A couple of months ago I discussed with @Nicolai, @Mikkeland @Andreas some of the challenges of LCA in the (Danish) building industry.

What we agreed on was that there is missing a common and open exchange format for LCA.

The goal is to make an open, machine and human-readable data format for exchanging LCA results, EPD's and assemblies.

We propose a simple three level data format with information on project, assembly and EPD level, written in an open data format and paired with a validator for a more robust and standardized format. We intend to create connections to existing tools and API’s.

LCAxProject

The project is the top level format that contains information such as name, description, etc. It also includes information about what life cycle stages and impact categories should be calculated for the project. Besides that it includes a list of parts (LCAxAssembly items) that make up the project. Finally, if the project is already calculated then it includes the top level results.

LCAxAssembly

LCAxAssembly is a format for assemblies/aggregates/build-ups/parts/components. It is what makes up a project, and it brings together several EPDs in a single unit. It carries a series of additional data points to elaborate on the EPDs and make them Assembly-specific, without changing the EPD. If the project is already calculated then it includes the environmental impact results.

EPDx

EPDs are the lowest level of the hierarchy. EPDs contain all the environmental data that is needed to calculate the LCA. EPDs come in many data formats e.g. ILCD+EPD and PDF, and it is not our intention to replace those formats but simply create an exchange format that is easily human and machine-readable. Besides being a format EPDx is a library for parsing other formats.

The first beta version of EPDx can be found here: https://epdx.kongsgaard.eu

How can I get involved?

In the spirit of transparency and openness, we would like anyone with interest in the project to participate on which ever level you feel comfortable with. If that is as an LCA specialist that has input to what needs to be included in the format, or as a developer helping with writing code for the project, or simply spreading the word in your professional network, we will be thankful for your contribution. The more people are involved and aware of the project, the more likely it is to succeed.

Feel free to reach out to us here on GitHub or contact us through our emails, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.