# Presentation: 048645

## U.S. LCI Database Project

- Michael Deru, Ph.D.
- Center for Buildings and Thermal Systems
- March 24, 2005
- www.nrel.gov/lci

## Project Objective

- Develop a publicly available life cycle inventory (LCI) database for commonly used materials, products, and processes

## Motivation

- Growing demand for more scientific assessment of environmental impact
- Life-cycle analysis (LCA) is the best tool for environmental impact assessment
- LCA quality depends on the quality of LCI data
- Currently, there is no publicly available source of LCI data in the U.S.

## What is LCI and LCA?

- LCI is an accounting of the material and energy flows into and out of the environment
- LCA is a tool for the systematic evaluation of the environmental aspects of a product or service system – “cradle-to-cradle”

## Generic LCA Model

**Notes:**
Make clear that improvement assessment is not formally part of LCA and there are no international standards for that activity.  But it is a way that LCA results can be used and also a way that LCA can be used to assess improvements.

## Project Organization

- Advisory Board

## Three-Phase Project

- I - Initiation Phase (2001-2002) (Completed)
- Develop research guidelines and parameters
- Prepare Phase II work program
- II – Inventory (2002-2004) (Completed)
- Collect, analyze, and review LCI data
- III – Long-term support
- Continued expansion of the database
- Disseminate data
- Maintain database

## Funding and Support

- Government for Phase I
- DOE & GSA
- Government and private sector for Phases II & III
- DOE, GSA, EPA, Navy, & USDA
- NIST — agricultural products
- Vehicle Recycling Partnership — transformations
- Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) — wood products
- American Plastics Council — resins
- FY04 private support exceeded public support

## Expected Users and Uses

- Developers of LCA tools
- For LCA practitioners (SimaPro, TEAM, ...)
- For non-practitioners (Athena EIE, BEES)
- Product assessment and labeling
- Manufacturers & researchers for specific product or process LCAs

## Key Database Criteria

- Consistent protocol following ISO standards
- transparent
- representative
- peer reviewed
- Uniform treatment of all materials
- Regional data development as necessary
- Fully accessible in format(s) to maximize use

## Data Format

- EcoSpold built on ISO 14048, SPOLD, SPINE
- EcoSpold import being implemented by major LCA tool developers
- SimaPro, GaBi, Umberto
- International data exchange (e.g., with Swiss EcoInvent data)
- Export formats
- EcoSpold XML
- EcoSpold Spreadsheet
- Streamlined Spreadsheet
- Detailed Spreadsheet

## Cradle-to-Gate Focus

- Resource extraction
- Recycled materials

- Material Acquisition

- Primary Manufacturing

- Recycling/Waste Management

- Use/reuse/Maintenance

- Secondary Manufacturing

**Life Cycle Stages**

## Working With Data Modules

## Using the Results

## Use by Manufacturers

## Long-Term Benchmarking & Validation

## Website – www.nrel.gov/lci

## Resource Page

- 	User’s Guide
- 	“How to” guide for data users and suppliers
- 	Data Development Guidelines
- 	Guide for data suppliers
- 	Streamlined Spreadsheet Template
- 	Blank spreadsheet for data suppliers

## View Module – Module Info Page

## View Module – Flow Info Page

## Download Module Page

## Available Data Modules (57)

| Primary Fuel Production (7) | Transportation (10) |
| --- | --- |
| Primary Fuel Combustion (18) | Transformation Processes (4) |
| Alternative Fuel Combustion (1) | Materials Used in Durables Manufacturing (6) |
| Fuels/Energy Pre-combustion (1) | Building and Construction Products (5) |
| Electricity Generation (1) | Non Metallic Minerals (4) |

## Modules Under Development

- Plastic resins and polyurethane precursors
- Materials for durables production
- Steel from integrated mills
- Building and construction products
- Additional wood products and adhesives
- Transformations
- Plastic fabrication
- Steel stamping
- Bio-based products

## Related Efforts

- “LCA in LEED”
- US Green Building Council using LCA to improve rating system
- U.S. LCI Database is preferred source of data
- Athena Environmental Impact Estimator will be compatible with the U.S. LCI Database
- BEES is switching to U.S. LCI Database data
- NIST is developing agricultural LCI data that will be added to the database when appropriate

## Support of EERE Programs

**LCI Database**

- Buildings
- Energy &Materials Analysis

- Biomass
- Analysis of Production & Use

- Distributed Energy
- Energy & Emissions benefits

- FEMP
- Sustainability

- Geothermal
- Emissions benefits

- Hydrogen
- Analysis of Production & Use

- Industrial Technologies
- Improved Manufacturing

- Solar Energy
- Improve Production & Calculate Benefits

- Vehicles
- Fuels and Materials Analysis

- Weatherization & Intergovernmental Programs
- Sustainability

- Wind & Hydropower
- Emissions benefits

## Short-Term Priorities

- Develop business plan
- Form advisory board
- Build broad support
- Implement critical review process
- Revise database interface
- Expand database

## Longer-Term Priorities

- Add data following Phase II work plan priorities
- Maintenance
- Continual up-dates - how often?
- Coordinate with related efforts

## Questions

- www.nrel.gov/lci