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Simapro | About Simapro7 | Databases | Order & Pricing | Training
Databases
The strength of an LCA software lies in its databases. To effectively build and analyze LCA models, transparent, high quality and widely accepted inventory data are required for commonly used materials and processes. SimaPro offers a wide range of such data, including the well known Swiss ecoinvent database.
For a description of each impact assessment method included in SimaPro, you can download the methods manual (PDF, 0.6 MB).
Brief descriptions of the LCI databases available as a library in SimaPro are given below.
Ecoinvent
General purpose database with over 2700 industrial processes. Data are included in SimaPro as unit processes and as calculated results (systems). The unit processes contain uncertainty data to allow Monte Carlo Analysis. Data are available for the following sectors:
- Energy
- Transport
- Building Materials
- Chemicals
- Washing agents
- Paper & board
- Agriculture
- Waste Management
Ecoinvent data are fully documented, with pdf reports made available by the eco-invent centre and on the ecoinvent CD-ROM (supplied with the database). Note that the full documentation is partially available in German only.
Ecoinvent is a licensed database. Ecoinvent v1 and v2 are included in all professional SimaPro 7.1 versions (except 2 month licenses) and is available as an add-on database for educational users.
For more information, see the Ecoinvent centre.
Industry data v2.0
Inventory data provided by industry associations. Mostly cradle to gate data. Data are from various sources. This database is included in all SimaPro versions.
LCA Food
The LCA food database provides environmental data on processes in food products' product chains and on food products at different stages of their product chains in Denmark. It also includes LCA wizards to help you analyze the data.
Full details are available at LCA Food project. This database is included in all SimaPro versions.
ETH-ESU 96
ETH-ESU 96 is a database focussing on energy, with data on electricity generation and related processes like transport, processing and waste treatment. The database includes 1200 unit processes and 1200 system (results) processes. Extensive documentation is also provided. The database is produced by ETH-ESU, Switzerland, and is a licensed database. ETH-ESU 96 is included in all SimaPro versions. BUWAL 250
The focus of this database is on packaging materials, including data on packaging materials (plastic, carton, paper, glass, tin plated steel, aluminium), energy, transport and waste treatment. BUWAL 250 (2nd edition) is a fully documented and licensed database. It is included in all SimaPro versions.
IDEMAT 2001
This database focuses on engineering materials (metals, alloys, plastics, wood), energy and transport. Data are from various sources supervised by Dr. Han Remmerswaal, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft Technical University, The Netherlands. The IDEMAT database is included in all SimaPro versions. FRANKLIN US LCI
This database provides North American inventory data for energy, transport, steel, plastics and processing. Data are collected by Franklin Associates, USA. This is a fully documented and licensed database, included in all SimaPro versions. Data archive
This data library contains data on materials, energy, transport, processing and waste treatment from a variety of older public sources (PWMI, BUWAL 132, ETH, SPIN, Chalmers, Kemna). It is included in all SimaPro versions. IVAM
The IVAM database provides data on materials, transport, energy and waste treatments, and focuses primarily on Dutch data. The database is administered by IVAM Environmental Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and can be purchased from them for an additional fee. USA Input Output database
Input Output database on 481 sectors of the US economy. The US Input Output database consist of a commodity matrix from 1998, supplemented with data for capital goods. The Input Output commodity matrix is linked to a large environmental intervention matrix. The US Input Output database is developed by CML, University of Leiden, The Netherlands, and is a documented and licensed database. It is included in all SimaPro versions.
Danish Input Output database
This Danish Input Output database is based on the Danish statistical data (NAMEA) for 1999. A number of modifications and improvements have been made to these basic data in order to make them more relevant for LCA purposes. The database is developed by 2.-0 LCA Consultants, Denmark, and is included in all SimaPro versions. Dutch Input Output database
Economic Input Output database, for use on its own or in hybrid LCA studies. The starting point for the development of this database was an overview of how the average consumer distributes his/her spending over 350 categories, such as buying tomatoes, driving to work and maintaining the garden. A link was made between these categories and the economic sectors. The economic Input Output table was used to trace the trade flows between these sectors. Foreign Input Output tables are also introduced for the OECD and non OECD regions, which allows the impact of goods produced outside the Netherlands to be traced. The database is developed by PRé Consultants as part of a project for the Dutch government. It is included in all SimaPro versions.
Japanese Input Output database
Economic Input Output database, for use on its own or in hybrid LCA studies. This database was developed by the Environmental Technology Laboratory of the Corporate Research & Development centre of Toshiba Corporation, Japan, and is available exclusively for SimaPro users as an add-on database.
The database utilizes the Input Output table of Japan for the year 2000 and is also a generic LCA database constructed using the latest statistical data in Japan. The Input Output table of Japan contains approximately 400 domestic industrial sectors.
The Japanese Input Output database is available as an add-on library for non-Japanese SimaPro users at an additional fee. Note that the data are given as pre-calculated system records, not as unit data.
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