GHG and Carbon Accounting
Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions inventories prepared under the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1, with documented methods and verification-ready records.
Key benefit: An emissions baseline you can report, verify and reduce
Sustainability, ESG & Climate
Life Cycle Assessment
Understand the environmental impact of your products across their life cycle and use the results to guide design, sourcing and claims.
Product decisions based on full life cycle evidence
Overview
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method for quantifying the environmental impacts of a product, material or service across its life cycle, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, transport and use to end of life. Conducted under ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, it supports product carbon footprints, comparisons between alternatives, environmental product declarations and design decisions based on where impacts actually occur.
Customers, specifiers and investors increasingly ask about the environmental performance of products, not only the companies that make them. Construction projects pursuing green building ratings request product data, export customers ask for carbon footprints, and procurement teams compare alternatives on more than price. In Saudi Arabia, where industrial growth is a national priority under Vision 2030, producers of materials such as cement, steel, plastics, chemicals and packaging face these questions more often. A life cycle assessment provides structured, standards-based answers that can withstand technical review.
We conduct studies in line with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Work begins with the goal and scope: the intended use of the results, the functional unit, system boundaries such as cradle-to-gate or cradle-to-grave, and the impact categories to report. We then build the life cycle inventory from your production data on materials, energy, water, emissions and waste, supplemented by recognised background databases where primary data is not available. Impact assessment converts the inventory into results such as global warming potential, and interpretation tests how assumptions affect the conclusions.
The value of an LCA often lies in the hotspot analysis: identifying which materials, processes or life cycle stages drive most of the impact, and which design or sourcing changes would reduce it. Comparative studies intended for public disclosure require critical review under ISO 14044, and we structure them accordingly. For environmental product declarations, we prepare the LCA model and background report to the relevant product category rules; the EPD itself is verified and published through a programme operator. Organisation-level emissions are covered separately by GHG and carbon accounting.
When you need this service
You may need this service when:
- A customer or project requests a carbon footprint for your product.
- You want to compare materials, designs or suppliers on environmental performance.
- You plan to publish an environmental product declaration and need the underlying LCA.
- Design teams want to know which components or processes drive environmental impact.
- You intend to make environmental claims about a product and need defensible evidence.
- Green building projects request product life cycle data for credits or material selection.
What we deliver
01
Goal and scope definition
A documented goal and scope covering intended use, functional unit, system boundary, allocation rules, impact categories and data quality requirements.
02
Life cycle inventory
A model of material, energy, water, emission and waste flows built from your primary data and recognised background databases, with sources recorded.
03
Product carbon footprint
Greenhouse gas emissions per unit of product across the agreed life cycle stages, calculated in line with ISO 14067 and ISO 14040/14044 principles.
04
Comparative assessment
A like-for-like comparison of alternative products, materials or designs on a common functional unit, structured for critical review where results will be disclosed publicly.
05
Hotspot and improvement analysis
Identification of the stages, materials and processes contributing most to impact, with scenarios showing the effect of design, sourcing or process changes.
06
EPD data support
An LCA model and background report prepared to the applicable product category rules, ready for independent verification and registration through a programme operator.
Our approach
Goal and scope
We agree the purpose of the study, its audience, functional unit, system boundary, impact categories and whether critical review is needed.
Data collection
We issue data templates, collect production data for the reference period, and visit facilities where needed to understand processes and measurement points.
Modelling
We build the life cycle model in LCA software, link primary data to background datasets, and apply allocation and cut-off rules consistently.
Impact assessment
We calculate results for the selected impact categories, including global warming potential, and break them down by life cycle stage and process.
Interpretation
We identify hotspots, run sensitivity and scenario analyses, check completeness and consistency, and state the study's limitations clearly.
Reporting
We prepare the LCA report to ISO 14044 requirements and support critical review or EPD verification where the study requires it.
Deliverables
| Deliverable | Format | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Goal and scope document | Scope, functional unit and system boundaries (PDF) | Start of study |
| Data collection templates | Structured templates by process and facility (Excel) | Data collection stage |
| LCA model and inventory | Inventory tables and model documentation (Excel + PDF) | Modelling stage |
| Hotspot and scenario analysis | Contribution charts and improvement scenarios (PDF + Excel) | Interpretation stage |
| LCA report | Report structured to ISO 14044 with results and interpretation (Word + PDF) | Reporting stage |
| Product carbon footprint summary | Results per functional unit with method notes (PDF) | Reporting stage |
| EPD background report | Report and data aligned to product category rules (Word + PDF) | Where an EPD is pursued |
Regulatory context
- ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 for life cycle assessment principles, framework and requirements
- ISO 14067 for quantifying the carbon footprint of products
- ISO 14025, product category rules and programme operator requirements where an environmental product declaration is pursued
- Mostadam, LEED and Envision where product life cycle data supports building or infrastructure ratings
- Vision 2030 industrial development and Saudi Green Initiative priorities as context for lower-carbon products
Requirements vary by activity, location and permit conditions. We confirm the applicable requirements for your project at the start of every engagement.
Industries served
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an LCA and a product carbon footprint?
A life cycle assessment evaluates several environmental impact categories, such as global warming, resource depletion, acidification and water use, across a product's life cycle. A product carbon footprint looks only at greenhouse gas emissions. A carbon footprint can be produced as a subset of an LCA using the same model. If customers ask only for carbon data, a footprint may be enough; for EPDs or broader comparisons, a full LCA is usually needed.
Can you issue our environmental product declaration (EPD)?
EPDs are verified independently and published through a programme operator under the applicable product category rules. Our role is to prepare the underlying LCA and background report so they are ready for that process: correct scope, compliant calculation rules, documented data and clear results. We can also help you identify suitable product category rules and respond to the verifier's questions during review.
What data do we need to provide?
Mainly production data for a representative period, usually a year: quantities of raw materials and their suppliers, energy and fuel use, water use, emissions, waste and packaging, and production output. Information on transport distances, product use and end of life may also be needed depending on the system boundary. Where data is not available, we use recognised background databases and report the effect on data quality.
What do cradle-to-gate and cradle-to-grave mean?
These terms describe the system boundary of the study. Cradle-to-gate covers impacts from raw material extraction up to the point where the product leaves the factory gate. Cradle-to-grave adds distribution, use and end-of-life stages. The choice depends on the purpose of the study and on product category rules where an EPD is intended. Business-to-business products are often assessed cradle-to-gate, with optional stages added as needed.
Can we use LCA results in marketing claims?
LCA results can support environmental claims, but claims must be accurate, specific and consistent with the study's scope and limitations. Comparative claims made publicly require the study to meet ISO 14044 requirements for comparative assertions, including critical review by an independent panel. We help you understand what the results do and do not support, so that claims remain defensible and avoid overstatement.
Related services
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Material flow analysis, waste reduction, reuse and recycling opportunities, by-product valorisation, and a circular economy strategy with a prioritised roadmap.
Key benefit: Lower material losses and new value from existing resource flows
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Support for LEED, Mostadam and Envision: gap analysis, credit strategy, documentation management and submission coordination from design to construction completion.
Key benefit: A clear route to your target rating, without documentation surprises
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