ecoinvent LCI database

The ecoinvent Centre distributes the world’s leading database of consistent and transparent up-to-date Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data. To give you access to this impressively comprehensive LCI database, we integrated the ecoinvent databases into our SimaPro LCA software package.

A high-quality LCI database

The ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database is used for many life cycle assessment projects, ecodesign, and product environmental information. Since 2003, the ecoinvent database has enabled companies to manufacture their products more in harmony with the environment, policymakers to implement new policies, and consumers to adopt more environmentally friendly behavior.

Why ecoinvent?

  • The ecoinvent database is a compliant data source for studies and assessments based on ISO 14040 and 14044.
  • Ecoinvent is widely recognized as the largest and most consistent LCI database on the market.
  • ecoinvent v3 data is presented in an even more transparent way than in previous versions.
  • Access to the data on both unit process (UPR) and system process (LCI) level,
  • Access to mathematical relations and parameters used to calculate the amounts of the exchanges in the datasets.
  • The database contains datasets for most industries and offers frequent updates as soon as new data is available.
  • Extensive documentation is available online.

Working with ecoinvent

The ecoinvent database is integrated in SimaPro by default (but is optional on request), which gives you unlimited access to all the LCI datasets. The ecoinvent LCI data can be used for e.g. life cycle assessment, life cycle management, carbon footprint assessment, water footprint assessment, environmental performance monitoring,  product design and eco-design (DfE) or Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).

Database content

With more than 15,000 LCI datasets in the areas of energy supply,  agriculture, transport, biofuels and biomaterials, bulk and specialty chemicals, construction materials, packaging materials, textiles, basic and precious metals, metals processing, ICT and electronics, dairy, wood, and waste treatment, ecoinvent 3.9.1 is one of the most extensive international LCI databases. Download the ecoinvent methodology report here.

The following ecoinvent v3 databases are included in SimaPro: allocation at point of substitution (system and unit),  allocation, cut-off by classification (system and unit), and consequential (system and unit).

About ecoinvent

In the past decade, ecoinvent has established itself as a global leader in creating life cycle inventory databases. Their databases help companies manufacture products more in harmony with the environment, policymakers implement new policies, and consumers adopt more environmentally friendly behavior.

Find a SimaPro license and start working with the ecoinvent database!

“In addition to a plurality of user-friendly functions, e.g. units handling, uncertainty analysis, waste scenarios, the unique selling point of SimaPro compared to other LCA software tools is its handling of parameters. Combined with ecoinvent, parameter modeling enables screening and full LCAs with high credibility. Look forward to see how SimaPro and ecoinvent can help answering tomorrow’s LCA questions."

Dr. Anders S.G. Andrae, Senior Expert of LCA, Huawei Technologies.

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