LCA

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the scientific backbone of environmental assessments and a key tool for quantifying environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of products, processes, and services. With LCA as its core expertise, Satierra delivers a comprehensive range of ISO-aligned LCA studies, listed below. These studies provide scientifically robust, data-driven sustainability assessments that support informed and sustainable decision-making across industries.

• Full LCA

A full LCA provides a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service across all life cycle stages (cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle). It assesses multiple environmental impact categories and follows the methodological requirements of ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Full LCAs are suitable for verified environmental claims, EPD development, sustainability reporting (such as ESG reports), and strategic decision-making. Satierra applies established life cycle impact assessment methods such as EF, ReCiPe, and USEtox, while also incorporating emerging categories including microplastic formation, marine litter, and biodiversity loss.

• Screening LCA

A screening LCA is a streamlined version of a full LCA. In accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, it provides quick yet meaningful insights into environmental impacts by using available datasets and focusing on specific life cycle impact categories, without the full depth and complexity of a complete ISO-compliant assessment. This approach is ideal for internal environmental evaluations such as hotspot analysis, early-stage product or design development (e.g., eco-design, circular design), product comparisons, or preliminary decision-making where a rapid and cost-effective analysis is needed.

• Critical review

According to ISO 14044, a critical review is required for LCA studies that support comparative assertions intended for public disclosure. It serves as a confirmatory assessment to validate that the study is scientifically and technically robust, methodologically sound, and consistent with ISO standards. Satierra provides independent critical reviews in accordance with ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and ISO 14071, ensuring that LCA studies are transparent, credible, and fully verifiable.

• CFP study

Based on ISO 14067, a Carbon Footprint (CFP) study applies LCA principles to assess the climate change impact of products or organizations, expressed in CO₂-equivalents. This targeted approach enables companies to understand, measure, and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in a standardized and verifiable manner. CFP studies support climate-related reporting, align with carbon neutrality or net-zero strategies, and help identify emission hotspots to prioritize reduction efforts effectively.

• Social LCA

As the social dimension of sustainability grows increasingly important, Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) provides a structured framework to evaluate the social impacts of products, processes, or organizations. It addresses key factors such as working conditions, human rights, community well-being, and stakeholder relationships, helping organizations understand how their activities affect people and society. Satierra conducts S-LCAs in accordance with ISO 14075 and the UNEP/SETAC Guidelines for Social LCA, enabling companies to identify social risks and opportunities, enhance performance across their value chain, and demonstrate responsible, transparent social practices to stakeholders.

• LCC & TEA

Life Cycle Costing (LCC) complements environmental and social assessments by quantifying the total economic costs of a product, process, or service. Applying sector-specific ISO standards, such as ISO 15686-5 and ISO 15663, Satierra conducts LCC studies that provide transparent, consistent, and data-driven cost evaluations, supporting informed decision-making and long-term strategic planning while taking future costs into account. Furthermore, Techno-Economic Assessments (TEA), which integrate technical and economic analysis to evaluate the feasibility and performance of processes or systems, can be performed to assess economic indicators such as CAPEX, OPEX, and ROI, providing a comprehensive view of both economic viability and technical efficiency.