What is an LCA Portfolio?
An LCA Portfolio is Dcycle’s visual, canvas-based editor for modeling a product’s life cycle. You place blocks on the canvas, add resources to them, and connect blocks to represent the flow of materials through your supply chain — from raw materials to final delivery.Block Types
There are five block types available on the canvas:Material Block
Groups resources that represent physical inputs: raw materials, energy sources, and waste streams.| Input Type | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Material | Physical materials consumed | Steel, plastic, wood, chemicals |
| Energy | Energy carriers used | Electricity, natural gas, diesel |
| Waste | Waste generated | Solid waste, wastewater, scrap |
A Material block acts as a container for multiple resources. For example, a “Raw Materials” block might contain steel, paint, and adhesive — each with its own quantity and unit.
Process Block
Represents a manufacturing or transformation step. Processes have inputs (materials, energy, waste from connected blocks) and a reference output (the product or intermediate result).| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Process name (e.g., “Injection Molding”) |
| Country | Country where the process takes place |
| Reference Output | The output product — name, quantity, and unit |
| Input Types | Categorized inputs: raw material, energy, consumption, waste, process |
Product Block
Represents the final product being assessed. This is typically the last block in your chain before distribution. It aggregates all upstream impacts from connected process and material blocks.Transport Block
Models logistics between locations. Dcycle calculates transport impacts based on distance, carrier type, and load. Supported carriers (TOC — Type of Carrier):| Carrier | Refrigerated variant |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Refrigerated Aircraft |
| Lorry | Refrigerated Lorry |
| Van | — |
| Train | Refrigerated Train |
| Container Ship | Refrigerated Container Ship |
- Origin — address, postal code, and country (from the source resource)
- Destination — address, postal code, and country (the receiving block location)
- Distance (km) — calculated automatically by Dcycle AI or set manually
- TOC — the type of carrier used
- Source — whether the route was calculated by Dcycle AI or entered manually
Automatic Route CalculationWhen resources have address and postal code information, Dcycle can automatically calculate transport routes and distances using AI. You can override these with custom values at any time.
Distribution Block
Models final product delivery to customers. Distribution blocks capture where your product is shipped after manufacturing.| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Distribution scenario name |
| Destination Address | Customer or warehouse address |
| Postal Code | Destination postal code |
| Country | Destination country |
| Units Sold | Number of product units delivered |
| Product Weight | Weight per unit or total weight |
| Weight Type | Whether weight refers to material or product |
| TOC | Carrier type (same options as Transport block) |
| Distance (km) | Shipping distance |
Creating Blocks on the Canvas
Open your LCA Portfolio
Navigate to LCA > Portfolios and select an existing portfolio or create a new one.
Add a block
Click the Add Block button on the canvas toolbar. Select the block type: Material, Process, Product, Transport, or Distribution.
Position the block
The block appears on the canvas. Drag it to the desired position. Blocks are placed on a coordinate grid.
Bulk Upload via Excel
For complex LCAs, you can upload the entire portfolio structure from an Excel file.Download the template
Download the Excel template. It contains sheets for each block type: materials, processes, transport, energy, waste, and output.
Fill in your data
Populate each sheet with your LCA structure. The template includes column headers matching the required fields for each block type.
Adding Resources to Blocks
Once blocks are created, you need to assign resources (from the Resource Manager) to them.Add a resource
Click Add Resource in the block panel. Search for a resource from your Resource Manager.
Set quantity and unit
Specify the quantity used and select the appropriate unit from the available options. The unit list depends on the resource’s emission factor.
Connecting Blocks
Connections define the flow of materials between blocks. A connection goes from a source block to a target block.Draw the connection
Drag from the block’s output handle to the target block’s input handle. A connection line appears on the canvas.
- Material → Process: Raw materials flow into a manufacturing step
- Material → Transport → Process: Materials are transported to the factory
- Process → Product: The process output becomes the final product
- Product → Distribution: The product is delivered to customers
Connection rules
- A block can have multiple sources (e.g., a Process with several Material inputs).
- A block can connect to multiple targets (e.g., a Material block supplying two Processes).
- Transport blocks sit between other blocks to model logistics legs.
Calculating Impacts
Once your portfolio is fully configured — blocks created, resources assigned, connections drawn — you can calculate environmental impacts.Review the canvas
Ensure all blocks have resources assigned and are properly connected. Missing resources or broken connections will affect results.
Click 'Calculate'
Click the Calculate button. Dcycle processes the entire portfolio, tracing material flows through all connections and applying emission factors at each stage.
Downloading Results
After calculation, you can download a full report of the environmental impacts.Select format
Choose the download format. Results include impact values across all environmental categories, broken down by block and life cycle stage.