Reference flow

Jana Gerta Backes

Chapter 136 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 506-506 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This article explains the importance of the functional unit and the reference flow in sustainability assessment, especially in life cycle assessment (LCA). The functional unit is a clearly defined performance or quantity of a product, service, or system that serves as the basis for the assessment of environmental impacts. The reference flow is the amount of material or energy required to fulfill the functional unit. It translates the functional unit into specific product flows and enables a correct and comparable calculation of environmental impacts. Both concepts are defined in the first phase of the LCA and are crucial for a precise and comparable assessment. In the LCSA, the reference flow is mainly relevant for the LCA and partly for the life cycle cost analysis (LCC), but less so for the social life cycle analysis (S-LCA).

Keywords: Reference Flow; Quantification; Functional Unit; Masses; Relation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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