Eco-edit manual, version 1.

ECO-edit Manual

28 June 2004

PRé Consultants B.V.

PRé Consultants B.V. Plotterweg 12 3821 BB Amersfoort The Netherlands

phone +31 33 4555022 fax +31 33 4555024 e-mail: info@pre.nl web site: www.pre.nl

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1 WHAT IS E CO- EDIT? .............................................................. 3

2 HOW TO USE ECO- EDIT........................................................... 3

2.1 GENERAL PAGE ....................................................................................3
2.2 PROCESSES PAGE ..................................................................................3
2.2.1 Categories ..............................................................................3
2.2.2 Sub-categories .........................................................................3
2.2.3 Main data window .....................................................................3
2.2.4 What to do when data is missing? ...................................................4
2.2.5 Comment and description fields .....................................................4
2.3 CALCULATING INDICATORS .........................................................................5
3 IMPLEMENTING ECO- EDIT IN YOUR ORGANISATION .................................. 5
3.1 A SINGLE TRUTH DOES NO T EXIST ..................................................................5
3.2 S CRIPTS AS ALTERNATIVE FOR ECO-IT..............................................................5
3.3 UPDATING AND MANAGING DATABASES..............................................................5

4 REGISTERING ECO- EDIT .......................................................... 5

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1 What is Eco-edit?
ECO-edit is a simple editor for ECO-it databases.
ECO-it is a software tool for designers that want to assess the environmental load of
products over the lifecycle of products. This is a simplified form of making LCA's (Life
cycle assessments).

The environmental information is contained in a so-called Eco-indicator score. The higher

the score, the higher the environmental load. There are different ways to compute such
a score. The standard databases supplied with ECO-it are based on the Eco-indicator 95
and 99 method. More information on these methods can be found on www.pre.nl

ECO-edit can be used to develop completely new databases, for instance based on
alternative methodologies, or to expand or update the existing databases. Eco-indicators
or similar indicators can be calculated with full LCA software such as SimaPro (see also
www.pre.nl).

ECO-edit is licensed free of charge to all users of SimaPro Analyst or Multi-user.

For more information see www.pre.nl

2 How to use ECO-edit

Upon startup, you can choose between a General and a Processes page.

2.1 General page

The general page identifies the name of the database and the name of the impact
assessment method that is used to compute the indicators. The name of the database is
not the same as the filename, it is merely a title you can use for administrative purposes.
For instance you can add a version number. The information you type in here will also be
shown to the ECO-it user when he or she opens a database, and on printouts.

2.2 Processes page

The processes window has three levels:

2.2.1 Categories
The name of the 4 main categories cannot be edited, and you cannot add any new
category.

2.2.2 Sub-categories
The Sub categories can be edited as you want, and you can add any number of new
subcategories. The New, Edit and Delete buttons right below the Sub-category column
are used for this purpose
Please observe that you can easily move a data item from one subcategory to another by
dragging and dropping.

2.2.3 Main data window

The following data is entered here:
• A name of then material or process (as will be shown)
• A unit; ECO-it cannot interpret or convert units. It is therefore important that you
always use the standard units, like Kg, kWh or ton/km etc.
• Prod. The indicator for the production of the material, or the operation of the
process.

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The following columns are only used for materials, as they describe the environmental
impact of waste treatment routes
• Munic. The indicator describing the environmental load of the treatment in an
average municipal waste scenario. This is based on the assumed distribution of the
waste streams over for instance incineration, landfill, composting or recycling of
waste in an average municipal waste scenario
• House. The indicator describing the environmental load of the treatment in an
average household waste scenario. The difference with the municipal waste scenario
is that now also the separation of materials by the consumer (like separating glass
and paper) is included.
• Rec. The indicator describing the environmental load of the treatment when all
materials are recycled
• Incin.. The indicator describing the environmental load of the treatment when all
materials are Incinerated
• Land. The indicator describing the environmental load of the treatment when all
materials are landfilled

2.2.4 What to do when data is missing?

When no data are available, you should enter a # sign, using the Set unknown button.
This is not the same as a zero. If you use a zero you state that the environmental load is
zero. If you use a # you state that you do not know. Eco-it will not be able to calculate a
result, which is in generally more relevant than assuming a figure is zero

2.2.5 Comment and description fields

Both fields can be used to add some additional information:

The information in the comment field will be visible for the ECO-it user, and should help
this user to understand what the indicator represents
The description field will not be visible to the ECO-it user, it is to be used for your own
internal reference

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2.3 Calculating indicators

The way the indicators are calculated depends on the LCA expert responsible for the
data. It is of course very important that all data is generated using the same
methodological choices as described in the Goal and Scope of the project that generated
the indicators. The SimaPro manuals and help files give further guidance on this. see
also: What is ECO-edit

3 Implementing ECO-edit in your organisation

ECO-it is designed to be a simple to use tool ("front-end") for designers and other non-
environmental experts who lack sufficient knowledge (and interest or time) to
understand and interpret the underlying data. Why should you give full LCA data to
persons who cannot understand them?.

3.1 A single truth does not exist

It is clear ECO-indicators present an extremely simplified and therefore not always 100%
reliable guidance. The tool is typically intended to support routine design decision, for
which no more than 5 minutes are available.
ECO-it should NOT be used to make important strategic decisions or to base
environmental claims on. ECO-it can best be seen as a compass that guides designers in
the right direction. It is reasonable to assume that the error in the compass is usually less
than 180 degree's but this very much depends on how the indicators are calculated.

3.2 Scripts as alternative for ECO-it

There is typically a trade-off between reliability and transparency and ease of use. If you
do not want to present single truth data, as indicators, we recommend our alternative
solution using the SimaPro Scripts. Scripts are programmable series of questions and
answers, that guide the non experienced user through describing the product and the
lifecycle. The benefit of the script solution is that underneath the fully detailed LCA data
is available. This means Scripts combine simplicity of use with transparency. See
www.pre.nl for more information and examples.

3.3 Updating and managing databases

ECO-it users cannot change any of the indicators, to avoid corruption of databases. We
suggest that the LCA expert is the only person that has access to ECO-edit, and that this
person sends out regular updates.
ECO-edit is designed in such a way that the user can load an existing project, and use an
alternative (updated) database, as long as the names of materials and processes in that
database match the names in the project

4 Registering ECO-edit
Without registration; ECO-edit will run as demo, which means you cannot change any
data.

All SimaPro Analyst and Multi-user licensees automatically get a license code for ECO-
edit. The code has of three parts:

User name
Company name
Registration code

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All three items should be typed in exactly as stated by your supplier, otherwise the
registration will fail.

Once you have registered the software al license file will be generated and stored in the
same directory as ECO-edit. You should keep it there.
From now on your name and your company name will appear on the screens and on the
printouts.