Life Cycle Analysis: Functional Unit and System Limits

This lecture covers the concept of functional unit in Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), emphasizing the importance of defining the system's function and boundaries. It explains the two phases of LCA, from screening to detailed analysis, and the significance of comparing scenarios based on system functions. The lecture delves into the role of reference flows, system modeling, and the distinction between attributional and consequential LCA. It also discusses the environmental inventory of flows, elementary flows, and the data formats used in LCA, such as Ecoinvent. The instructor illustrates the process with examples related to energy efficiency improvements and product life cycles.