A1
Raw Material Supply
Extraction of raw materials from natural or recycled sources. Mining, agricultural harvest, energy production and primary material flows belong to this module.
Life Cycle Modules
From raw material to recycling. Every stage covered.
EN 15804+A2 (2019) divides the product life cycle into four main stages: product (A1—A3), construction process (A4—A5), use (B1—B7), end of life (C1—C4) and benefits beyond system boundaries (module D). C-LCA models and reports each module independently.
A1—A3 · Product Stage
A2
Transport (Raw Material)
Transport of raw materials from supplier to manufacturing site. Emission factors are computed per transport mode (road, rail, sea, air) and load factor.
A3
Manufacturing
The stage where the product is physically produced. Energy consumption, manufacturing waste, direct emissions (process, heating, auxiliary systems) are aggregated here.
A4—A5 · Construction Process
A4
Transport to Site
Transport of the finished product from manufacturing site to construction site. Computed from total distance, transport mode and loading rates.
A5
Installation / Assembly
Impacts from on-site installation: auxiliary material consumption, waste generation and energy use during assembly.
B1—B7 · Use Stage
B1
In-Use Emissions
VOC and other emissions released to atmosphere during normal product use over its service life.
B2
Maintenance
Cleaning materials, spare parts and energy used for routine maintenance.
B3
Repair
Repair activities triggered by unexpected failure or damage and their environmental cost.
B4
Replacement
Impacts of replacing sub-components that need full replacement within the product's service life.
B5
Refurbishment
Structural renovation or comprehensive refurbishment activities.
B6
Operational Energy Use
Electricity, heating, cooling and lighting energy required to operate the product.
B7
Operational Water Use
Water consumed and waste-water generated during the product's service life.
C1—C4 · End of Life
C1
Demolition / Deconstruction
Energy and waste burden of removing the product from the structure at end of service life.
C2
Transport (Waste)
Transport of post-deconstruction waste to a recycling facility or disposal site.
C3
Waste Processing
Recycling, composting, preparation for re-use and similar waste-processing operations.
C4
Disposal
Final disposal activities such as landfill, incineration and atmospheric release.
D · Beyond System Boundaries
D
Benefits Beyond System Boundaries
Net benefits of using recycled materials in new products or recovering energy — i.e. avoided primary material and energy use outside the system boundary.
Blog
All articles →Technical articles on the life cycle
- 11 min read
Biogenic carbon and end-of-life scenarios: EN 15804 §7.4.4 in practice
The -1/+1 rule, per-material biogenic carbon declaration, and how reuse / recycling / energy-recovery scenarios play out in GWP-biogenic.
Read more → - 11 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.
Read more → - 10 min read
Scenario analysis: how end-of-life assumptions decide the result
Nobody knows what recycling infrastructure will look like in fifty years. How to work with that uncertainty and report scenarios honestly.
Read more → - 10 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.
Read more → - 10 min read
Whole life carbon: reading the A, B, C and D modules together
Optimising embodied and operational carbon separately gives the wrong answer. Cross-module trade-offs and the right place for Module D.
Read more → - 12 min read
Building LCA under EN 15978: end-to-end from data collection to result
A building LCA is the work of assembling product EPDs. The bill of quantities, scenario definitions and setting the reference study period.
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