Shape file parameters for regionalized LCIA

Question

I am aiming to perform country-specific impact assessment for various materials production processes, and my understanding is that Regionalized LCIA requires (1) KML data for locations used in product systems, and (2) shape file parameters to make impact factors specific to countries in the assessment method.

I am wondering if someone would know where those shape files could be found and/or what information they typically contain. I intent to use it within the environmental footprints database.

Thanks!

Answer 1

This answer is specific to the ecoinvent database and the AWARE water scarcity method. You can download the shapefile from the openLCA website, which will lead you here: https://data.openlca.org/openLCA_LCIA_methods/AWARE/datasets/Impact%20methods
 
Right now, the calculations with this method are very slow and can take several days. However, you can pre-calculate the shape file so that the total result calculation will be reduced to a couple of minutes. Go to the impact assessment methods and open AWARE (geospatial-based) and go to the shape file tab. Then click on evaluate for existing locations. This will take several hours

Note: We aim to improve the calculation speed for the AWARE method in future releases of openLCA

Comments

Thank you very much! I will have a look at it. More specifically, I am trying to find shape files to use with the PEF database. Do you have any insight on it, please?