ISO Series & LCA Methodology

The ISO 14040/14044 framework and the four hard calls it leaves you: functional unit, system boundary, allocation and cut-off rules. This is where a study’s methodological skeleton is set.

7 articles

2026-06-0510 min read

ISO 14025 and Type III declarations: the framework behind an EPD

The standard that explains why an EPD needs a program operator, why it cannot exist without a PCR, and what separates Type I, II and III.

2026-06-0411 min read

Comparative LCA and critical review: when is it mandatory?

Compare with a competing product and disclose it publicly, and ISO 14044 requires a review panel. The reasoning behind the rule and its practical consequences.

2026-06-0110 min read

Cut-off rules: what you are allowed to leave out

No LCA models every flow. How cut-off criteria are defined, the mass-energy-environmental relevance triad, and the most common mistake.

2026-05-1311 min read

The LCA allocation problem: mass, economic, and system expansion compared

When a process yields multiple products, how do you split the environmental burden? The ISO 14044 hierarchy, three main methods, and real industry examples.

2026-05-139 min read

System boundary: cradle-to-gate, -grave, -cradle — which when?

System-boundary choice defines which life cycle modules your study includes. The three core scopes and selection criteria.

2026-05-1210 min read

Functional unit vs declared unit: why getting it right matters

The functional unit must reflect performance; the declared unit reflects physical quantity. Confusing the two destroys EPD comparability.

2026-05-1211 min read

ISO 14040 and ISO 14044: how the two work together

ISO 14040 sets the LCA framework; ISO 14044 defines the detailed requirements. They should be read as one body — practical difference, application order, and relation to EN 15804.