Let’s start with a specific, simple example. Despite the commonalty of the standard, because the system boundaries between studies and the assumptions that they contain can vary, it’s useful to either talk about specific examples, or broad generalities. There are now various consultancies, databases and resources for organisations and researchers wanting to perform a LCA.

An LCA includes analysis for the acquisition of resources, its production, distribution and use, as well as the energy required to dispose or recycle the item. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has become the international procedure for calculating the environmental impacts of an item, for example ISO14040:2006. The method for comparing the total carbon emitted in these cases is the Life Cycle Assessment. To return to the cups example, a disposable take-out cup is single use so its total carbon emissions are largely its embodied energy however a porcelain cup is used hundreds of times so it’s necessary to include aspects such as its washing. The calculations are further complicated when considering processes, such as making a cup of coffee. For example, to calculate the embodied energy of a roaster, espresso machine, or shop fit, requires specific itemisation of materials measurement of their mass and calculation of their total embodied energy. Many objects are significantly more complex. So if we know how the mass of porcelain in a mug or quantity of glass in a glass (their total weight), or the mass of paper and plastic in a take-out cup, it is possible to calculate their respective embodied energy.

take out cups include paper manufacturing, plastic-lining manufacturer, and the moulding of the cupĮmbodied energy tables typically include the amount of energy to create 1 Kg of the material.

glass to heat the furnace to circa 1600 ☌.

porcelain cup includes energy to heat the kiln to 1200 – 1400 ☌.

By comparing the typical embodied energy of a porcelain, glass, paper and plastic, it is possible to work out a their respective carbon footprints. Cups are a good example to explain the concept of embodied energy, because they are comprised of one (or just a few) simple materials.

Travel mug life cycle analysis