Carbon footprint assessment of products, processes and/or services based on Life Cycle Analysis

Kurzfassung

A Spanish (catalan) technological center has developed the expertise to determine the carbon footprint of products, processes or services based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). This approach allows determining not only the carbon footprint of the production process, but also of its inputs and outputs, identifying possibilities to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions. They are looking for industrial partners or service providers who seek to determine and improve their environmental profile.

Details

Environmental performance has become a material issue to company boards and greenhouse gas issues are one of the financial exposures requiring evaluation. Considering the actual legislation, companies are faced with difficult management decisions with respect to their emissions and their obligations. Therefore, the determination of the carbon footprint based on LCA of the products or services a company offers makes possible the reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions and also allows its comparison to other companies within the same activity sector, increasing its competitivity on the market. Furthermore, measuring carbon footprints over time will provide a feedback of the implemented measures at each time. The carbon footprint is determined over all the life cycle of the product, process or activity, taking into account all the phases from raw materials extraction, production, transport, use and final disposal of the product. The carbon footprint calculation method offered will provide the company with a detailed analysis of its internal operations and also with information on its inputs and/or outputs, depending on client’s requirements. The technological center will help the company to determine its current compliance with the environmental legislations and will offer cost-effective solutions for reducing the carbon footprint.

Innovative Aspects:
This center has a demonstrated expertise in the calculation of carbon footprint and its collaboration with the university ensures the last research developments will update the method used for the calculation of carbon footprint. Based on LCA, this center uses the method to determine if the carbon footprints will allow the company to identify strong and weak points in its operation and also its most pollutant suppliers. This information can be then combined with financial data to determine the least efficient parts of the operation, allowing the client to become more efficient and more sustainable at the same time.
Tracking of the carbon footprint over time allows the client to make informed decisions of interventions and provides a paper trail to prove its commitment to industrial and/or legal standards.