Unit vs System: SimaPro Database and Life Cycle Assessment

This lecture covers the SimaPro database, which contains over 10,000 interlinked datasets describing life cycle inventories. It explains the different system models used, such as allocation at point of substitution, cut-off by classification, and consequential. The lecture delves into the concept of allocation, where primary production of materials is always allocated to the primary user, and the implications for recycling processes and waste treatment. It also discusses the ecoinvent database, system processes, unit processes, and the impact assessment methods used in life cycle assessment.