An activity dataset is a set of data on exchanges all referring to the same activity or group of activities. This dataset contains all information about the inputs and outputs associated with a particular process or activity, forming the basic building blocks for life cycle inventory analysis. Exchanges represent the flows of materials, energy, and emissions that enter and leave an activity, connecting it to other activities in the system or to the environment.
Activity datasets are the core data units in LCA databases, documenting the resource consumption, emissions, and waste generation associated with specific industrial processes, transportation activities, energy production, or other human activities. Each dataset typically includes quantitative data on all relevant exchanges, along with metadata describing the geographical scope, temporal validity, technological characteristics, and data quality.
Compiling activity datasets for processes across different sectors and regions lets LCA practitioners build complete product systems that model entire life cycles. These datasets enable the calculation of cumulative environmental impacts by linking activities together according to their input-output relationships, following the flows of materials and energy from raw material extraction to final disposal.
As Chief Operating Officer, Iris leads our organisational development and oversees day-to-day operations. Before joining 2-0, she worked in the biotechnology sector. As an LCA consultant, Iris has devoted her expertise primarily to the domains of sustainable agriculture and food production. She is dedicated to teaching LCA and is responsible for our educational efforts. Iris holds an M.Sc. in Biology – Biotechnology from the University of Copenhagen.
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Glossary terms are clearer once you have seen them applied. Our guide to what LCA is and how it works walks through the complete methodology: goal and scope, inventory modelling, impact assessment, and interpretation.
If you are working on an LCA study and want it done properly, see how we approach life cycle assessment.
