Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP
LANCA enables the calculation of characterized indicators that describe the effects of processes on the performance of various environmental systems.
LANCA® characterization factors
This application enables the calculation of characterized indicators that describe the effects of processes on the performance of various environmental systems. The LANCA® calculations are based on geoecological classification systems and make use of site-specific input data. The ecosystem functions of erosion resistance, mechanical filtration, physicochemical filtration, formation of new groundwater, and biotic production potential can be taken into account by this method within a Life Cycle Assessment.
In 2016, characterization factors were determined for the impact categories of erosion resistance, mechanical filtration, physicochemical filtration, formation of new groundwater, and biotic production. Globally available, spatially resolved data are used in the calculation of all factors for rivers in the ELCD database relevant to land utilization. LANCA® indicators calculated by the user can be directly entered into the GaBi process as characterization values. For various processes with intensive land usage, LANCA® characterization factors have already been integrated into the GaBi database so that a consistent assessment of foreground and background systems can be carried out.
With the development of the LANCA® method, the GaBi department has expert knowledge and is the forerunner in the integration of land usage aspects into Life Cycle Assessments. With LANCA® various land-usage-related environmental impact categories can be calculated that reflect the effects of production processes on the performance of local ecosystems.
The illustration shows the structure of the calculation of characterization factors. Effects are calculated that are due both to occupation (land usage) and transformation (change of land usage).
Various case studies have shown that depending on the input data used, LANCA® can indicate both minor site-specific differences and the influence of different forms of land usage and land management.
Further information on the underlying method can be downloaded under the links provided.
Within the framework of the calculation of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF [1]), the LANCA® method is proposed by the European Commission for the calculation of the environmental category land use within the LCA.
[1] European Commission: Single Market for Green Products Initiative – Product Environmental Footprint