Boosting Life Cycle Assessment Use in European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Serving Needs of Innovative Key Sectors with Smart Methods and Tools

the challenge

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is considered as the most advanced tool for improving the environmental performance of products. There are however barriers that reduce its implementation, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), such as data intensity, costs, and expertise required to run the LCA studies. Sector-specific eco-design approaches, that do not require the designer to have LCA knowledge, are a way forward. Despite the enormous efforts by the scientific community in advancing the methodology LCAs are rarely performed or used by SMEs. A breakthrough is needed in terms of complexity reduction and applicability.

project objectives

LCA to go develops sectoral methods and tools for bio-based plastics, industrial machines, electronics (including printed circuit boards, semiconductors and passive components), renewable energy, sensors and smart textiles.
These sectors have been chosen, as the manufacturers show a high interest in making clear the environmental benefits of their products to customers (Green industries) and in prioritizing so they can reduce their environmental impacts. Carbon Footprints are a perfect entry point for SMEs to LCA strategies. Thus, implementation of an SME-compatible PCF methodology is a key element of the project. The project has to bridge the language gap between the environmental terminology used in LCAs and the engineering language of product developers.


to go

A summary brochure is available under documents. You can download this brochure for offline reading.



expected results

  • impact sectors of 500,000+ SMEs
  • 100 SMEs mentored
  • 100 new or im­proved products
  • new LCA web tools
  • har­mon­ised stand­ards
  • policy re­commend­at­ions

If you would like to know more and get involved please: contact.us