ISO TR 14047-2012 PDF

Full title and description

Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Illustrative examples on how to apply ISO 14044 to impact assessment situations. This technical report provides worked examples and practical illustrations showing how to carry out the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) phase in accordance with ISO 14044:2006; the examples are illustrative (showing “a way” or “ways”) rather than prescribing a single mandatory method.

Abstract

The purpose of ISO/TR 14047:2012 is to present examples that illustrate current practice for life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) consistent with ISO 14044:2006. The examples focus on key elements of the LCIA phase and demonstrate methodological choices and their implementation; they are not exhaustive but are intended to guide practitioners on ways to meet the provisions of ISO 14044.

General information

• Status: Published (Technical Report).
• Publication date: June 2012 (edition 2, approved May–June 2012).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.020.10 (Environmental management); 13.020.60 (Product life-cycles).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2012).
• Number of pages: 85 (official ISO page); published page counts reported by some national bodies/publishers can vary (commonly reported range approximately 85–92 pages).

Scope

ISO/TR 14047:2012 provides worked examples to illustrate application of the LCIA requirements of ISO 14044:2006. It covers how to select impact categories and category indicators, apply characterization models, handle normalization and weighting (where appropriate), and present results and uncertainty considerations. The report is intended to assist practitioners in implementing LCIA methodology and in documenting methodological choices and assumptions; it does not introduce normative requirements beyond ISO 14044.

Key topics and requirements

• Illustrative LCIA case studies showing step-by-step application of ISO 14044 principles and requirements.
• Selection and justification of impact categories and indicators relevant to the study goal and scope.
• Application of characterization factors and models for common impact categories (e.g., climate change, eutrophication, photochemical smog, human toxicity).
• Examples of normalization and weighting approaches and discussion of their appropriate use and limitations.
• Presentation of results, sensitivity and uncertainty analysis, and guidance on documenting methodological choices and data quality.
• Examples that emphasize transparency and reproducibility in LCIA reporting.

Typical use and users

Primary users are LCA practitioners and consultants, environmental and sustainability professionals, product designers and engineers integrating life cycle thinking, academic researchers teaching or applying LCIA methods, and standards bodies or regulators seeking illustrative guidance on implementing ISO 14044 impact assessment provisions. The report is used as a non‑normative practical reference to support methodological decisions and reporting.

Related standards

ISO/TR 14047:2012 is part of the ISO 14040-series on life cycle assessment and is directly linked to ISO 14044:2006 (requirements and guidelines for LCA). Related documents include ISO/TR 14049:2012 (illustrative examples for goal & scope and inventory analysis), earlier ISO/TR 14047:2003 (withdrawn, revised by the 2012 report), and other LCA-related standards and technical specifications such as ISO 14046 (water footprint), ISO 14071 (critical review processes), ISO 14072 (organizational LCA), and ISO/TS 14074 (normalization/weighting/interpretation guidance).

Keywords

life cycle assessment; LCIA; impact assessment; ISO 14044; characterization; normalization; weighting; methodological examples; environmental management; product life‑cycle.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/TR 14047:2012 is a technical report that provides illustrative examples on how to apply the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) requirements of ISO 14044:2006. It is a non‑normative guidance document designed to help implementers understand and apply LCIA methods.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers worked examples demonstrating selection of impact categories and indicators, application of characterization factors and models, approaches to normalization and weighting (where used), reporting of results, and handling uncertainty and data quality within LCIA studies. The examples show one or more acceptable ways to satisfy ISO 14044 provisions rather than prescribing a single method.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: LCA practitioners, environmental consultants, sustainability teams in industry, product designers, academic researchers, and standards developers use the report as practical guidance when performing or reviewing life cycle impact assessments.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO/TR 14047:2012 replaced ISO/TR 14047:2003 and is the published 2012 edition. Users should confirm at the time of procurement whether a newer revision or replacement exists (as national publishers sometimes list different page counts or editorial formats). As of the 2012 publication the 2012 edition is the active technical report.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of the ISO 14040 family of standards and technical reports on life cycle assessment. Companion technical reports include ISO/TR 14049:2012 (examples for goal & scope and inventory analysis) and other LCA standards and technical specifications referenced above.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Key keywords include life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), impact categories, characterization, normalization, weighting, ISO 14044, methodological examples, and environmental management.