product system

Question

When creating a product system, there are automatically linked upstream and downstream flows. I am curious whether the additional downstream flows associated with each process are also included in the LCA evaluation.

For example, when creating a product system for plywood production with automatic linking, the upstream flow for tap water, which is the market for tap water, is linked. In this case, the output flow of the market for tap water, which is tap water, is automatically linked to other flows as well as the tap water for plywood. I am wondering if all these flows are included in the evaluation.

Answer 1

Yes of course they are included, you can try this out. Upstream product flows (i.e., the process that is the reference of your product system delivers its product to other processes) are not considered though, but they are typically also not linked into the product system, unless you do this yourself.

Best wishes,

Andreas