Introduction to Life-Cycle Assessment and Decision Making Applied to Forest Biomaterials 145
Goal and Scope
of Definition
Interpretation
Inventory
Analysis
Impact
Assessment
Life Cycle Assessment Framework
The ISO standards provide guidance on the structure framework and reuse
requirements of data, study assumptions, and methods. With more consistent
LCA methodologies, studies can be more comparable and of more scientific rigor.
A standardized method helps LCA practitioners manage complex data sets consistently,
enable comparisons between different products, and allow benchmarking. Without
a standardized method, the results of LCA studies would be even more variable
depending on study assumptions and methods. The ISO standards help reduce the
influence of practitioner influence on study results.
A brief description of the four steps is provided here before presenting an in-depth
description of each process in the following section.
5.2.1 Goal and Scope Definition
The assumptions surrounding an LCA study can heavily influence the analysis of results
and conclusion. There are many different types of studies requiring different levels of
data collection and analysis. The goal and scope of a LCA defines the purpose, audience,
and intended use of the study. The intended use guides the further decisions surrounding
the scope, functional unit of comparison, and data collection methods. For instance, if
an LCA study is to be used internally within a company, a full review panel of LCA
experts is not required; however, when making publically facing environmental claims
about a competing product, this review is required.
5.2.2 Inventory Analysis
The life-cycle inventory (LCI) represents the most laborious step of an LCA where data
are collected and organized for further analysis. This step often involves contacting
