Courses and Training in SimaPro and LCA
 | Eco-indicator 99 |
| Eco-indicator 95 |
| CML 92 |
| CML 2 (2001) |
| EDIP/UMIP |
| EPS 2000 |
| Ecopoints 97 |
Other impact assessment methods will be added in the future. You can expect TRACI, BEES, IMPACT 20002 and new EDIP methods later this year.
Download the Methods Database Manual (PDF, 0.6 MB) for a concise overview of the methods in SimaPro.
There are no specific Australian impact assessment methods developed as yet, but there are Australian version of the CML Model which has the toxicity factors have been calculated for the Australian environment. (published by Huijbregts, M. A. J. and S. Lundie, 2002). The Eco- Indicator model has also had the toxicity data recalculated by Mark Huijbregts and will be implemented shortly in an Australian version of the EcoIndicator
Eco-indicator 99
The Eco-indicator 99 method comes in three versions, Egalitarian, Individualist and the Hierarchist (default) version. Normalisation and weighting are performed at damage category level (endpoint level in ISO terminology).
There are three damage categories:
1) Human Health (unit: DALY= Disability adjusted life years; this means
different disability caused by diseases are weighted)
2) Ecosystem Quality (unit: PDF*m2yr; PDF= Potentially Disappeared
Fraction of plant species)
3) Resources (unit: MJ surplus energy Additional energy requirement to
compensate lower future ore grade)
Damage assessment step means that the impact category indicator results
that are calculated in the Characterisation step, are added to form damage
categories. Addition without weighting is justified here because all
impact categories that refer to the same damage type (like human health)
have the same unit (for instance DALY). This procedure can also be
interpreted as grouping.
The damage categories (and not the impact categories) are normalised on an
European level (damage caused by 1 European per year), mostly based on
1993 as base year, with some updates for the most important emissions.
Please note that the normalisation set is dependent on the perspective
chosen.
The normalised damage categories can also be used with the
triangle tool that is build
into SimaPro. This is useful if two products are to be compared without
weighting, in case the damage indicators for Product A and B are
conflicting (A is higher on Human health and B is higher on Ecosystem
Quality). In such a case the answer is dependent on the weighting factors
for Ecosystem quality, Resources and Human health.
The triangle must be understood as a way to show all possible combinations
of weighting factors (represented as a percentage in such a way that they
add up to 100%). If damage categories have conflicting values, the
triangle will display two areas. One area represents all weighting sets
for which product A has a lower environmental load, the other area will
represent all weighting sets for which B has a lower load than A.
Includes: characterization, damage assessment, normalization and evaluation
Source: Eco-indicator 99, Methodology report. Download
Eco-indicator 95
The Eco-indicator 95 method was developed under the Dutch NOH programme
by PRé consultants in a joined project with Philips Consumer Electronics,
NedCar (Volvo/Mitshubishi), Océ Copiers, Schuurink, CML Leiden, TU-Delft,
IVAM-ER (Amsterdam) and CE Delft.
The characterisation conforms with the CML 92 method; however the toxicity
scores are specified into heavy metals, carcinogenic substances,
pesticides and winter smog.
Normalisation is based on 1990 levels for Europe excl. former USSR.
Weighting is based on distance to target. Criteria for target levels are:
- one excess death per milion per year
- 5% ecosystem degradation.
- avoidance of smog periods
Includes: characterization, normalization and evaluation
Source: Eco-indicator 95, Final report. Download
CML method 1992
Includes: characterization, normalization
Source: Centre for Environmental Studies (CML), University of Leiden, 1992.
CML 2 baseline method (2001)
The CML 2 baseline method elaborates the problem-oriented (midpoint)
approach. The CML Guide provides a list of impact assessment categories
grouped into:
A: Obligatory impact categories (Category indicators used in most LCAs)
B: Additional impact categories (operational indicators exist, but are not
often included in LCA studies)
C: Other impact categories (no operational indicators available, therefore
impossible to include quantitatively in LCA)
In case several methods are available for obligatory impact categories, a
baseline indicator is selected, based on the principle of best available
practice. These baseline indicators are category indicators at
"mid-point level" (problem oriented approach)". Baseline
indicators are recommended for simplified studies. The guide provides
guidelines for inclusion of other methods and impact category indicators
in case of detailed studies and extended studies.
Only baseline indicators are available in the CML method in SimaPro.
Includes: characterization, normalization
Source: Centre for Environmental Studies (CML), University of Leiden, 2001. More information on http://www.leidenuniv.nl/interfac/cml/ssp/lca2/index.html
EDIP/UMIP
The EDIP method (Environmental Design of Industrial Products, in Danish UMIP) was developed in 1996.
Includes: characterization, normalization, weighting
Source: Institute for Product Development, Technical University of Denmark
Environmental Assessment of Products.
Volume 1 (methodology, tools and case studies in product development)
Henrik Wenzel, Michael Hauschild and Leo Alting
Chapman and Hall, 1997, ISBN 0 412 80800 5
See http://www.wkap.nl/book.htm/0-7923-7859-8
Environmental Assessment of Products.
Volume 2 (scientific background)
Michael Hauschild and Henrik Wenzel
Chapman and Hall, 1998, ISBN 0 412 80810 2
See http://www.wkap.nl/book.htm/0-412-80810-2
EPS 2000
Environmental Priority Strategies in product design (default
methodology).
The EPS system is mainly aimed to be a tool for a company's internal
product development process. The top-down development of the EPS system
has led to an outspoken hierarchy among its principles and rules. The
general principles of its development are:
- The top-down principle (highest priority is given to the usefulness of the system)
- The index principle (ready made indices represent weighted and aggregated impacts)
- The default principle (an operative method as default is required)
- The uncertainty principle (uncetainty of input data has to be estimated)
- Choice of default data and models to determine them
The EPS 2000 default method is an update of the 1996 version. The impact categories are identified from five safe guard subjects: human health, ecosystem production capacity, abiotic stock resource, biodiversity and cultural and recreational values.
Includes: characterization, damage assessment and evaluation
Source: Chalmers University of Technology, Technical Environmental Planning, Centre for Environmental Assessment of Products and Material Systems.
Bengt Steen (1999), A systematic approach to environmental strategies
in product development (EPS). Version 2000 - General system
characteristics. CPM report 1999:4.
Download as PDF file (246 kB)
Bengt Steen (1999) A systematic approach to environmental strategies in
product development (EPS). Version 2000 - Models and data of the default
methods. CPM report 1999:5.
Download as PDF file (1140 kB)
Ecopoints 1997
Includes: characterization, normalization and evaluation
Source: A. Braunschweig et al. Bewertung in Ökobilanzen mit der Methode der ökologischen Knappheit. Ökofaktoren 1997, Methodik Für Oekobilanzen. Buwal Schriftenreihe Umwelt Nr 297, 1998.
A free report, in German only, can be downloaded via http://www.umwelt-schweiz.ch