Tools
Lifecycle cost analysis: available toolsObjectives
- Analyse the (environmental, monetary and social) costs of a product and base decisions on those analyses
Green Value indicator
CO2 savings and eco footprint => automatic tools incorporate those factorsExplanation
There are various ways of measuring ecological, social or economic costs of a product. They are known as Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Social Life Cycle Analysis (SLCA) or Life Cycle Costing (LCC).LCA analyses environmental aspects of a product throughout the entire life cycle from its manufacturing and inputs to the end of life. SLCA does the same but incorporates social aspects of a product.
LCC analyses economic aspects of a product throughout its life cycle such as the monetary costs arising from electricity.
Similar concepts are product environmental footprint (PEF) which might become a standard in the EU from 2021/22 onwards, or the product carbon footprint (PCF).
Generally, those analyses are very time-consuming and complex and can often only be conducted by companies which produce a product because as a buyer you lack the relevant data.
However, on the following website Page
LCC tools are available for:
- vending machines
- imaging equipment (printers, etc.)
- computers and monitors
- indoor lighting
- outdoor lighting
PROS/CONS of the action
Pros:- practical tool to fill in
- combines ecological and economic aspects: when financial incentives and ecological sustainability coincide, the motivation to be more sustainable increases
- includes currencies and CO2 emissions for all EU countries
- only available in English
- although it is not too complicated to fill in the excel sheet, it requires some information/data that might not be easily available
- some data simply not available/predictable (because it lies in the future, is only known to suppliers or different data of different suppliers is hard to compare) -> inaccurate measure
- environmental issues are too complex to express them in quantitative measures such as CO2, prices, etc.
Certified
Not CertifiedLink to useful sources
Product Carbon FootprintPROSA – Product Sustainability Assessment
These German websites also offer the comparison of products:
Berechnung der Lebenszykluskosten
Berechnungswerkzeug für Lebenszykluskosten verschiedener Produkte (LCC-Tool)
Further description of LCC:
Life Cycle Costing: State of the art report
Environmental footprint:
