LCA that shows its work.
More studies. Less waiting. No compromise on methodology.
xLCA is JBE's Excel-based life cycle assessment workbook. Every formula is visible, every result is independently cross-checked in openLCA, and every engagement is backed by 11 years of specialized LCA consulting.
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across products
The barrier to LCA was never interest. It's cost and turnaround time.
A full LCA or PCF study done the traditional way is resource intensive and costly. That's often a poor fit when you need to screen a product line, compare design alternatives, or respond to a customer sustainability questionnaire on a two-week deadline. That's the gap xLCA was built to close.
LCA software is a black box
Results come out, but the math is buried. Third-party auditors and skeptical buyers can't follow the calculation trail from raw data to final number.
No direct link to your real data
Standard software forces batch-mode import of utility bills and materials data, introducing errors and disconnecting results from your source process.
High training burden for occasional use
LCA platforms demand significant expertise. Staff who use them infrequently struggle, producing unreliable results at high cost.
The same rigor, a faster path to results
xLCA structures your process data and impact factors inside a single, transparent Excel workbook: no proprietary black box, no starting from scratch on every product. The methodology is the same one we use in our comprehensive ISO 14040/44 studies. What's different is the workflow. Once a model is built for your process, running it for the next product, the next design alternative, or the next reporting cycle is dramatically faster.
The result: more studies, completed faster, without compromising methodology.
Illustrative comparison. Initial xLCA model build time is comparable to a standard study; the speed gain applies to subsequent products, alternatives, and updates once the model exists. Actual timelines depend on data availability and project scope.
Two paths, one result
Think of xLCA as a freeway with two decks: choose your lane, and compare your results. Every engagement runs process data through a transparent Excel workbook, and independently, through openLCA, so both approaches converge on the same answer.
Work entirely in Excel
- 01Your process dataUtility bills, materials, and other inputs feed directly into the model.
- 02xLCA workbookTransparent, audit-ready, no VBA, zero black box.
- 03Results in ExcelEvery formula visible, with instant recalculation when an input changes.
Independent cross-check
- 01Python scriptConnects your data to openLCA automatically, with no manual data entry required.
- 02openLCA runsThe same underlying data is calculated through a second, independent path.
- 03Results flow backopenLCA results return to xLCA automatically for side-by-side QA.
Built for speed, without cutting corners
Pre-loaded with ecoinvent impact factors
Easily select methods and factors, with an ecoinvent license required. No hidden code, ever, and zero VBA behind any formula.
Python-based connection to openLCA
Results run through two separate calculation approaches as a built-in QA cross-check, giving faster turnaround without sacrificing confidence in the numbers.
Direct import of raw process data
Utility bills, material lists, and weights go straight into the model, with no batch load or export loop disconnecting results from your source data.
Scalable across a full product portfolio
Once your process is modeled, the same framework adapts across dozens or hundreds of SKUs. Change a shared input and every product using it recalculates immediately.
A strong fit when speed and scale matter
- Screen a product lineIdentify environmental hotspots before committing to full studies on every SKU.
- Compare design or material alternativesDuring product development, when speed matters as much as accuracy.
- Respond to a sustainability questionnaire or RFPOn a tight deadline, without a months-long engagement.
- Track results across a growing product portfolioWithout rebuilding a model every time.
Not sure if xLCA or a comprehensive LCA is the right fit? We scope every engagement to your goals, timeline, and intended use, including whether results are for internal decision-making or public disclosure.
Not a replacement. A faster on-ramp.
xLCA isn't a replacement for ISO-conformant, third-party-verified studies. It's a faster on-ramp that uses the same underlying methodology. Many clients start with xLCA to screen a portfolio or support internal decisions, then move specific products into a comprehensive, critically reviewed LCA when results are headed toward an EPD, a regulatory filing, or a public or comparative marketing claim.
From model to results
Build the model
We work with your team to structure process data and impact factors into the xLCA workbook for your specific product or process.
Validate results
Results are cross-checked through our openLCA connection to confirm consistency and catch errors early.
Run at scale
Once the model is built, we run additional products, design alternatives, or updates quickly, without rebuilding from scratch.
Escalate if needed
If results need to support a public claim, EPD, or regulatory filing, we help you move into a comprehensive, independently verified ISO 14040/44 study.
xLCA vs. traditional LCA platforms
| What matters | xLCA | Traditional LCA software |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency & auditabilityNo VBA, no black box. Any reviewer can trace every calculation. | Every formula visible | Hidden logic |
| Workflow speedChange an input and all results update immediately in the workbook. | Instant recalculation | Load, export, then Excel |
| Data connectivityRaw utility bills and materials data import directly. | Direct import | Manual re-entry |
| Independent verificationxLCA is the only tool that can independently check openLCA results, and vice versa. | Cross-check with openLCA | No check exists |
| Built-in QATab layout and data organization are engineered for fast, systematic review. | Architecture-driven QA | Manual QA effort |
| AccessibilityEnvironmental generalists can run case studies without LCA database training. | Excel-proficient staff | Specialist required |
The math is the math. We just let you see it.
The credibility of an LCA result doesn't come from the software. It comes from the methodology, the data quality, and the assumptions behind the model.
A black-box platform running on poor data or poorly defined system boundaries produces bad results, no matter how polished its interface looks. Excel, with every formula visible and every assumption documented, produces defensible results that clients can trace from raw input to final number.
xLCA uses the same underlying impact factors and follows the same ISO 14044 methodology as any other LCA tool. What it doesn't do is hide the calculation logic behind a proprietary interface. Every xLCA engagement also includes an independent cross-check in openLCA through an automated Python connection, giving you two separate calculation paths on the same data and an extra verification step most traditional LCA workflows don't have at all.
Need LCA results faster than a traditional study allows?
Let's talk about whether xLCA fits your timeline, product portfolio, and goals. Defensible results your team can explain and stand behind, backed by 11 years of specialized LCA consulting.
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