—a key social benefit. These insights, grounded in clear reasons and a structured approach, combined with adherence to ISO standards, make LCA an indispensable tool in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, global warming, and sustainable development.

## What is an example of a LCA?

An example of Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) in the **construction industry** involves evaluating the environmental impact of a building project from the extraction of raw materials to its end-of-life. The assessment begins with the sourcing and processing of construction materials such as concrete, steel, and timber. Decision-makers assess the environmental impacts associated with these materials, including embodied carbon, energy consumption, and emissions generated during their extraction and transportation through the **supply chain**.

During the manufacturing and prefabrication phases, LCA examines energy usage, water consumption, and waste generation at production facilities. In the construction phase, emissions from heavy machinery and on-site operations are considered, alongside material efficiency and waste management practices.

The assessment extends to the operational phase, where factors such as the building’s energy performance, water usage, and maintenance requirements are analyzed. Finally, the LCA evaluates the building’s **end-of-life phase**, focusing on demolition impacts, recycling potential, and waste disposal.

For example, an LCA might reveal that sourcing locally-produced steel reduces emissions from long-distance transportation, or that using prefabricated components decreases waste on construction sites. By addressing these findings, developers and construction stakeholders can optimize their projects to reduce the overall environmental footprint, align with sustainability goals, and meet regulatory requirements.

## (Sustainability) Related Content

## (Eco-Design)Eco-Design

By integrating sustainability throughout the product development cycle, eco-design unlocks the potential for sustainable design without compromising time-to-market or increasing costs.

[Discover more about Eco-Design](/sustainability/circular-economy/eco-design)

## Sustainable by Design

At CATIA, we believe in harnessing the power of technology to generate positive change. Our mission is to enable companies to create more sustainable products through innovative design.

[Start shaping Eco-Friendly Products](/products/catia/sustainable-design)

## (Circularity in Action)Circularity in Action

It’s time for concerted action. Here’s how to make the circular economy achievable, scalable, and profitable.

[Discover Circularity in Action](/sustainability/circular-economy/circularity-action)

## (Built-In Lifecycle Assessment for Sustainable Development)Built-In Lifecycle Assessment for Sustainable Development

It’s now up to us to shift towards a decarbonized and circular economy. Discover the digital solutions available on the **3D**EXPERIENCE® platform to help you make it happen.

[Discover Built-In LCA](https://events.3ds.com/builtin-lifecycle-assessment-sustainable-development)

## Reimagining Sustainability: Lifecycle Assessment With Virtual Twins

[Get the ebook](/media/unlock-sustainable-design-virtual-twins-and-lifecycle-assessment)

 ![Advance Sustainability Goals With Lifecycle Assessment, the Net-Zero Hero > Dassault Systèmes](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2021-11/sustainability-lca-key-visual-1900x650.jpg)

[   Watch the Video     ](/media/3762)

[Advance Sustainable Innovation With Lifecycle Assessment - Dassault Systèmes](/media/3758)

LifeCycle Assessment