An exchange is a causal, directional relationship between a Human activity and another human activity or between a human activity and the natural, social or economic environment or between environmental mechanisms. This fundamental concept in Life Cycle Assessment describes how materials, energy, and impacts flow through systems and across system boundaries.
The concept of exchange is central to understanding how Life Cycle Assessment models the interactions within and between production systems and their surrounding environment. Exchanges constitute the mechanism through which activities connect to form product systems and through which those systems interact with the broader environment.
Exchanges can be categorised into three distinct types based on their endpoints. First, exchanges may occur between human activities, such as when one production process supplies a product to another. These intermediate exchanges represent the interconnected nature of economic and industrial systems. Second, exchanges may occur between human activities and the environment, which are termed elementary exchanges. These include unprocessed inputs from nature, emissions to air, water and soil, physical impacts, and working hours under specified conditions. Third, exchanges may occur between environmental mechanisms themselves, such as the atmospheric transport and chemical transformation of pollutants.
The terms "flow", "input", and "output" are used synonymously with exchange in LCA practice.
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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