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8.2.2 LCIA Tools for Designers
These dynamic models and the databases of interpreted environmental impact information that flows from them feed design software dashboards. LCIA tools aimed at
designers and other non-LCA experts take steps to simplify the otherwise rigorous,
knowledge-intensive, and time-consuming process of completing an LCA study. In
order to do so, many steps of the process happen behind the scenes without any
input from the users. In most cases, the tools are primarily focused on the LCIA
phase, with limited input on other stages of the process. Users are required to enter
a small amount of information pertaining to the goal and scope, and the role of LCI
data in these tools is discussed at length in Chap. 7. Otherwise, users enter basic
information about material selection and quantities and get the LCIA results back
from the tool. The decision to distance these tools from the early stages of the
assessment process is both disadvantageous and beneficial. This decreases understanding and transparency in LCA studies and increases discrepancies in assessment methods making it much harder to compare results across studies (Rodriguez
et al. 2019). Only studies where all methodological details are consistent can be
compared. However, this also makes the tools easier and less time-consuming to use
meaning that more designers can adopt them into their workflows without being an
LCA expert.
LCIA tools serve as a window into LCA studies for designers and other nonexperts to improve their decision-making. An LCIA tool differs from an LCA tool
by distancing the user from most of the steps in a formal LCA study. In an LCIA
tool, the user adds information about geometry or material quantities and material
definitions and gets the LCIA results. An LCA tool brings the user into methodological decisions and the other stages of the process. Designers lack the requisite
knowledge to carry out a full LCA study, but LCIA tools bring the complex, scientific process of LCA to a wider audience including designers. Without them, it
would be much more resource, knowledge, and time extensive to bring measured
change to a project.
8.3 Impact Assessment Methods
All of the outputs that are combined within one impact category have similar
impacts on the environment and therefore are like to like comparisons. However,
there are still differences and subjectivity involved in how the data is transferred
from the LCI phase to the LCIA phase.
Several widely accepted impact assessment methods exist to help standardize the
LCI phase and increase comparability between studies. The results of a study using
different LCIA methods will vary based on differing classifications and CFs, but
there generally exist agreements between the different methods (Dekker et al. 2019).
8 Dashboard
8.2.2 LCIA Tools for Designers
These dynamic models and the databases of interpreted environmental impact information that flows from them feed design software dashboards. LCIA tools aimed at
designers and other non-LCA experts take steps to simplify the otherwise rigorous,
knowledge-intensive, and time-consuming process of completing an LCA study. In
order to do so, many steps of the process happen behind the scenes without any
input from the users. In most cases, the tools are primarily focused on the LCIA
phase, with limited input on other stages of the process. Users are required to enter
a small amount of information pertaining to the goal and scope, and the role of LCI
data in these tools is discussed at length in Chap. 7. Otherwise, users enter basic
information about material selection and quantities and get the LCIA results back
from the tool. The decision to distance these tools from the early stages of the
assessment process is both disadvantageous and beneficial. This decreases understanding and transparency in LCA studies and increases discrepancies in assessment methods making it much harder to compare results across studies (Rodriguez
et al. 2019). Only studies where all methodological details are consistent can be
compared. However, this also makes the tools easier and less time-consuming to use
meaning that more designers can adopt them into their workflows without being an
LCA expert.
LCIA tools serve as a window into LCA studies for designers and other nonexperts to improve their decision-making. An LCIA tool differs from an LCA tool
by distancing the user from most of the steps in a formal LCA study. In an LCIA
tool, the user adds information about geometry or material quantities and material
definitions and gets the LCIA results. An LCA tool brings the user into methodological decisions and the other stages of the process. Designers lack the requisite
knowledge to carry out a full LCA study, but LCIA tools bring the complex, scientific process of LCA to a wider audience including designers. Without them, it
would be much more resource, knowledge, and time extensive to bring measured
change to a project.
8.3 Impact Assessment Methods
All of the outputs that are combined within one impact category have similar
impacts on the environment and therefore are like to like comparisons. However,
there are still differences and subjectivity involved in how the data is transferred
from the LCI phase to the LCIA phase.
Several widely accepted impact assessment methods exist to help standardize the
LCI phase and increase comparability between studies. The results of a study using
different LCIA methods will vary based on differing classifications and CFs, but
there generally exist agreements between the different methods (Dekker et al. 2019).
8 Dashboard