LCAresultat

LCAresultat (LCA result) is the set of outputs produced by a life cycle assessment (LCA). An LCA characterizes the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service across its life cycle—from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal (cradle-to-grave) or up to a defined cut-off (cradle-to-gate). The LCAresultat typically consists of quantified impact indicators for one or more functional units, such as per unit of product. Common impact categories include climate change (often reported as kg CO2-equivalents), energy use (megajoules), water consumption, resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, and particulate matter formation. Depending on the methodology, results may be expressed in single units or as a set of inventory results and aggregated impact scores through a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) method, such as ReCiPe, TRACI, or CML.

The presentation of the LCAresultat usually features tables and visualizations (bar charts, hotspot diagrams) that show contributions by life cycle stage or by process. Results are typically accompanied by a description of data sources, system boundaries, allocation rules, and any normalization or weighting performed. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses may be included to illustrate how assumptions affect outcomes.

Applications of the LCAresultat include informing product design for environmental improvement, supporting sustainability reporting, policy development, and supplier selection. Limitations include data variability, methodological choices, and scope that can influence comparability between studies.