LCA Community Resources & Further Learning

Learning LCA is an ongoing journey. The global LCA community offers forums for getting help, training programs for building skills, and professional networks for career development. This guide connects you with the best resources.

Community Forums & Q&A

ask.openlca.org

The most active LCA Q&A forum

Tips for getting help:

• Search before posting (many questions are answered)
• Include software version, database version, and screenshots
• Be specific about your problem
• Mark solutions as accepted

LCAList (PRé Mailing List)

The original LCA discussion community

Subscribe at pre-sustainability.com

r/lifecycleassessment

Reddit community for LCA practitioners

Good for: Career advice, program recommendations, informal peer support

Work on Climate Slack

Climate-focused professional community

Join at workonclimate.org

Training Programs & Courses

University Courses

Coursera: Life Cycle Assessment (University of Michigan)

One of the most popular free LCA courses available.

edX Programs

Several universities offer LCA-related courses:

• Delft University: Sustainable Supply Chain
• MIT: Sustainable Business

Commercial Training

PRé Sustainability (SimaPro)

Sphera Academy (GaBi)

GreenDelta (openLCA)

Free Learning Resources

openLCA YouTube Channel

• Tutorial videos
• Feature demonstrations
• Case studies
• youtube.com/c/openlca

Brightway Documentation

• Comprehensive tutorials
• Jupyter notebooks
• docs.brightway.dev

ecoinvent Webinars

• Database introductions
• Methodology explanations
• Free with registration

Professional Certifications

ACLCA Certified LCA Professional (LCACP)

The primary US certification

Eligibility:

• Bachelor's degree + 3 years LCA experience, OR
• Graduate degree + 2 years LCA experience, OR
• 5 years LCA experience

Benefits:

• Professional recognition
• Demonstrates competence
• Required by some clients/employers

Other Credentials

GHG Protocol Certifications

• Focus: Organizational carbon accounting
• Provider: Various accredited trainers

PEF Certified Experts

• Focus: EU Product Environmental Footprint
• Status: Emerging certification framework

Critical Reviewer Qualifications

• No formal certification
• Based on experience and recognition
• Often self-declared with published credentials

Conferences & Events

Major Annual Conferences

SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry)

LCA Discussion Forum

ACLCA Conference

ecoinvent User Conference

Webinar Series

Regular free webinars:

• PRé Sustainability monthly webinars
• Sphera product updates
• ecoinvent database releases
• GreenDelta openLCA updates
• ACLCA member webinars

Professional Organizations

ACLCA (American Center for Life Cycle Assessment)

SETAC

Regional Networks

Staying Current

Publications

Journals:

• International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
• Journal of Industrial Ecology
• Journal of Cleaner Production
• Resources, Conservation and Recycling

Newsletters:

• PRé Sustainability Newsletter
• ecoinvent News
• GreenDelta Blog
• ACLCA Member Updates

Social Media

LinkedIn:

• LCA group discussions
• Company pages (PRé, Sphera, GreenDelta)
• Individual expert profiles

X (Twitter):

• @openloopLCA
• LCA thought leaders
• Conference hashtags

Database Updates

Track new releases:

• ecoinvent blog (ecoinvent.org/blog)
• openLCA Nexus updates
• Sphera database announcements

Career Resources

Job Boards

Salary Expectations (US Market, 2024)

Varies significantly by location, sector, and organization size

Building Your Profile

For students:

1. Complete coursework (Coursera, university)
2. Practice with openLCA + free databases
3. Do a thesis/project using LCA
4. Attend conferences (student rates)
5. Join communities early

For career changers:

1. Take foundational courses
2. Get hands-on with software
3. Seek projects in current role
4. Network in LCA communities
5. Consider consulting projects

For advancement:

1. Pursue LCACP certification
2. Present at conferences
3. Publish or blog about work
4. Mentor newcomers
5. Contribute to methodology development

Quick Reference: Where to Go

Key Takeaways

1. The LCA community is welcoming—don't hesitate to ask questions
2. ask.openlca.org is the most active forum for practical help
3. Free resources exist—Coursera, YouTube, documentation
4. Certification builds credibility but experience matters more
5. Networking accelerates learning—join communities early
6. Stay current—databases and methods evolve regularly

Congratulations!

You've completed the Practitioner FAQ track. You now have practical knowledge for:

• Selecting software and databases
• Defining boundaries and functional units
• Handling allocation and data gaps
• Choosing LCIA methods
• Modeling common processes
• Validating and troubleshooting results
• Connecting with the LCA community

Next steps:

• Apply these skills in a real project
• Explore our Industry Applications track for sector-specific guidance
• Dive into Advanced Methods for uncertainty analysis and more
• Join the community and keep learning!

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Complete Resource List

Essential Bookmarks

Standards and Methods

Welcome to the LCA practitioner community!