ILCD Handbook

The International Reference Life Cycle Data Systems (ILCD) Handbook
 
The ILCD Handbook is a series of technical guidance documents that provide practice-oriented guidance for good Life Cycle assessment (LCA) practice. The ILCD Handbook aims to support methodologically consistent and quality-assured Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) data sets for robust and reliable LCA studies and applications on a global basis. The ILCD has been developed in a broad and iterative international stakeholder process.

The ILCD series of technical guidance documents for LCA has been developed to support LCA practitioners in the planning, performance and documentation of complete and detailed LCAs. The recommendations given in the handbooks are inline with the requirements of ISO 14040 and 14044.

The following guidance documents are available online from the European Commission Joint Research Centre:

  • General guide for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Detailed guidance

  • General guide for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Provisions and action steps

  • Specific guide for Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data sets

  • Framework and requirements for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) models and indicators

  • Review schemes for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

  • Reviewer qualification for Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data sets

  • Analysis of existing Environmental Impact Assessment methodologies for use in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Click here to view the Life Cycle Thinking web pages
Click here to view or download the ILCD Handbook flyer.