To interpret a PCF effectively, it is essential to define a unit of analysis. This unit forms the foundation for understanding the PCF results and determines the data collected and used in the calculation.

There are two options when selecting a unit of analysis:

• Declared units

  A declared unit refers to the physical quantity of a product being analysed, which is typically used in cradle-to-gate studies. It represents how much of the product is produced, without considering its ultimate use or function. 

  💡For example, if analysing a product like a T-shirt, the declared unit might be "1 unit of T-shirt" or "1 kg of T-shirt." This unit of measurement forms the basis for calculating and reporting the carbon emissions associated with the production of that product.

• Functional units

  Life cycle assessment (LCA) results, typically cradle-to-grave in scope, are provided in terms of functional units. A functional unit describes the function of a product rather than a physical quantity of the product with the intention of improving comparability between products with the same function across an entire lifecycle of a product.

  💡For example, for a car tyre, a LCA result might be presented in terms of the kms travelled by the tyre. As this unit describes the ultimate functional use of the product, this is known as a functional unit.

Units within the M2030 PCF Tool

When creating a PCF using M2030's PCF builder, you must define a declared unit that represents a specific quantity of your product at the point of sale. This declared unit forms the basis for all data inputs in the builder.

Once the declared unit is defined, all input data related to the product must be scaled to reflect the amount required to produce this unit.

For example, if the declared unit is 1 kg of a product, all inputs—such as raw materials, energy consumption, and transportation—should be calculated based on the quantities needed to produce 1 kg of that product.

How is the declared unit used?

Once the emissions are calculated for the declared unit, the results can be expressed in terms of emissions per unit of the declared unit.

For example, if the total emissions calculated for 5 kg of product are 100 kg CO₂e, the emission results can be expressed as:

100 kg CO₂e / 5 kg declared unit = 20 kg CO₂e per kg product.

This standardisation ensures that the carbon footprint can be easily understood and compared across different products or studies.

FAQs

• For now, M2030’s PCF builder is designed to align with the PACT Methodology which imposes specific allowable declared unit types. If your preferred declared unit isn't available in the tool, it is because the methodology limits the units to a defined set for consistency and comparability across products.

  While work is ongoing to expand the range of available declared units, for now, you will need to convert your product to one of the available declared units in the PCF builder. If you require assistance in choosing an appropriate declared unit, don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

If you have questions regarding the selection or use of Declared and Functional units, please contact the M2030 team who are on hand to support.