Cradle-to-Grave in LCA: What Is It & How Does It Work?
The term “Cradle to Grave” is completely intertwined with the scientific method Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is thé scientific method to measure all environmental impacts of a product. Cradle-to-grave is one of several “life cycle models” you can choose in your measurements – and determines the scope of insights you gain from your LCA. […]
Cradle-to-Cradle in LCA: What Is It & How Does It Work?
Cradle-to-cradle or cradle to cradle, does not let old products go to waste. Instead, a product’s materials and components are repurposed or recycled. This keeps materials “in the economic loop” and saves energy during production. Win-win. The “circular economy” received increasing international attention since 2010. Its main purpose: revolutionize how materials are used in our […]
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) – 2024 Overview
What is the Ecodesign Directive? The European Ecodesign Directive (Directive 2009/125/EC) sets ecological standards for the design of specific product groups in the member states of the European Union. It works alongside its “sister directive,” the Energy Labeling Regulation, which governs the energy labeling of such products—commonly seen on appliances like fridges and washing machines. […]
10 Common LCA Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Like anything data-related, life cycle assessment (LCA) results are susceptible to mistakes or oversights along the way. Bewaring common mistakes and self-assessing your performance can save you money on professional reviews, and increases your hands-on LCA knowledge! To get a reliable and accurate LCA, in this article, you’ll learn about the most common mistakes (such […]
Why a life cycle assessment is essential for sustainable product design
Without knowing your company or product’s environmental impact, it’s almost impossible to know where to begin and what changes you need to make. This is why a life cycle assessment (LCA) is a critical starting point for sustainable product design. There’s an urgency for action as climate change has become a global crisis, and the time […]
EU law will ban ‘climate-neutral’ claims by 2026
False product claims such as “eco friendly”, “carbon neutral” and “biodegradable” could be a thing of the past. The EU is moving ahead with plans to eradicate greenwashing, which is the use of misleading green labeling claims and ads. The plan The EU Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on new rules to […]
Sustainability in Product Design: How To Improve Today
We all know it – consumption is ruining our planet. Therefore, it’s vital to make the products we need more sustainable. Luckily, choosing “greener” raw materials only scratches the surface of what Sustainable Product Design can do – how about enhancing the durability and repairability of your products, or leveraging sustainable consumer behavior with your […]
How to Verify Your LCA Results
How do you know you can trust someone’s LCA results? Well, LCA is a scientific method. And, akin to peer review in science, when verifying an LCA, independent experts give their “approval stamp”. Here, you’ll learn about the different protocols for verification and how to get your LCA verified. Verification confirms: The LCA complies with […]
From Data to Impact Data: Impact Assessment in LCA (LCIA)
In LCA we scientifically measure the environmental footprint of a product. And the most essential ingredient (and output) is “data”! Data has different shapes along the LCA-process: In LCA phase 2 (image below), the inventory analysis, we map and gather the total emissions (to air, soil, water), resource extractions, and land use/transformations that our product […]
How to Interpret Your LCA Results
The third Phase of LCA gave you your LCA results. Great! You know the environmental footprint of your product! Now…what does it tell you exactly? The fourth (and last) Phase of LCA is about interpreting these results and gaining the environmental insights you need. So, let’s get into: The goal and process of LCA Interpretation […]
