Learning Hub

Your guide to the LCAWise training program—how it's structured, where to start, and how to get the most from your learning journey.

An introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), its purpose, and why it matters for sustainability decision-making.

Learn about the four phases that make up the LCA framework: Goal & Scope, Inventory Analysis, Impact Assessment, and Interpretation.

Master the art of defining functional units - the foundation for meaningful LCA comparisons.

Learn how to collect, organize, and calculate the inputs and outputs that form the backbone of every Life Cycle Assessment.

Transform your inventory data into meaningful environmental impact scores using established LCIA methodologies.

Learn how to analyze LCA results, draw valid conclusions, and communicate findings effectively to different audiences.

Learn to recognize and avoid common methodological mistakes in Life Cycle Assessment—from functional unit errors to terminology confusion.

Navigate regional differences in LCA practice—from standards and databases to regulatory frameworks across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific.

Understand the sources of uncertainty in Life Cycle Assessment and learn methods to quantify and communicate uncertainty in your results.

A hands-on guide to implementing Monte Carlo simulation for uncertainty quantification in your LCA studies.

Understand the fundamental distinction between attributional and consequential LCA approaches and when to use each.

Extend your LCA practice to include social and socioeconomic impacts—understanding frameworks, indicators, and applications of Social LCA.

Master the cut-off, substitution, and circular footprint approaches for handling recycling and end-of-life in LCA system boundaries.

Understand Environmental Product Declarations—standardized documents that communicate product environmental performance based on Life Cycle Assessment.

Learn about the organizations that manage EPD programs and the Product Category Rules that ensure comparability across declarations.

A step-by-step guide to developing, verifying, and publishing your Environmental Product Declaration.

A comprehensive directory of program operators, PCR libraries, verification bodies, and support resources for Environmental Product Declaration development.

Explore Life Cycle Assessment applications in the packaging industry—from material selection to end-of-life considerations and regulatory drivers.

Master whole-building Life Cycle Assessment and construction product EPDs—the fastest-growing application of LCA in practice.

Navigate the complexities of agricultural Life Cycle Assessment—from land use and biodiversity to food waste and dietary choices.

Assess environmental impacts of electronics—from raw material extraction and manufacturing through use phase energy to e-waste challenges.

Assess environmental impacts across the textile value chain—from fiber production and dyeing to consumer care and end-of-life options.

Compare the full life cycle impacts of different transportation modes and vehicle technologies—from manufacturing through operation to end-of-life.

Compare life cycle impacts of electricity generation technologies—from fossil fuels to renewables, nuclear, and emerging solutions.

Assess life cycle impacts in the chemical and materials industry—from basic chemicals and polymers to specialty materials and sustainable feedstocks.

Navigate Life Cycle Assessment in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors—from drug manufacturing to medical devices and healthcare delivery systems.

Assess life cycle impacts from mine to refined metal—covering ore extraction, processing, refining, and the critical role of recycling.

A practical guide to choosing the right LCA software for your needs, with honest comparisons and answers to common questions from the LCA community.

Navigate the complex world of LCA databases—understanding ecoinvent licensing, finding free alternatives, and dealing with regional data gaps.

Master the art of defining appropriate system boundaries—from cradle-to-gate vs cradle-to-grave decisions to handling capital goods and supply chain depth.

Navigate the differences between functional units and declared units, and master techniques for fairly comparing products with different lifespans and performance levels.

Navigate the complexities of allocation in LCA—when to use mass vs. economic allocation, how to handle multi-output processes, and managing recycled materials.

Practical strategies for collecting LCA data, estimating missing values, handling uncooperative suppliers, and dealing with processes not in any database.

Navigate the confusing landscape of LCIA methods—understand the differences, know when to use each, and interpret midpoint vs endpoint results correctly.

Practical recipes for modeling common LCA processes—regional electricity grids, transportation in complex supply chains, cement and concrete, and more.

Learn to validate your LCA results, understand why different studies give different answers, troubleshoot unexpected results, and handle uncertainty properly.

Connect with the global LCA community—forums, training programs, certifications, conferences, and resources for continued professional development.

Download, install, and configure openLCA—the leading free, open-source Life Cycle Assessment software.

Learn how to acquire, import, and navigate Life Cycle Inventory databases in openLCA for professional assessments.

Create a complete LCA model in openLCA, from defining your product system to linking processes in a full supply chain.

Calculate environmental impacts, analyze contribution hotspots, run sensitivity analyses, and export professional reports from openLCA.

A comprehensive guide to Life Cycle Assessment software tools and inventory databases—from free options to enterprise solutions.