Life Cycle Assessment Information Research Articles

Geographic life cycle assessment of food loss and waste management in Mexico: The reality of distribution and retail centers

The modernization of the global food sector has intensified waste generation, prompting a critical examination of sustainability. Following a geographical and life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, this study quantifies and evaluates the environmental impact of food loss and waste (FLW) in the Mexican food supply chain (FSC) distribution and retail stages and presents the first national inventory of FLW generation with a geographical approach. LCA and geographic information systems are integrated to comprehensively assess FLW, revealing that Mexico generated 8.95 Mt. of FLW in the year 2022, which translates to 0.217 Mt. CO2 eq y−1, mainly caused by FLW decomposition in final disposal sites (FDS). A positive correlation between gross domestic product and greenhouse gas emissions was observed, highlighting the impact of economic activities on FLW generation and emissions. Higher transportation distances are noted in the northern regions of the country, linked to fewer FDS, this underscores high diesel consumption, up to 10 m3 y−1 for each FDS. The study emphasizes the urgent need for sustainable practices and circular strategies in the Mexican food sector. These findings provide crucial insights for decision-making and lay the groundwork for transitioning to a circular economy, aligning economic activities with long-term sustainability goals and comply the agreements established by Mexico at COP28. As a pioneering effort, this national inventory informs policy and industry initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts and foster sustainability in the food supply chain.

Life cycle assessment of an innovative high-value-recovery crystalline silicon photovoltaic recycling process − the environmental impacts and benefits

A universal high-value-recovery recycling technology for crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules developed by the French company ROSI is presented in this study. The maturity of the technology reaches TRL 8 and has been deployed in an industrial site. The environmental impact of the recycling process is evaluated by performing a life cycle assessment (LCA), with calculations based on the default life cycle impact assessment method as recommended by the Environmental Footprint methodology. Hotspots are identified and measures for future process optimization are proposed. Furthermore, the potential environmental benefits brought by the high-quality secondary raw materials are evaluated by applying system expansion in the LCA. The results show that ROSI recycling process brings significant environmental benefits in all chosen impact categories, 9 out of 14 impact categories show 90% impact savings compared to conventional production activities. This study complements the lacking LCA information at the end-of-life (EoL) stage of PV's life cycle, especially those of advanced recycling technologies other than landfilling or shredding and highlights the advantage of high-value recovery technology. Future works on LCA are also proposed for further precise assessment. Finally, this study concludes the implication of applying a high-value-recovery recycling technology from a supply chain perspective.

Life cycle assessment of higher education institutions – method and case study

Against the backdrop of climate change and resource depletion, sustainability and sustainable development has been brought in the focus of industries and organisations. To quantify the environmental impacts of products and organisations the methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA) is applied area-wide in many different sectors. The higher education sector in particular has an important role to play in sustainable development due to the multiplier role by educating the academic employees of the future. Additionally, higher education institutions (HEIs) are a relevant sector by themselves due to their size and number of employees as well as their impact on innovation and future technologies. Therefore, HEIs should be at the forefront of assessing and reducing their environmental impact. In contrast to this an analysis of the available LCAs of HEIs shows significant limitations with regards to availability of assessments as well as guidelines on assessment methodologies. To contribute to closing this gap and increase the availability of LCA information for HEIs, a guideline is developed based on current LCA standards, which contains assistance regarding the goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory and life cycle impact assessment. The guideline is applied in a case study for Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH), one of the nine leading technical universities in Germany. Results of the case study show that the major contributors for the impact of the LUH are the transport activities, infrastructure and energy supply. In 13 of the 16 assessed impact categories, transport activities account for the largest share of potential environmental impacts, ranging from about 43% to 82%. However, the results of the case study must be considered with care as primary data availability from the LUH has been limited and therefore must be extended in the future.

The role of LCA in the renovation’s early decision-making for the design of a multifunctional, modular building envelope system

The renovation of buildings has a high capacity to influence the environmental impacts and global objectives of climate change mitigation. In the context of designing low-energy buildings with minimized environmental impacts, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has been proven a straightforward method, to evaluate the direct and indirect environmental impacts of a building concept. Even though it is the most energy-intensive element, the use phase is not only a source of environmental concern but also the whole life cycle of the building and its components. However, energy-efficient renovation decisions tend to be financially motivated events, subject to exogenous constraints or barriers, that do not integrate whole life cycle thinking. This study aims to identify how the LCA information can be considered in comparing renovation options. compare renovation options, taking into account the modular envelope system developed as part of the European research project ENSNARE (ENvelope meSh aNd digitAl framework for building Renovation) case study. The study analysed different renovation scenarios, generated according to combinations of renewable energy sources and compare them to the base case and typical renovation scenario. Such information can support the design team in making decisions that consider the whole building and its components’ life cycles.

Calculation of embodied GHG emissions in early building design stages using BIM and NLP-based semantic model healing

To reach the goals of limiting global warming, the embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of new buildings need to be quantified and optimized in the very early design stages, during which design decisions significantly influence the success of projects in achieving their performance goals. Semantically rich building information models (BIM) enable to perform an automated quantity take-off of the relevant elements for calculating a whole building life cycle assessment (LCA). However, imprecise type and property information often found in today’s BIM practice hinders a seamless processing for downstream applications. At the same time, the early design stages are characterized by high uncertainty due to the lack of information and knowledge, making a holistic and consistent LCA for supporting design decisions and optimizing performance challenging. In assessing this often vague information, it is essential to consider different levels of element and material information for matching BIM to LCA data. For example, the structural properties of concrete are not yet defined in early design stages and should instead be considered as a range of material options due to different compressive strength classes.This paper presents a novel methodology for automatically matching the coarse information available in BIM models of the early design stages to the respective entries in LCA databases as a basis for a fully automated calculation process of the embodied GHG emissions of new buildings. This approach solves the existing gap in the automation process of manually enriching BIM models and adding information of LCA data and missing layers of vague models. In more detail, the proposed method is based on Natural Language Processing (NLP), using different strategies to increase performance in matching elements and materials from a BIM model to a knowledge database to enrich environmental indicators of commonly used elements’ materials. The knowledge database contains all missing information for LCAs and has different levels of information for a range of several potential design options of elements and materials, including their dependencies. Accordingly, this paper investigates multiple NLP techniques and evaluates the performance of state-of-the-art deep learning models such as GermaNet, SpaCy, or BERT. Following this, the most performant NLP approach is used to provide an automatic workflow for matching Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) elements to the knowledge database, facilitating a seamless LCA in the early stages of design. For five different case studies, the performances of the proposed matching method are analyzed. Finally, one case study is selected to compare the embodied emissions results to those of the conventional process.

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) of construction products in Spain: Current status and future challenges

The current decarbonisation scenario demands a decrease in embodied and operational environmental impacts of buildings, wherein the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method and the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) play a crucial role. The main objective of EPDs is to provide validated and geographically representative data to conduct LCA, since they play a major practical role in the application of LCA. However, development of EPDs in the European context remains irregular. Several countries, such as Germany and France, have a great number of EPDs of construction products, while other countries, such as Spain, present a much lower number. This study aims to analyse the existing EPDs of construction products developed in Spain, and to identify the EPD programs, the type of products (building system or element-associated), which LCA information modules are included, and the accuracy of the declared impact values. The results obtained show that ceramic cladding, gypsum plasterboard, cement, and clay products are those with the greatest number of EPDs. On the other hand, building service products have relatively few EPDs. Finally, several recommendations are proposed towards improving EPD development and challenges are detected.

Environmental service-learning approach in higher education – a descriptive case study on student-led life cycle assessments of university cafeteria meals

PurposeThis study aims to share experiences of an easy to adapt service-learning approach in a graduate course on life cycle assessment (LCA). Specifically, it reports on how students helped the university’s cafeteria to assess meals by conducting an LCA for 25 meals and identifying environmental hotspots.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive case study of a graduate course at Ulm University is presented. The course included lectures and problem-based exercises, both theoretical and software assisted. A course evaluation was conducted during the course and one year after completion to poll improvement potentials, as well as its impacts on students’ everyday life.FindingsIt was found that although it was the first LCA for all students, the resulting LCA information of 25 different meals were homogeneous, comparable to the scientific literature and beneficial to the cafeteria’s sustainable development strategy. The concept of service-learning had a higher impact on students’ motivation than a good grade and active-learning is explicitly requested by students. The course design sensitized students to the real-life problems of LCA and made their consumption patterns more elaborate and ecological. Furthermore, this digitization of higher education could be carried out with only minor changes in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation.Originality/valueAs the subject of service-learning in natural sciences is still expandable, this study presents an easy to adapt case study on how to integrate such an approach into university curricula dominated by traditional learning. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this case study presents the first published LCA university course explicitly describing and evaluating a service-learning approach. The topic touches the everyday lives of students, allows comparisons between different student groups, is easily scalable to different group sizes and credits, and supports learning both how to study in small groups and cooperation between groups to ensure comparability of LCA results.

Current Opportunities and Challenges in the Incorporation of the LCA Method in BIM

Background: In the last years, Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been integrated to support the pursuit of sustainability in the built environment. However, the integration of environmental information with different specificity and reliability requirements on distinct Levels of Development (LOD) of BIM objects was not yet exploited considering several environmental impact categories. Objective: The objective of this paper is to discuss the complexity and depth of LCA information needed for BIM objects, considering different LOD, and to propose a parametrisation of environmental information be included in BIM objects according to their LODs. Methods: A literature review on LCA methodology, sources of LCA information, integration of LCA in BIM, and LOD of BIM objects was initially performed, followed by a detailed characterisation of the different types of sources of LCA information to include in BIM models. These steps contributed to the development of the proposed parametrisation of environmental data. Results: A parametrisation of environmental information to be included in BIM objects was developed. This parametrisation considered the degree at which the element’s information has been specified (LOD) and the respective detail and reliability of the environmental information to include. Conclusion: A new approach is proposed that allows an evolutive integration of environmental information in BIM objects according to their growing LODs.

Implications of using systematic decomposition structures to organize building LCA information: A comparative analysis of national standards and guidelines- IEA EBC ANNEX 72

Introduction: The application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique to a building requires the collection and organization of a large amount of data over its life cycle. The systematic decomposition method can be used to classify building components, elements and materials, overcome specific difficulties that are encountered when attempting to complete the life cycle inventory and increase the reliability and transparency of results. In this paper, which was developed in the context of the research project IEA EBC Annex 72, we demonstrate the implications of taking such approach and describe the results of a comparison among different national standards/guidelines that are used to conduct LCA for building decomposition. Methods: We initially identified the main characteristics of the standards/guidelines used by Annex participant countries. The “be2226” reference office building was used as a reference to apply the different national standards/guidelines related to building decomposition. It served as a basis of comparison, allowing us to identify the implications of using different systems/standards in the LCA practice, in terms of how these differences affect the LCI structures, LCA databases and the methods used to communicate results. We also analyzed the implications of integrating these standards/guidelines into Building Information Modelling (BIM) to support LCA. Results: Twelve national classification systems/standards/guidelines for the building decomposition were compared. Differences were identified among the levels of decomposition and grouping principles, as well as the consequences of these differences that were related to the LCI organization. In addition, differences were observed among the LCA databases and the structures of the results. Conclusions: The findings of this study summarize and provide an overview of the most relevant aspects of using a standardized building decomposition structure to conduct LCA. Recommendations are formulated on the basis of these findings.

The impact of international sustainability initiatives on Life Cycle Assessment voluntary disclosures: The case of France’s CAC40 listed companies

Based on an institutional approach to legitimacy theory, this paper aims to study the individual and cumulative influence of three international sustainability initiatives on the decision to disclose information on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and on the quantity of information disclosed. A total sample of 433 firm-year observations was collected from the content analysis of registration documents and sustainability standalone reports published by 36 companies listed on the French CAC40 index over a longitudinal period of 13 years. Results show that the adoption of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability guidelines, of the United Nations Global Compact (GC) principles, and of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) are positively and significantly associated with the tendency of CAC40 companies to disclose LCA information. In addition, the GRI is the only initiative significantly associated with the quantity of LCA information disclosed. Moreover, the results reveal a positive and significant relationship between the cumulative number of initiatives adopted and both the decision to disclose and the quantity of LCA information disclosed. Finally, in comparison to the GRI, the GC and the CDP do not encourage companies to disclose much information on LCA. The contributions of this study are manifold. It provides evidence that voluntary environmental frameworks can excert different normative pressures towards environmental reporting and suggests that companies decide to disclose LCA information to emphasize their superior environmental performance and to manage their legitimacy. It contributes to a more nuanced understanding of environmental disclosure by making a distinction between the decision to disclose and the quantity of information disclosed. From a managerial perspective, this paper demonstrates the usefulness of having multiple initiatives promoting sustainability, since their combined use leads to an increase in disclosure. Moreover, the results are likely to encourage international initiatives, particularly the GRI, to pay greater attention to LCA.

A conceptual tool for environmentally benign design: development and evaluation of a “proof of concept”

AbstractDesign is a decision-making process for which knowledge is a prerequisite. Most decisions are taken at the conceptual stage and have pronounced influence on the final design. The literature, therefore, recommends the incorporation of sustainability criteria, such as environment, at this stage. Difficulty in performing life cycle assessment (LCA) due to low availability of information at the conceptual stage for evaluation and highly abstract nature of solutions, inadequate incorporation of DfE (Design for Environment) guidelines and LCA reports into the design process, and a lack of effective communication of the same to the designers for prompt decision-making are major motivations for the development of a support. This paper discusses a “conceptual Tool for environmentally benign design” – concepTe – that supports designers in decision-making during the conceptual design stage, by offering environmental impact (EI) estimates of abstract solutions with associated uncertainty, for evaluation and selection of the most environmentally benign solution as concept. The EI estimates are calculated by a module in the tool based on a proposed EI estimation method, which requires the support of a knowledge base to fetch appropriate LCA information corresponding to the design element being conceptualized. This knowledge base is grounded in the domain-agnostic SAPPhIRE model ontology, allows semantic operability of the knowledge, and offers the results to the designers in a familiar domain language to aid decision-making. A “proof of concept” of the tool is developed for application in design of building in the AEC (Architectural design, Engineering, and Construction) domain. Further, empirical studies are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the “proof of concept” to support decision-making and results are found favorable. The paper also discusses the future scope for further development of the tool into a holistic design decision-making platform.

A BIM-LCA Approach for Estimating the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Large-Scale Public Buildings: A Case Study

Exiting green building assessment standards sometimes cannot work well for large-scale public buildings due to insufficient attention to the operation and maintenance stage. This paper combines the theory of life cycle assessment (LCA) and building information modeling (BIM) technology, thereby proposing a green building assessment method by calculating the greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) of buildings from cradle to grave. Life cycle GGE (LCGGE) can be divided into three parts, including the materialization stage, the operation and maintenance stage, and the demolition stage. Two pieces of BIM software (Revit and Designbuilder) are applied in this study. A museum in Guangdong, China, with a hot summer and warm winter is selected for a case study. The results show that BIM can provide a rich source of needed engineering information for LCA. In addition, the operation and maintenance stage plays the most important role in the GGE reduction of a building throughout the whole life cycle. This research contributes to the knowledge body concerning green buildings and sustainable construction. It helps to achieve the reduction of GGE over the whole life cycle of a building. This is pertinent to contractors, homebuyers, and governments who are constantly seeking ways to achieve a low-carbon economy.

Integration of environmental life cycle information in BIM objects according with the level of development

The construction sector is a major contributor to global environmental impacts. This is one of the reasons why there is a political trend towards a “greener” sector. One indicator of this trend is the progressive application of life cycle thinking approaches and life cycle assessment of products, assemblies and buildings. The digitalization of construction projects, namely the use Building Information Modelling (BIM), can constitute a support to the automation of the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) at the building’s design stage. However, besides the complexity of LCA model and results interpretation, BIM models usually lack LCA data that allow environmental impacts calculation. Currently, few publications explicitly relate the integration of LCA and BIM with the specificities of distinct development stages in the design and construction process or Levels of Development (LOD) of BIM objects. This paper summarizes the possible sources of LCA information to include in BIM models and discusses the complexity of LCA information needed for distinct BIM objects’ LOD. A parametrization of environmental information is proposed, to be included in BIM objects, based on an evolutionary level of detail in LCA information for increasing LODs.

Prospective Life Cycle Assessment Based on System Dynamics Approach: A Case Study on the Large-Scale Centrifugal Compressor

The deficiency of temporal information in life cycle assessment (LCA) may misrepresent the environmental impacts of products throughout the life cycle or at a particular time in the future. For the environmental assessment of energy-consuming products, background data obtained from the LCA database fail to incorporate emissions or extractions reflecting the future situation. To overcome this knowledge gap, we developed a system dynamics (SD) model to predict the evolution of energy structure in China till 2030 and further determined the time-varying emissions of unit electric power combined with the ecoinvent 3.1 database. Additionally, dynamic characterization factors (CFs) of global warming potential (GWP) were integrated into the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). This study took the PCL803 large-scale centrifugal compressor as an illustrative example in which the temporal-dependent electricity was included in the dynamic life cycle inventory and the dynamic CFs of GWP were included in the LCIA. Environmental impacts were quantified and compared using the traditional and prospective LCA. Results indicated that the environmental burdens under the electricity variation were approximately 13% less than those of conventional LCA, and the GWP under dynamic CFs would be further reduced by 14.5%. The results confirmed that, when socio-economic progress, technical improvement, and dynamic CFs are not considered, the environmental assessment will lead to an overestimation of environmental loads. Therefore, the relevant time-varying parameters should be considered for accurate assessment.

Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of ships: A case study of Panamax bulk carrier

Seaborne transport plays an important role in global transportation, and ships’ emissions are worth considering. By applying life cycle assessment method, the environmental impacts of ships could be evaluated. Life cycle assessment is an effective tool as this method provides a holistic perspective of a product or a service in its life cycle. In an attempt to clarify emissions released from the cradle-to-gate life cycle of ships, especially from processes in shipbuilding which were not considered adequately from some previous studies, this study conducts life cycle assessment method to assess the environmental impacts of a Panamax bulk carrier from raw material extraction to shipbuilding phase. In order to clarify life cycle emissions, some helpful mathematical formulas are also established. Ten environmental categories of CML 2001 life cycle impact assessment methodology that are relevant to the marine context are chosen for evaluating the environmental impacts. To obtain emission inventory and impact assessment results, a life cycle assessment software— GaBi—has been used. The results show that material extraction and production phase accounts for more than 85% carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, while shipbuilding phase is responsible for 99.91% volatile organic compounds, 36.08% non-methane organic compounds, and 26.76% particulate matter emissions. In relation to environmental indicators, material consumption is much more significant than other processes and accounts for more than 86% of values of 10 environmental categories. This study is useful as it provides necessary information for life cycle assessment in the shipping industry in the future.

Introduction of a spatiotemporal Life Cycle Inventory method using a wind energy example

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is "primarily a steady-state-tool" and few studies to date have included dynamic temporal and spatial information in matrix-based LCA. Because of this many environmental impacts cannot be determined accurately in conventional LCA. We have integrated both temporal and spatial information in a novel dynamical life cycle inventory (LCI) framework that can produce detailed spatiotemporal results and thus offering more insights for sustainability assessment. This framework employs the existing Enhanced Structural Path Analysis (ESPA) method combined with spatial analysis to determine spatialised LCI over time. Previously we tested this new approach with a local spatial dispersion model using wheat production as an illustration. In this paper we demonstrate the new spatiotemporal LCI method over an entire life cycle, using wind energy as an example and a different approach to spatial analysis at a global scale.

The creation, management, and use of data quality information for life cycle assessment.

Despite growing access to data, questions of "best fit" data and the appropriate use of results in supporting decision making still plague the life cycle assessment (LCA) community. This discussion paper addresses revisions to assessing data quality captured in a new US Environmental Protection Agency guidance document as well as additional recommendations on data quality creation, management, and use in LCA databases and studies. Existing data quality systems and approaches in LCA were reviewed and tested. The evaluations resulted in a revision to a commonly used pedigree matrix, for which flow and process level data quality indicators are described, more clarity for scoring criteria, and further guidance on interpretation are given. Increased training for practitioners on data quality application and its limits are recommended. A multi-faceted approach to data quality assessment utilizing the pedigree method alongside uncertainty analysis in result interpretation is recommended. A method of data quality score aggregation is proposed and recommendations for usage of data quality scores in existing data are made to enable improved use of data quality scores in LCA results interpretation. Roles for data generators, data repositories, and data users are described in LCA data quality management. Guidance is provided on using data with data quality scores from other systems alongside data with scores from the new system. The new pedigree matrix and recommended data quality aggregation procedure can now be implemented in openLCA software. Additional ways in which data quality assessment might be improved and expanded are described. Interoperability efforts in LCA data should focus on descriptors to enable user scoring of data quality rather than translation of existing scores. Developing and using data quality indicators for additional dimensions of LCA data, and automation of data quality scoring through metadata extraction and comparison to goal and scope are needed.

LCA data quality: A management science perspective

Companies represent essential sources of data for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). However, management systems and management approaches are rarely informed by LCA data developments, and vice-versa. The present paper focuses on the role of the company in the LCA data collection process. The objective is to investigate the adequacy of the current LCA data quality assessment approach from a management perspective. This is accomplished by applying the ecoinvent Data Quality System (DQS) to a primary LCA data collection project, including an immersion within the organisation and taking subjective experiences into account during the data collection process. Our analysis relies on two theoretical fields in management sciences: first, management tools and second, environmental accounting. The study demonstrates that the current prevailing LCA data quality assessment approach is inadequate for enterprise-specific data because it focuses uniquely on industry average data. The study also indicates that LCA constitutes a passive user-based tool. Hence, the drawbacks related to data management and control within the organisation are completely neglected in LCA developments. Finally, our analysis provides concrete suggestions for allowing consistent data quality assessment that would ensure the usefulness of LCA information.

Exploring Capabilities of BIM Tools for Housing Refurbishment in the UK

Currently whole-house refurbishment for substantial energy efficiency improvement of existing housing stock is needed to achieve the targeted 80% CO2 emission reduction. As whole-house refurbishment requires a larger capital investment for lower CO2 emission, the simultaneous use of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies are recommended to generate affordable refurbishment solutions. However, two methodologies are difficult to use due to a lack of proper LCC and LCA datasets. As a response to the current problems, many researchers explore potentials in Building Information Modelling (BIM) to improve current construction practice. As a result, a BIM tool - IES IMPACT (Integrated Material Profile And Costing Tool) - has been introduced to the UK construction industry for simultaneous calculation of LCC and LCA. Thus, this research aims at examining the capability and limitation of the IES VE/IMPACT as a BIM tool for whole-house refurbishment. This research reveals that the IES VE/IMPACT is feasible for whole-house refurbishment by providing LCC and LCA information simultaneously for informed decision on refurbishment solution selection. This research shed lights on the current problems lying on the data exchange between two different BIM tools. It is revealed that additional efforts from construction professionals and industry are required to make reliable BIM objects library with LCC and LCA datasets.

Semantic catalogs for life cycle assessment data

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a highly interdisciplinary field that requires knowledge from different domains to be gathered and interpreted together. Although there are relatively few major data sources for LCA, the data themselves are presented with highly heterogeneous formats, interfaces, and distribution mechanisms. The lack of agreement among data providers for descriptions of processes and flows creates substantial barriers for information sharing and reuse of practitioners’ models.Nevertheless, the many data resources share a common logic. The use of Semantic Web technologies and text mining techniques can facilitate the interpretation of data from diverse sources. Numerous existing efforts have been made to articulate a knowledge model for LCA. In March of 2015 a joint workshop was held that brought together leading international domain experts with ontology engineers to develop a set of simple models called ontology design patterns (ODPs) for LCA information. In this paper we build on the outcomes of the workshop, as well as prior published works, to derive a minimal “consensus model” for LCA. We use the consensus model to derive a description of an LCA “catalog” that can be used to express the semantic content of a data resource. We generate catalogs of several prominent databases, and make those catalogs available to the public for independent use. Finally, we “link” those catalogs to existing knowledge models using JSON-LD, a linked data format that can expose the catalog contents to Semantic Web tools.We then show by example how the catalogs may be used to answer questions about the scope, coverage, and comparability of data, both within and across data sources, that are difficult to answer when the contents of the catalogs are provided independently and inconsistently. We discuss how the use of semantic catalogs can help address challenges that initiatives such as the “Global Network of Interoperable LCA Databases – Global LCA Data Access” are facing today.