Funktionsenhed

Funktionsenhed is a Danish term meaning functional unit. It denotes the quantified reference unit used to describe the function provided by a system, object, or process. The concept is central in fields such as life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental accounting, and public administration.

In LCA, the funktionsenhed is the basis for all comparisons. It defines what function the product system must deliver and in what quantity. Examples include 1 liter of beverage, 1 kilogram of product, or 1 MJ of energy delivered to end users. All environmental impacts are calculated per this unit, allowing comparison between products or systems that perform the same function.

Beyond LCA, funktionsenheder can describe organizational units defined by their function rather than by size or location. In public administration or corporate contexts, a funktionsenhed may be a department or service unit responsible for a specific function, such as logistics or customer service.

Key considerations when defining a funktionsenhed include ensuring it is clearly described, measurable, and relevant to the function under study; the choice of unit should reflect the function, not the allocation of resources. The boundaries of the system and allocation rules must be stated to enable consistent comparisons.

See also: life cycle assessment, functional unit, system boundary.