A Product Carbon Footprint focuses specifically on greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product over a defined life-cycle boundary. It can provide a practical way to understand carbon hotspots and compare improvement options.
What a product carbon footprint can help answer
- Where are the largest product-related emissions?
- Which materials, processes or life-cycle stages drive the footprint?
- What assumptions have the greatest influence on results?
- Where might redesign or operational improvements reduce emissions?
PCF versus LCA
A product carbon footprint focuses on climate impact. An LCA can examine a broader set of environmental impact categories. The right approach depends on the decision the analysis needs to support.
Clearpath’s approach
We establish the intended use, functional unit, system boundary and data requirements first, then build a transparent calculation and document assumptions so results can be interpreted appropriately.