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is also a distinction made between proprietary and open LCI databases. The GaBi,
ecoinvent, and USLCI databases are all open. The USLCI database is fully open and
free to use, while GaBi and ecoinvent require a license fee to access. However, all
of the information about the data are presented to the user. All of the individual
reference flows that make up the unit process, in addition to the metadata surrounding when and how the data were collected, are freely accessible to the user. These
databases can be used on their own or through one of the many LCIA/LCA tools
available. The proprietary databases, on the other hand, are kept fully private. Users
can never gain access to the LCI data or metadata contained in the database. Rather,
this information can only be used through an LCIA tool where the user is completely removed from the LCI process.
The NIST databases, Athena databases, and USLCI databases are all specific to
North American conditions, but the GaBi, ecoinvent, and One Click LCA databases
all contain global data. Geographic correlation of data to the location of the study
can impact the results based on material availability, manufacturing practices, grid
mixes for energy used in manufacturing or during the use phase, transportation distances, and end-of-life conditions. The most reliable data for a study are from the
area of study, or representative of the averages across a large region that encompasses the area of study; however, data from an area with similar manufacturing
processes can also be relevant and applicable to a study (Ciroth et al. 2016). Using
data from another region is not always wrong, but it does introduce more uncertainty to the study. Data from a different region is often used as proxy data if the
information about a specific reference flow in the region of the study is missing
(Hester et al. 2018). Based on the very time- and cost-intensive process of generating new data points, proxy data is used for background processes in many studies.
7.2.1 Athena Sustainable Materials Institute Database
The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, a “nonprofit research collaborative,”
operates a proprietary database of construction sector, North American LCI data
(Athena). This database is used directly in their three different LCA software solutions, including the Impact Estimator for Buildings (IE). The two distinct advantages of Athena come from the fact that it is free, which means LCA can reach a
wider audience within the construction sector, and that it is specific to North
America. The vast majority of LCI data is concentrated on European conditions,
meaning that in many LCA studies outside of this region, proxy data must be used
(Suh et al. 2016).
The tradeoff with Athena is that the actual LCI data is kept completely private.
Individuals cannot gain access to the LCI data at all, only to the tools that utilize it.
Due to this black-box approach to the data, individual criteria, dates, testing methods, and more cannot be known. However, Athena does publish their overall guiding
principles on data collection (Athena). Instead of sourcing data from government or
trade sources, all of the information is built using actual manufacturing models. It is
representative of industry averages for each specific material and is regionally
7 LCI Data and Design
is also a distinction made between proprietary and open LCI databases. The GaBi,
ecoinvent, and USLCI databases are all open. The USLCI database is fully open and
free to use, while GaBi and ecoinvent require a license fee to access. However, all
of the information about the data are presented to the user. All of the individual
reference flows that make up the unit process, in addition to the metadata surrounding when and how the data were collected, are freely accessible to the user. These
databases can be used on their own or through one of the many LCIA/LCA tools
available. The proprietary databases, on the other hand, are kept fully private. Users
can never gain access to the LCI data or metadata contained in the database. Rather,
this information can only be used through an LCIA tool where the user is completely removed from the LCI process.
The NIST databases, Athena databases, and USLCI databases are all specific to
North American conditions, but the GaBi, ecoinvent, and One Click LCA databases
all contain global data. Geographic correlation of data to the location of the study
can impact the results based on material availability, manufacturing practices, grid
mixes for energy used in manufacturing or during the use phase, transportation distances, and end-of-life conditions. The most reliable data for a study are from the
area of study, or representative of the averages across a large region that encompasses the area of study; however, data from an area with similar manufacturing
processes can also be relevant and applicable to a study (Ciroth et al. 2016). Using
data from another region is not always wrong, but it does introduce more uncertainty to the study. Data from a different region is often used as proxy data if the
information about a specific reference flow in the region of the study is missing
(Hester et al. 2018). Based on the very time- and cost-intensive process of generating new data points, proxy data is used for background processes in many studies.
7.2.1 Athena Sustainable Materials Institute Database
The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, a “nonprofit research collaborative,”
operates a proprietary database of construction sector, North American LCI data
(Athena). This database is used directly in their three different LCA software solutions, including the Impact Estimator for Buildings (IE). The two distinct advantages of Athena come from the fact that it is free, which means LCA can reach a
wider audience within the construction sector, and that it is specific to North
America. The vast majority of LCI data is concentrated on European conditions,
meaning that in many LCA studies outside of this region, proxy data must be used
(Suh et al. 2016).
The tradeoff with Athena is that the actual LCI data is kept completely private.
Individuals cannot gain access to the LCI data at all, only to the tools that utilize it.
Due to this black-box approach to the data, individual criteria, dates, testing methods, and more cannot be known. However, Athena does publish their overall guiding
principles on data collection (Athena). Instead of sourcing data from government or
trade sources, all of the information is built using actual manufacturing models. It is
representative of industry averages for each specific material and is regionally
7 LCI Data and Design