Selecting the right Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method leads to accurate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results. Your choice depends on the LCA standard you’re following, which is based on your sector, product, and target region. This guide helps you select the appropriate LCI database and LCIA method in Mobius and Helix, by answering the following questions:
What is the connection between LCI databases and LCIA methods?
How do rules and standards affect method and database selection for LCA?
How to ensure compliance between LCI methods and databases?
What databases and methods are compatible in Mobius and Helix?
How to select methods and databases in LCA?
Feel like you're missing information? This article connects to the following articles, check them out if you want to learn more:
On the LCI phase: Explained: Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) phase
On LCI databases: Explained: LCI databases
On the LCIA phase: Explained: Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) phase
On LCI methods: Explained: LCIA methods
On selecting LCIA methods in Mobius: Mobius - How to: Manage workspaces
On selecting LCIA methods in Helix: Helix - Explained: Overview and settings
What is the connection between LCI databases and LCIA methods?
It is first important to understand how LCI databases and LCIA methods are related. Together they translate raw, foreground product data into meaningful environmental impact results.
LCI databases provide the input and output flows (e.g., resource use, emissions, and waste) associated with a product or process throughout its life cycle. However, this raw data alone doesn't show environmental impacts.
This is where LCIA methods come in. These methods interpret the flows from the LCI database, converting them into measurable environmental impact categories, like global warming potential, water use, or toxicity.
Combining the two elements - an LCI database (for data) and an LCIA method (for interpretation) - allows users to accurately assess the environmental performance of products or services.
Simply put, LCI database + LCIA method = Impact results (Figure 1).
Figure 1: LCI databases and LCIA methods working together to achieve impact results.
How do rules and standards affect method and database selection for LCA?
Your selected database and method must align with industry standards, regulations, and reporting frameworks while following a general hierarchy (Figure 2). Check:
Product Category Rules (PCRs): Defines database/method requirements.
LCA standards (e.g., ISO 14040, PEF): May dictate acceptable selections.
Regulatory expectations: Some industries require specific datasets.
Figure 2: Steps for selecting a LCA standard, method, and database for your model.
How to ensure compliance between methods and databases?
LCIA methods and LCI databases must align to achieve the correct impact results. If not, your results will be incorrect. Figure 3 helps you decide the method and database for your case, Tables 1 and 2 (this section) present the most updated compatibilities between methods and databases in Mobius and Helix.
Figure 3: A decision tree for LCIA methods and LCI database selection in Mobius and Helix.
Caution - Methods and databases decision tree: The decision tree (Figure 3) offers recommendations based on Ecochain’s experience. There are exceptions to these rules. If you have questions you can always book a meeting with an Ecochain LCA expert or your environmental specialist.
What databases and methods are compatible in Mobius and Helix?
The following subsections detail the available databases and their corresponding LCIA methods in Mobius and Helix.
Note - Incompatible selection: Suspect an incorrect database/method selection?
Review industry standards to check compliance (Tables 1 and 2).
Change the database/method in project settings.
Recalculate results to reflect updated selections.
In Mobius
Table 1: Compatibilities between databases and methods in Mobius.
Database Names | Compatible LCIA Methods | Version | Sector |
NMD v 3.9 (Based on Ecoinvent v3.9.1) | NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.2 | 3.9 | Construction |
Ecoinvent, cut-off v3.9.1 | TRACI v2.1 EF 3.1 Method IPCC 2021 NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.2 | 3.9.1 | Generic |
PEF database v2.0 | EF 2.0 Method (PEF Database) | 2.0 | Generic |
NMD v3.3 | EN15804+A2 (Based on EF 3.0) | 3.3 | Construction |
NMD v3.5 | EN15804+A2 (Based on EF 3.0) | 3.5 | Construction |
Ecoinvent, Cut-Off v3.5 | EF 3.0 Method | 3.5 | Generic |
Ecoinvent, Cut-off v3.6 | EF 3.0 Method NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.1 IPCC 2021 | 3.6 | Generic |
Ecoinvent, Cut-off v3.8 | EF 3.0 Method IPCC 2021 | 3.8 | Generic |
In Helix
Table 2: Compatibilities between databases and methods in Helix.
Database Names | Compatible LCIA Methods | Version | Sector |
NMD v3.8 | EF 3.0 Method | 3.8 | Construction |
NMD v 3.9 | EN15804+A2 (3.1) NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.2 | 3.9 | Construction |
Ecoinvent, cut-off v3.9.1 | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method IPCC 2021 NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.1 NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.2 | 3.9.1 | Generic |
World Steel 2019 | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method EN15804+A2 (3.1) | 2019 | Steel |
World Food LCA Database | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method EN15804+A2 (3.1) |
| Food |
Plastics Europe 2019 | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method EN15804+A2 (3.1) | 2019 | Plastic |
PEF database v2.0 Limited products | EF 3.0 Method | 2.0 | Generic |
NMD v3.7 | EF 3.0 Method | 3.7 | Construction |
NMD v3.3 | EF 3.0 Method | 3.3 | Construction |
NMD v3.5 | EF 3.0 Method | 3.5 | Construction |
ERASM 2017 | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method EN15804+A2 (3.1) | 2017 | Generic |
Ecoinvent, Cut-Off v3.5 | EF 3.0 Method | 3.5 | Generic |
Ecoinvent, Cut-off v3.6 | EF 3.0 Method NMD Bepalingsmethode v1.2 | 3.6 | Generic |
Ecoinvent, Cut-off v3.8 | EF 3.0 Method IPCC 2021 | 3.8 | Generic |
CEPE database v3.1 | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method EN15804+A2 (3.1) | 3.1 | Paint |
Agrybalise v3.11 Only food/beverage products | EF 3.0 Method EF 3.1 Method EN15804+A2 (3.1) | 3.11 | Food |
How to select methods and databases for LCA?
Once deciding on the standard, method, and database for your model (in consultation with prior sections in this article), the following steps summarize your actions in the LCA software.
Select an appropriate LCIA method. The chosen LCIA method determines how environmental impacts are calculated and reported. Read the respective links for how to set the method in Mobius and Helix.
Choose a suitable LCI database. The chosen database impacts data availability, regional relevance, and compliance with standards. Read the respective links for how to set the method in Mobius and Helix.
Next steps
Choosing the right LCI database and LCIA method ensures accurate LCA results. Your selection should align with industry standards, regulations, and the specific needs of your product and sector. In Mobius and Helix, ensuring compatibility between methods and databases allows for reliable impact assessments. If in doubt, consult industry standards or contact an Ecochain LCA expert for further support.
