LCA for Reporting

Companies use an LCA for Reporting to show their environmental impact to the investors, regulators, or the general public. These LCAs often appear in corporate sustainability reports or compliance documents. For example, LCAs were conducted for Metarolls and Bhagwati Steel, both manufacturers of TMT bars. These studies identified key impact indicators such as Global Warming Potential (GWP) and acidification potential, helping both companies understand where most emissions occur and how the process could be improved. Similarly, an LCA was also conducted for Canvaloop and Hedrad, which helped the companies in understanding and reporting their emissions. 

LCA for Research 

 An LCA for Research is carried out to understand and improve the environmental performance of products, processes, or building systems. It helps in identifying key hotspots and areas that contribute most to emissions and resource use, assisting companies in making informed decisions in reducing their emissions. These studies use real or hypothetical data to test different scenarios by changing material composition, energy sources, or supply chains to identify opportunities for improvement. The insights gained are valuable when scaling up pilot plants, optimising manufacturing processes, and planning long-term sustainability strategies.

For example, Monk Spaces conducted an LCA for Saltech Design Labs, a company whose product composition varies across batches. To address this, an estimator tool was developed, enabling Saltech to calculate the LCA of each new batch produced. This tool helps the company assess its environmental impact in real time, identify hotspots, and integrate improvements directly into the manufacturing process. Similar studies were conducted for Econiture, Padcare and Circular Matters to evaluate and improve their environmental performance.

LCA for Market   

An LCA for Market benchmarks a product against others in the market, helping businesses differentiate themselves and giving buyers reliable data for procurement. It is especially relevant in the construction sector, where environmental performance increasingly influences material choices [Read how LCAs are used in construction].

An LCA was conducted for GDPA Fasteners by Monk Spaces. Benchmarking their screws, nuts, and accessories against those of other manufacturers, the study allowed GDPA Fasteners to build trust with procurement teams globally. Similarly, a comparative LCA of Offices developed by ITC was carried out for their Bengaluru and Hyderabad offices. The study evaluated the two offices against each other and benchmarked their performance with similar offices globally.

LCA for Certification

LCAs are often required by many green building and product certification programs for businesses to demonstrate their environmental performance. For example, GRIHA Product Catalogues and GreenPro frequently make it essential to have an LCA as a part of the certification process. Furthermore, GRIHA has mandated that all LCAs include a critical review. This implies that independent specialists must review the study to ensure that the data, procedure, and findings are transparent and correct. Similarly, at the building level, LCAs are a requirement for LEED certification as well, helping ensure that designs and construction practices align with sustainability goals.

Monk Spaces carried out such an LCA for Durian Furniture to support their certification under the GRIHA Product Catalogues. The project involved assessing the life cycle impacts of Durian’s furniture, validating the methodology and preparing the documentation needed for verification requirements. Similar studies were conducted for Zerund’s construction blocks, assessing their environmental performance for GRIHA and GreenPro certifications.

LCA for Environmental Product Declaration (EPDs)

An EPD is the next step of an LCA, where we publish verified LCA results in a standardised format, which is checked and approved by an independent third-party verifier. The LCA provides the underlying environmental data and impact results needed to create an EPD. Additionally, EPDs follow standards like ISO 14025 and EN 15804, which makes the results dependable and easy to compare with similar products.

EPDs allow architects and engineers to compare materials fairly, like different types of cement, bricks, etc., when designing buildings. The strength of EPDs is their credibility and transparency. Monk Spaces has been involved in the creation of EPDs for a variety of product types. For example, it assisted SomaniPly in publishing the first plywood EPD in India, worked with GreenJams to establish India’s first carbon-negative product EPD, and assisted Sharjah Cement Factory in developing many cement EPDs.

In summary, each of the five types of LCA shares a standard base of being transparent. What differs is the intent of use: reporting builds accountability, research drives improvement, market LCAs enable comparisons, and EPDs ensure verified disclosure. Together, they guide organisations toward more transparent communication, informed decisions, and more sustainable practices across industries. Furthermore, to conduct any LCA effectively, high-quality, consistent and comprehensive data is essential, as it directly influences the accuracy and credibility of the results. (Read more about data requirements in LCAs).