ELCD
Since its first release in 2006, the ELCD (European reference Life Cycle Database) comprises Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data from front-running EU-level business associations and other sources for key materials, energy carriers, transport, and waste management. The respective data sets are officially provided and approved by the named industry association.
Data are accessible from the following link: http://elcd.jrc.ec.europa.eu
What's new in the ELCD 3.0?
Focus of the new release of ELCD is laid on data quality, consistency, and applicability.
Many ELCD 3.0 datasets have been reviewed against the ILCD Data Network entry-level data quality requirements in order to provide quality-assured LCI data. 36 ILCD Data Network Entry-Level compliant datasets can currently be found in the ELCD 3.0. Many other newly developed data sets on energy, transport and materials) are currently being reviewed against the ILCD Entry-Level requirements and they will be published in next batches of the ELCD 3.
The ILCD Data Network Entry-Level requirements review has been established to provide to the user useful information on data quality, guarantee minimum extent of documentation and methodological consistency among datasets. The establishment of ILCD Entry-Level requirements should enhance datasets quality improvement as well.
Information on datasets quality and about the ILCD Entry-Level review has been added to the reviewed datasets and can be found in the documentation under the Validation section. Review reports have been attached to datasets and are directly accessible.
The data sets of the ELCD database will moreover contribute to key European data to the upcoming international ILCD Data Network.
Disclaimer: JRC is currently taking actions to review datasets and increasing data quality, all process data sets are in line with ISO 14040 and 14044 as stated by their owners/providers. Datasets in the ELCD are not to be considered as official reference data sets of the European Commission or of JRC. Please also refer to the "Important legal notice" on top of this page.
Data access and use
(NEW! 20/02/2013) The ELCD 3.0 is being published using a newly developed IT infrastructure ready to be registered as the JRC ELCD node to the upcoming ILCD Data Network. This IT infrastructure is based on the Soda4LCA application (developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)) and on an additional application developed by JRC. This new application includes enhanced searching capabilities and allows single datasets to be downloaded or displayed on the browser. ELCD 3.0 may also be downloaded as a complete zip package here . Datasets can be used free of charge and also distributed to third parties. For more details please refer to the copyright and license conditions that can be found in each dataset.
Import into LCA software
Import/export interfaces to major LCA tools for data sets of the ILCD Data Network and in the ILCD format are expected to become widely available. They are already available in several LCA tools. Please contact your tool developer/distributor for more information about the import/export functionalities.
ILCD format developer package
The development, documentation and publication of LCI data sets (both unit process and LCI results) are supported by the ILCD data set format that also serves as common data exchange format for the ILCD Data Network; the ELCD database is made available in the ILCD format. An IT developer package of the ILCD format is accessible via http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/assessment/tools).
Data set editor
The further developed Editor for ILCD formatted data sets allows the documentation and editing of LCA data sets. The current version is accessible via http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/assessment/tools.
Nomenclature and reference elementary flow, flow property and unit group data sets
The ILCD "Nomenclature and other conventions" document supports naming of among others elementary flows and underlying data objects, but also guides process data naming. For a comprehensive set of Elementary flows, Flow properties and Unit groups it is implemented in form of the ILCD Reference Objects. These are downloadable as zip package with ILCD formatted files; the Elementary flows are also available as Excel file. Please check http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/assessment/tools.