Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Life Cycle Assessment: Goal and Scope Definition

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering

Definition

The goal and scope definition is the first phase of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology according to the ISO standard for LCA (ISO 14040 2006; ISO 14044 2006). The overall LCA methodology and its applications are treated in the entry on Life Cycle Assessment.

Theory and Application

The LCA methodology comprises four methodological phases among which the goal and scope definition (G&S) is the first as illustrated in Fig. 1. The G&S phase is where the study is defined and central choices made regarding its conduct.

Fig. 1
figure 1

The LCA framework (Based on ISO 14040 2006)

Full size image

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • EC-JRC (2010) International reference life cycle data system (ILCD) handbook – general guide for life cycle assessment – detailed guidance, First edition March 2010. EUR 24708 EN. European Commission – Joint Research Centre – Institute for Environment and Sustainability. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauschild MZ, Rosenbaum RK, Olsen SI (2017) Life cycle assessment – theory and practice. Springer, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO 14040 (2006) Environmental management – life cycle assessment – principles and framework. International Organisation for Standardisation, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO 14044 (2006) Environmental management – life cycle assessment – requirements and guidelines. International Organization Standardisation, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Engineering, Division of Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

    Michael Z. Hauschild

Authors
  1. Michael Z. Hauschild
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Z. Hauschild .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering, paris, France

    The International Academy for Production

Section Editor information

  1. Science, Engineering and Technology Group, KU Leuwen, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Leuven, Belgium

    Wim Dewulf Associate Professor

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 CIRP

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Hauschild, M.Z. (2018). Life Cycle Assessment: Goal and Scope Definition. In: The International Academy for Production (eds) CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16860-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16860-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-35950-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35950-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Societies and partnerships

Search

Navigation