1Copyright (c) (2019) European Commission – All rights reserved

Hannes Partl An De SchryverPolicy officer, European Commission, DG ENV

04 December 2019

How to apply the Data Needs Matrix

Webinar; Environmental Footprint (EF) transition phase

maki Consulting GmbH

Marc-Andree Wolf

thinkstep AG

thinkstep AG

Stefan Horlacher

2

1. Introduction

2. Data – the essentials

3. Working with the Data Needs Matrix (DNM)

4. Example 1 (medium)

5. Example 2 (more complex)

6. Other applications

7. Q&A

3

» The DNM is used to evaluate all processes on their data

requirements

» It indicates for which processes which data shall or may be used

» Increase reproducibility

o (where do you have to take what data at which minimum quality)

» Focus on (and document) what matters

» Essential for EoL calculation (CFF)

» Helps focus for validation

» Target audience: a) PEF/OEF applicants

b) PEFCR/OEFSR developers

4

Acronyms

BOM bill of materials

DNM data needs matrix

DQI data quality indicator

DQR data quality rating

EF environmental footprint

EoL end of life

GR geographical representativeness

ILCD International Reference Life Cycle Data System

P precision

OEF organisation environmental footprint

OEFSR organisation environmental footprint sector rule

PEF product environmental footprint; always also includes OEF

PEFCR product environmental footprint category rule; always also includes OEFSR

RP representative product

TeR technological representativeness

TiR time representativeness

5

Data – the essentials

6

An EF-compliant dataset

• Aggregated dataset

• Disaggregated dataset at level 1

7

Two types of data

Company-specific data

o Shall include all known inputs and outputs for the processes.

o May be collected, measured or calculated using company-specific activity data

and related emission factors.

o All inputs and outputs need to be scaled to the reference flow of the process

o All company-specific data shall be modelled in company specific EF-compliant

datasets.

» Secondary data

o Generic data from literature or scientific papers

o Average data from LCA databases, industry association reports, government

statistics, etc.

o Data sources shall be clearly documented and reported

Note: For PEFCRs/OEFSRS in the transition phase and PEF/OEF studies that implement these, up to 10%

"ILCD entry-level" datasets are allowed,

8

Minimum primary data required

For PEF’s with a PEFCR:

» PEFCR shall contain list of mandatory company-specific data (activity data,

direct elementary flows and (unit) processes. This is based on the most

relevant processes

» User of the PEFCR shall adhere to these requirements

For PEF’s without a PEFCR:

» The modelling of the company-specific processes (e.g. energy needed and

BOM for the assembly of the materials/ components of the product in

scope).

» For companies producing more than one product, the activity data used

(including the BoM) shall be specific to the product in scope of the study.

9

Which secondary datasets to use?

1) EF studies should use secondary datasets that are EF-compliant

If not available, use (hierarchical order):

2) EF-compliant proxy

o the use of proxy datasets shall be reported in the limitations section of

the EF report.

3) ILCD entry level (EL) compliant proxy

o A maximum of 10% of the total environmental impact may be derived

from ILCD-EL compliant datasets (calculated cumulatively from lowest to

largest contribution to the total EF profile).

4) If none of the above available, process shall be excluded

o This shall be clearly stated in the in the “limitations” section of the EF

report as a data gap and be validated by the verifier.

10

Data quality

• Data quality is an important aspect to evaluate the validity of EF studies

• To assess data quality of datasets, different data quality criteria are defined:

4 data quality criteria to be scored using a scale from 1 (best) to 5 (worst)

Used to calculate the total DQR of a dataset (as a single score, as an average of the 4 indicators:

For more details, refer to the webinar on EF-compliant datasets

Note: For EF compliance, none of the

indicators can be lower than 3.

11

Working with the DNM

12

When to use the DNM

1. Developing a PEFCR

2. Developing a PEF without a PEFCR or with a PEFCR

o Selecting conforming data

o Applying the Circular Footprint Formula

o Determining the scope of verification and validation

“All processes required to model the product and that are not on the list of

mandatory company-specific data shall be evaluated using the DNM”

13

DNM application

Information to be included (for all processes):

(1) List of default secondary datasets to be used;

(2) Default DQR values (for each criterion) as in their meta data;

(3) Most relevant processes;

(4) DQR table(s) for the most relevant processes;

(5) Indication of processes expected to be in situation 1;

(6) For processes in situation 1, the list of activity data and elementary flows to be declared by the user.This list shall be as specific as possible in terms of unit of measurement, averaging data and any other characteristics that could help the user in implementing the PEFCR

when developing a PEFCR

14

DNM application

… the user of the PEF/OEF method shall:

1) Determine the level of influence (three “situations”).

This determines which option is to be used for each process;

2) Provide a table listing all processes and their situation according to

the DNM;

3) Follow the data requirements;

4) Re-calculate the DQR values (for each criterion + total) for

datasets:

o In Situation 2, Option 2 of the DNM (secondary data with company-

specific activity data), and

o In Situation 3 if the process is most relevant

for an EF study without PEFCR

15

DNM application

Situation Option Data requirements

Situation 1:

Process run by the companyOption 1

• Provide company-specific data (both activity data and direct

emissions); and

• Create a company-specific dataset (DQR≤1.5).

Situation 2:

Process not run by the

company but with access to

(company)-specific information

Option 1

• Provide company-specific data (both activity data and direct

emissions); and

• Create a company-specific dataset (DQR≤1.5).

Option 2

• Use an EF-compliant secondary dataset; and

• Apply company specific activity data for transport (distance), and

• Substitute the sub-processes used for electricity mix and

transport with supply-chain specific EF compliant datasets

(DQR≤3.0) *); and

• Recalculate DQR of the dataset used

Situation 3:

Process not run by the

company and without access to

specific information

Option 1

• Use an EF-compliant secondary data set in aggregated form

(DQR≤3.0).

• Recalculate DQR of the dataset if the process is most relevant

for an EF study without PEFCR

*) partially disaggregated datasets shall be used

16

DNM application for an EF study with PEFCR

*)

*) partially disaggregated datasets shall be used

17

Most relevant processes

To be identified for:

a) Developing a PECR (RP); b) Interpretating the results of a PEF study; c) Calculating the DQR for

company-specific datasets; d) Re-calculating the DQR for most relevant secondary datasets;

e) Applying the DNM

How to be done:

1. Identify the most relevant impact categories

o Based on normalised and weighted results

o Cumulatively contribute at least 80% to the total environmental impact

2. Then identify the most relevant processes

o Collectively contribute to at least 80% to any of the most relevant impact categories

o Identical processes taking place in different life cycle stages (e.g. transportation, electricity

use) shall be accounted for separately (together if in same life cycle stage)

Contribution of the use stage to

the total impact

Most relevant processes

identified at the level of

≥ 50%• Entire life cycle excluding use stage, and

• Use stage

< 50% • Entire life cycle

18

Application example 1

19

Battery (all life cycle stages)

Source: Copied directly from PEFCR for High Specific

Energy Rechargeable Batteries for Mobile Applications

20

Battery production (cradle-to-gate)

Source: Copied directly from PEFCR for High Specific

Energy Rechargeable Batteries for Mobile Applications

21

EoL (dismantling and recycling)

Source: Copied directly from PEFCR for High Specific

Energy Rechargeable Batteries for Mobile Applications

22

Application example 2

23

Applying the DNM to Animal Feed (1)

Mandatory company-specific data (excluded from the implementation of the DNM):

o The list of feed ingredients (Bill of Materials, BoM)

o The nutritional analysis data

o Energy consumption in feed mill operations

o Outbound transport to livestock farm

Processes for which the DNM is required (to determine whether primary or secondary shall be used):

o Water consumption in the feed mill

o Feed ingredients production

o Inbound transport (delivery to the feed mill)

o Packaging production (for feeds delivered in bags)

Source: Copied directly from the PEFCR – Feed for food producing animals

24

Applying the DNM to Animal Feed (2)

Situation 1: Process run by the company applying the PEFCR

o Use primary data (company specific activity data)

o Use the default data provided in the PEFCR

Situation 2: Process not run by the company, but with access to company-specific information

» Case 1: There is enough information available to use primary data

o For an unprocessed product: cradle to gate primary data should be used

o For a processed product:

› Primary data for cultivation and primary data for processing

› Secondary data for cultivation and primary data for processing

› Primary data for cultivation and secondary data for processing (not available)

Source: Copied directly from the PEFCR – Feed for food producing animals

25

Applying the DNM for Animal Feed (3)

Situation 2, Case 2a:

Detailed location of the

supplier company

is available

Source: Copied directly from the PEFCR – Feed for food producing animals

26

Applying the DNM for Animal Feed (4)

Situation 2, Case 2b:

Only country of origin or

region is available

Source: Copied directly from the PEFCR – Feed for food producing animals

27

Applying the DNM for Animal Feed (5)

Situation 3: Processes not run by the company and no access to company-specific information

o Check whether the process at stake is a

“most relevant process” or not

o Feed ingredients production is a most

relevant process

o This means “Situation 3, Option 1”

o Secondary data shall be used with DQR ≤3.0

o Missing data *) -> Decision tree

*) The availability of a dataset shall be understood as readily available from the

GFLI database or referenced by the GFLI (Global Feed LCA Institute)

Source: Copied directly from the PEFCR – Feed for food producing animals

28

Other applications of the DNM

29

The DNM in the CFF

The PEFCR shall prescribe the list of R1 values.Situation Option Most relevant process Other process

Situation 1:

Process run by the company using the

PEFCR

Option 1 Company-specific R1 value

Option 2 Specific R1 value Default (application-

specific) R1 value

Situation 2:

Process not run by the company but with

access to (company)-specific information

Option 1 Supply-chain specific R1 value

Option 2 Default (application-specific) R1 value

Situation 3:

Process not run by the company and without

access to specific information

Option 1 Default (application-specific) R1 value

Default R1 values are given in Annex C of the PEF method document

For more details, see webinar documentation “The CFF in detail”

30

Minimum requirements for verification / validation of a EF study

Correct version of all impact assessment methods and characterization factors

Cut-offs conform with EF requirements

All newly created datasets are EF compliant

Aggregated EF compliant dataset of the product/sector is made available to EC

For ≥ 70% of the most relevant processes (by number) in situation 2 option 2 of the DNM, 70% of underlying numbers shall be validated, including all energy and transport subprocesses

For ≥ 60% of the most relevant processes (by number) in situation 3 of the DNM, 60% of underlying numbers shall be validated

For ≥ 50% of the other processes (by number) in situation 1, 2 and 3 of the DNM, 50% of the underlying numbers shall be validated.

For all processes to be validated, it shall be checked if the DQR satisfies the minimum DQR as specified in the EF method

31

Link Collection

» Further reading about the EF transition phase

» EF Wiki

» Training calendar

» PEF method

» OEF method

» Description of governance bodies

» Existing PEFCRs/OEFSRs, e-learning tools, and technical reports

» Rules for EF compliant data sets

» Email address technical helpdesk: EF_Helpdesk@thinkstep.com

» Email address EF Team at DG ENV: env-environmental-footprint@ec.europa.eu

32

Questions & answers

Further questions: EF_Helpdesk@thinkstep.com

33

Thank you for your interest and time!

The contents of this webinar have been produced under

service contract 07.0203/2017/SI2.762537/SER/ENV.B.1 with

the European Commission. The slides’ content has been

approved by the Commission, while opinions expressed

during the webinar are those of the contractors only and do

not represent the EU’s official position.