Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Life cycle assessment provides robust holistic evidence of the environmental impacts of your existing or planned products, services, policies or processes.
In-depth understanding through life cycle assessment
Whether you want an LCA for informing your sustainability strategy, compliance, reporting, product development or marketing purposes, we can provide the evidence you need to truely understand the impacts of your products and services. Our environmental and social life cycle assessments (LCAs) enable you to identify ‘hotspots’ for action across product portfolios or in the life cycle of a particular product from raw material to end-of-life. LCA can be used as a tool for comparison between products and can model the impacts of new or redeveloped products.
Our experienced team of experts use the latest methodologies compliant with international standards. They provide strategic advice on the best approach to achieve your sustainability goals. Our team will also help you to understand the results and can build them into a wider sustainability strategy.
We can support you to communicate the results effectively to
stakeholders and understand what green claims can be made based on the results when marketing your products. Our team can also build LCA tools and offer training enabling you to build capacity within your own workforce.
Projects
Demonstrating avoided emissions with life cycle assessment
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Greenhouse gas reductions in marine leisure propulsion
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Life cycle analyses of electric and internal combustion vehicles
Read case studyFinding the right LCA approach for your goals
Our experts conduct a range of LCAs which we tailor to provide the information you need for reporting, strategic planning, marketing or product development.
A streamlined LCA of the top selling or most representative product(s) will quickly reveal the 'hot spots' in the product life cycle. Interventions can then be assessed for their ability to reduce the most significant uses of energy, water and raw materials, and associated cost savings can be identified.
In addition to ISO 14040 compliant studies, Ricardo can conduct LCA studies which align to the European Commission’s recommended Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology and related existing category rules.
If a particular product or process intervention is being considered, LCA is the best way to ensure that the change will not introduce unexpected environmental impacts or shift the environmental burden to another stage in the life cycle.
Many organisations are now using lifecycle thinking to go beyond environmental impacts and consider the social and financial impacts of their products. Ricardo can tailor a plan to suit your organisation, whether you are just starting to investigate social impacts, or already have data and systems in place and want to go further.
A high-level assessment of the overall business may reveal an unexpected environmental impact profile that, in turn, leads to new directions in business development.
The data and analysis following an LCA study can be used to identify ‘hot spots’ and focus efforts when looking at resource efficiency (including water & energy) and to target and measure the success of circular economy thinking.
If you have already developed an LCA and intend to publish the results or use it to support marketing claims or comparative assertions, ISO 14044 requires that the LCA study undergoes a third-party critical review process prior to publication. Ricardo has experienced LCA practitioners who can perform critical reviews according to best practice and international standards, either as an independent expert or as part of a review panel.
The results of a LCA can be communicated through a comprehensive LCA report or an EPD. Ricardo is a corporate member of The International EPD System (IES) and members of our team are approved Individual Verifiers of IES, enabling us to provide a full EPD service. In addition we can support you by going beyond the EPD and provide expertise to manage and mitigate any risks identified.
Legislation surrounding green claims is increasing on a global scale and at the same time more accusations of greenwashing are hitting the headlines causing huge reputational damage to the companies involved. A product or comparison LCA can provide the evidence you need to back up your green claims. Ricardo’s experts can help you to develop green claims for your products that are robust under scrutiny from legislators, consumers and investors.
Download our guide to green claims
Please get in touch to discuss how our in-depth life cycle assessments go beyond a basic service to add real value for your organisation. Our experts not only provide the evidence from conducting an LCA but will help you to use it strategically to support planning and informed investment, advance your sustainability journey and mitigate risks.
Life cycle assessment (LCA) Resources
