SimaPro Inventory Databases

The following data are included or available as a library in SimaPro 7.2:

Optional databases:

Descriptions of impact assessment methods in SimaPro are also available.

Ecoinvent v2

Focus: General purpose database with over 4000 industrial processes. Data are included as unit processes and calculated results (systems). The unit processes contain uncertainty data, to allow Monte Carlo Analysis. Data are available for the following sectors:

  • Energy
  • Transport
  • Building Materials
  • Chemicals
  • Washing agents
  • Paper & board
  • Agriculture
  • Waste Management

Source: Ecoinvent centre, Switzerland. Licensed database.

Availability: included in all SimaPro versions.

Documentation: The reports (PDF) below are made available by the ecoinvent Centre for public dissemination. They are only a small part of all data documentation available on the ecoinvent CD-ROM. More ecoinvent publications are available when you login as Guest user at the ecoinvent web site!

Note that the full documentation is partially in the German language.

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US Input-Output Database

Focus: Input-output database on 481 sectors of the US economy.

The US input-output (IO) database consist of a commodity matrix from 1998, supplemented with data for capital goods. The IO commodity matrix is linked to a large environmental intervention matrix.

Environmental data have been compiled using several data sources: Toxic Releases Inventory 98 (TRI), Air Quality Planning and Standard (AIRS) data of the US EPA, Energy information administration (EIA) data of the US dep. of energy, Bureau of economic analysis (BEA) data of the US Department of Commerce (DOC), National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP) and World Resource Institute (WRI).

With the use of the above databases, the impacts from small and medium sized enterprises (SME) and diffuse sources such as transport have been added to the environmental intervention matrix.

Source: CML, University of Leiden, The Netherlands Licensed database.

Availability: included in all SimaPro versions.

Download the US Input-Output Database Manual (PDF, 1.8 MB)

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US-EI Database

Focus:  to bridge the current gap in the US LCI Database and to apply US electrical conditions to the ecoinvent database.

The dataset includes modified processes for the 423 processes contained in the US LCI Database (version 1.6) and for the 3,974 uni t processes contained in the ecoinvent database (version 2.2).

Source: created on Nov, 2009 by Sylvatica on behalf of EarthShift

Availablity: available for download for all SimaPro users

Download the US-EI Database description (PDF) to learn more

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Danish Input-Output Database

Focus: Input-output database on the Danish economy.

This Danish input output database is based on the Danish statistical data (NAMEA) for 1999. A number of modifications and improvements have been made to these basic data in order to make them more relevant for LCA purposes.

Source: 2.0 LCA Consultants, Denmark.

Availability: included in all SimaPro versions.

Download the Danish Input-Output Database Manual (PDF, 1.8 MB)

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Dutch Input-Output Database

Focus: Economic input-output database, for use on its own or in hybrid LCA studies.

Starting point was an overview of how the average consumer distributes its spending over 350 categories, such as buying tomatoes, driving to work and maintaining the garden. A link was made between these categories and the economic sectors. The economic input output table was used to trace the trade flows between these sectors.

We also introduced foreign input output tables for the OECD and non OECD regions. This allows us to actually trace the impact of goods produced outside the Netherlands.

Source: own data collection, as part of a project for the Dutch government.

Availability: Included in all SimaPro versions.

Download Dutch Input-Output Database Manual (PDF, 0.4 MB)

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Japanese Input-Output Database

Focus: Economic Input-Output database, for use on its own or in hybrid LCA studies.

This database was developed by the Environmental Technology Laboratory of the Corporate Research & Development Centre of Toshiba Corporation and is available exclusively for SimaPro users as add-on database.

The database utilizes the IO table of Japan for the year 2000 (LCA Database based on 2000 Input-Output Tables for Japan, released in 2004) and is also a generic LCA database constructed using the latest statistical data in Japan.

The IO table of Japan contains approximately 400 domestic industrial sectors. The production processes of imported commodities are outside the target range. However, the overseas burdens for aluminium, iron ore, copper ore, lead ore, zinc ore, coking coal, steam coal and others, crude oil, LNG, and LPG were obtained using the Process Analysis method (traditional LCA inventory), and added up with the domestic environmental burdens.

Source: Environmental Technology Laboratory of the Corporate Research & Development centre of Toshiba Corporation, Japan.

Availability: Available exclusively as add-on library for non-Japanese SimaPro users. Note that the data are given as pre-calculated system records, not as unit data.

For professional versions the costs are 1000 Euro for the first user, 500 Euro for each extra user license. For educational versions the costs are 1000 Euro (unlimited number of users). Prices are excluding VAT where applicable.

More information

Download Japanese Input-Output Database Manual (PDF, 0.4 MB)

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LCA Food

Focus: Environmental data on processes in food products’ product chains and on food products at different stages of their product chains in Denmark. It also includes LCA wizards to help you analyze the data.

Source: LCA Food project. No written report is available

Availability: Included in all SimaPro versions.

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Industry Data v2.0

Focus: Inventory data provided by industry associations. Mostly cradle to gate data.

Source: various, PlasticsEurope.

Availability: Included in all SimaPro versions.

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IVAM

Focus: Materials, transport, energy and waste treatments. Mostly focused on Dutch data.

Source: Data collected by IVAM Environmental Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Availability: Purchase from IVAM Environmental Research. Costs are 1575 Euro per license (800 Euro for educational use), excluding VAT.