Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

LCA is an ISO-compliant method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle. From the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, and distribution, through use, and finally to disposal or recycling.

Our LCA Services

LCA Studies

ISO-compliant LCA for products, processes, or services based on ISO 14040/14044.

Cradle-to-Gate, Cradle-to-Grave, and Gate-to-Gate LCA

Screening LCA

Single or multi-product LCA

Comparative LCA

Attributional LCA

Consequential LCA

Critical Review

Independent critical review of LCA studies based on ISO 14071

Multi-expert panel review (we convene/coordinate and chair) for studies making comparative assertions intended for public disclosure.

Pre-review scoping to de-risk methods and data plans before full modeling.

Second-opinion checks on draft results, allocation choices, scenarios, and uncertainty.

LCA Training

Customized workshops based on your own LCA results, ideal for marketing, sales, or procurement teams to confidently communicate environmental performance and claims.

Introductory and intermediate LCA training aligned with ISO 14040/14044, for staff new to life cycle thinking or looking to deepen their understanding.

Hands-on practitioner training using tools.

What is LCA and How Does it Work?

LCA is the gold standard for measuring environmental impacts across the entire life of a product, process, or service. At Build Neutral, we conduct LCAs in accordance with internationally recognized methodologies established, e.g. ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. LCA turns complex data into clear insights to support credible sustainability claims.

Overview of LCA Framework

1.Goal and Scope Definition

Define purpose, audience, functional unit, and system boundaries.

Decide assumptions, limitations, and the type of study.

2. Life Cycle Inventory Analysis (LCI)

Collect quantitative data on energy, water, materials, emissions, and waste flows.

Model process and supply chains.

Ensure data quality.

3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)

Classify emissions and resource use into impact categories.

Characterize results.

Assess the need for normalization, weighting, and grouping for further interpretation.

4.Interpretation

Analyze results in light of the goal and scope.

Identify hot spots, sensitivities, and uncertainties.

Critical Review (Depending on the purpose of the LCA)

Critical review can be completed by an independent reviewer or a panel of reviewers when the LCA is intended for public disclosure or needs to demonstrate credibility to regulators, clients, or stakeholders.

Types of LCA!

Before any modeling, we make four decisions: what part of the life cycle we include (scope), what question we’re answering (approach), how deep we go (study depth), and which modeling lens we use (methodology).

1. System Boundary (what part of the life cycle is inside the study)

Cradle-to-Grave

Covers the full life cycle, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life. Use when you need the complete picture for public reporting, strategy, or when use-phase and end-of-life decisions matter.

Cradle-to-Gate

Stops at the factory gate: raw materials and manufacturing only. Use when you supply intermediate goods to other manufacturers or need a defensible upstream footprint without modelling use and disposal.

Gate-to-Gate

Focuses on a single operation or plant segment within a broader chain. Use when improving production efficiency, comparing process upgrades, or isolating a hotspot without modelling the entire value chain.

2. Analytical Approach (what question the model answers)

Attributional LCA

A faithful snapshot of “how things are made today.” It attributes current burdens to your product system over a defined period. Use when establishing baselines, supporting disclosures, or informing customers about current performance.

Consequential LCA

A what-if storyline, “If we switch suppliers, change materials, or scale production, how do impacts shift, directly and through markets?” Use when evaluating policy options, procurement choices, or future scenarios where system responses matter.

3. Study Depth (how detailed the assessment is)

Screening | Diagnostic LCA

A streamlined assessment using more secondary data to locate hotspots and prioritize next steps. Use when you need direction quickly or are early in design. (Not suitable for high-stakes comparisons without refinement.)

Detailed ISO-Compliant LCA

A comprehensive study with full goal & scope, inventory (LCI), impact assessment (LCIA), and interpretation, including sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Use when you need review-ready results for external stakeholders, comparisons, or claims.

4. Methodology (the modelling lens)

Process-Based LCA

Bottom-up modelling from unit processes, bills of materials, and measured data; high resolution where primary data exist.

Economic Input-Output (IO) LCA

Top-down modelling using economy-wide sector tables to capture broad upstream effects that are hard to measure.

Hybrid LCA

Combines process and IO data to balance completeness and specificity. Use when you want decision-grade coverage with defensible detail where it matters most.

Industries

  • Agriculture & Food

    From farm to fork; we assess the full environmental impacts of crops production, livestock production, food and beverage products, and the entire supply chains, including fertilizer production, pesticide production, manure management, etc.

  • Forest Products & Biomaterials

    From wood products to emerging biomaterials derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, we quantify environmental impacts across harvesting, processing, and use. Our insights support responsible sourcing, circular economy strategies, and market credibility for renewable materials.

  • Fuels & Chemicals

    We evaluate traditional fuels, biofuels, and synthetic fuels derived from captured carbon, as well as chemicals and biochemicals. Our LCAs cover both established pathways and emerging technologies, providing transparent insights into the processes shaping the future of energy and materials.

  • Construction Materials

    We deliver LCAs and verified EPDs for construction materials, including concrete, steel, coatings, windows, doors, insulation, and next-generation materials. By quantifying embodied carbon and other life cycle environmental impacts, we help manufacturers, builders, and designers meet green building standards, achieve low-carbon innovation, and compete in rapidly evolving markets.

  • Packaging

    From plastics and paper to reusable and recyclable, we assess packaging systems across their life cycles. Our analyses help companies reduce impacts, design for circularity, and provide credible sustainability information to customers.

  • Academia for Research

    We collaborate with academia by delivering LCAs for proposals, grants, and research projects, while also providing training, methodological support, and critical review. From strengthening funding applications to advancing peer-reviewed publications, we help researchers bring transparent, defensible life cycle science into their work.