Briefing on how to use MiLCA in EPD applications

Archived Distribution and Q&A

The Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Takehisa Kabeya; hereinafter referred to as “SuMPO”)*1 is pleased to announce that it will hold an online information session on “Transition to the calculation tool MiLCA in SuMPO environmental labeling (IDEA version upgrade support)” scheduled from April 2024, An online briefing session was held on Monday, January 15, 2024, from 15:00 to 16:00, focusing on the concept of licensing, how to use MiLCA for SuMPO environmental labeling applications, and the application process. The SuMPO Environmental Labeling Program is working on these updates to promote the spread of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which are comprehensive product environmental information that includes carbon footprints, among companies in the supply chain, The goal is to accelerate the communication of reliable environmental information among companies in the supply chain.

*1: As of April 2024, the loan of the calculation tool (Excel version) for IDEA v2.1.3 will be discontinued in favor of the calculation tool (MiLCA version) for IDEA v3.1. Click here for “MiLCA for EPD Frequently Asked Questions”

■Application Form for Information Session Materials
If you apply using the form, we will send you the URL for downloading the materials.
https://ws.formzu.net/fgen/S18339309/

■Archived distribution (YouTube)
https://youtu.be/-gJo2vl36oA

■Q&A *Updated February 9, 2024

Q1. Is the Excel version of the calculation tool at the time of application on March 25, 2024, the longest it can be used until March 25, 2025?
Also, am I correct in understanding that until then, it is possible to apply without using MiLCA?
A1. The Excel version of the calculation tool can be used until March 31, 2025 at the most. However, the registration must be completed and published by the expiration date, so please submit your application well in advance of the expiration date.

Q2. Is the difference between MiLCAv3.1 and MiLCA for EPD the number of emission intensity or the number of processes?
A2. The number of processes ≈ number of products (e.g. brown rice, ABS plastic, etc.) available for MiLCA for EPD is limited to approximately 1,500. There is no difference between MiLCAv3.1 and MiLCA for EPD in terms of the impact areas that can be evaluated, and the same environmental impact emission intensity as in MiLCAv3.1 can be used for the approximately 1,500 available processes. Impact areas refer to climate change and acidification.

Q3. Is there any difference in the calculation results between MiLCAv3.1 and MiLCA for EPD?
A3. If the same environmental impact emission intensity is used for both MiLCAv3.1 and MiLCA for EPD, there will be no difference in the calculation results.

Q4. MiLCAv3.1 and MiLCA for EPD have different numbers of emission intensity units available, and I expect that there will be variations in the accuracy of the calculation results for products registered in the SuMPO environmental labeling program. Is such variation allowed in the program?
A4. In both calculations, the calculation is performed in accordance with the common rules for each product category in the EPD framework. If the required emission factor is not included in the approximately 1,500 entries, MiLCA v3.1 can be purchased to perform calculations using all of the emission factors. The current MiLCA for EPD includes approximately 1,500 emission intensities, which were selected based on the results of a questionnaire survey conducted for business operators.

Q5. What is the MiLCA v3.1 End User License for Consultants?
A5. In addition to the use of the Standard End-User License, a consulting firm or other entity that receives a request from a single or multiple organization (not including projects conducted by national or local governments) and uses the IDEA and MiLCA to complete the request, even if the requesting organization does not have a Standard End-User License. The license allows the use of IDEA and MiLCA for the purpose of completing the request, even if the requesting organization does not have a standard end-user license. This also applies when performing calculations for companies that are part of a group but are not 100% owned by the same company.

Q6. Is the license a network license?
A6. MiLCA is currently stand-alone software and does not offer Internet-based licensing. Licenses are tied to a person and a PC, and one license can be used for up to 3 PCs and 3 people.

Q7. In the existing manual, when calculating LCA with MiLCA, the same number of “subsystems” are created in the case study as the names of the items listed in the “Input & Result Impact” sheet of the “Verification Application Form for IDEAv3.1” in Excel, and the calculation results are output. However, since calculations take time when there are many items, is it possible to enter each “stage” in the case study and combine the output data in the “IDEAv3.1-compliant Verification Application Form (hereinafter referred to as “Verification Application Form”)” in Excel when calculating in MiLCA?
A7. If the results entered and output for each “stage” in the MiLCA case study are combined in the verification application, some of the values in the verification application will be different compared to the case where the results are not divided by “stage”. Therefore, at this time (February 2, 2024), the above input method cannot be used. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. However, we are planning to address this issue. We will notify you when it becomes available.

Q8. Is it possible to register the stage names to be entered into the case study information in advance in MiLCA, instead of doing it each time a new case study is created?
A8. Regarding the registration of stage names, it is not possible for users to change the default settings in MiLCA. We apologize that this is not a direct solution, but if you “save as a separate case study” a case study with different stage names, you will be able to copy the contents of the case study, including the stage names, as they are.

Q9. If a consulting company assists a company in obtaining an EPD, does the company considering obtaining an EPD (the company receiving consulting services from the consulting company) incur a MiLCA for EPD rental fee?
A9. If the company receiving the calculation is not yet licensed under IDEAv3.1, and if the company will be checking the numerical values of the calculation results in the verification application form output from the IDEA database, or using MiLCA for EDP, it will be necessary to acquire a license for the number of users.

Q10. MiLCA for EPD limits the number of environmental impact emission intensity units, but is there a product or industry bias?
A10. The selection of 1,500 environmental impact emission intensity numbers was not based on specific products or industries, but rather on a preliminary questionnaire survey of businesses and priority was given to those that were used most frequently.

Q11. Why did you decide to use MiLCA with this application? Wouldn’t it be more time-consuming than using only Excel to apply for verification?
A.11 The Excel version of the calculation tool exceeded 10 MB of data at the time of IDEAv2, causing malfunctions during calculations and other symptoms. If the database is updated to IDEAv3, the amount of data will further increase, and in addition to increased malfunctions during calculations, file transfer and even startup will become difficult. We appreciate your understanding.

… and upwards