SimaPro

SimaPro
Name	SimaPro
Developer	PRé Sustainability
First release	1990s
Latest release	2020s
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Genre	Life cycle assessment software
License	Proprietary

SimaPro is a life cycle assessment (LCA) software tool used for modeling, analyzing, and reporting environmental impacts of products, services, and systems. It supports practitioners in conducting cradle-to-grave inventories, impact assessments, and scenario analyses for supply chains, manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure projects. SimaPro is widely used by consultancies, manufacturers, research institutes, and policy organizations for sustainability assessments, eco-design, and reporting aligned with international standards.

Overview

SimaPro provides a graphical user interface and database management for constructing product system models, compiling life cycle inventories, and performing impact assessment computations. It integrates with established frameworks such as ISO 14040, ISO 14044, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, GHG Protocol, and supports methods developed by organizations like United Nations Environment Programme, European Commission, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, and World Resources Institute. The software interfaces with databases and methods maintained by entities including Ecoinvent, US EPA, JRC, World Bank, OECD, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory to provide region-specific factors and sectoral datasets. Users include academics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, and institutes such as Fraunhofer Society and TNO.

History and Development

Development began in the early 1990s by PRé Sustainability and collaborators from European research programs and industry consortia including European Commission projects and partnerships with Delft University of Technology, Wageningen University, and TNO. Over successive versions, SimaPro incorporated methodological advances from international collaborations with SETAC, IIASA, IPCC, and standards bodies like ISO. Key historical milestones involved integration of databases such as Ecoinvent, inclusion of impact assessment methods like ReCiPe, CML, and adaptations to regulatory drivers including REACH, RoHS, and EU ETS. Academic citations tie SimaPro to case studies at Harvard University, Yale University, University of Oxford, University of California, Berkeley, and Imperial College London.

Features and Modules

Core features include inventory modeling, allocation and system expansion routines, scenario analysis, Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis, and normalization and weighting options. Modules facilitate sector-specific modeling for construction firms like Skanska, Vinci, and Balfour Beatty; automotive companies such as Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford Motor Company; and electronics manufacturers including Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, and Sony Corporation. Energy system modeling links to IEA scenarios, IRENA data, and power-sector datasets from EIA and BP. Lifecycle impact methods available include ReCiPe, CML-IA, TRACI, ILCD, and Eco-indicator 99. Extensions and interoperability support tools like OpenLCA, GaBi, Brightway2, MATLAB, and Python for automation and scripting. Reporting outputs are tailored to standards referenced by CDP, Science Based Targets initiative, and Global Reporting Initiative.

Methodology and Data Sources

SimaPro uses life cycle inventory databases and characterization models from providers such as Ecoinvent, ELCD, Agri-footprint, US LCI Database, ecoinvent association, and customized corporate datasets. Methodological foundations draw on work by SETAC, UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, JRC, and academic research at TU Delft, Chalmers University of Technology, and Aalto University. Impact assessment incorporates global warming potentials from IPCC AR5, ozone depletion metrics from WMO, and toxicity indicators informed by toxicology research at WHO and OECD. Allocation rules, cut-off criteria, and temporal system boundaries reflect guidance from ISO 14044 and policy frameworks like European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan.

Applications and Industry Use

Practitioners apply SimaPro across sectors: construction lifecycle assessments for projects by Balfour Beatty and Skanska; automotive supply-chain studies for BMW and Renault; packaging optimization for companies such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble; and energy technology assessments for Siemens and Vestas. Public-sector applications include infrastructure planning for municipalities collaborating with World Bank and European Investment Bank, as well as product declarations like EPD programs. Research uses span universities including University of Michigan, Peking University, University of Tokyo, and National University of Singapore for studies on materials, recycling, bioenergy, and circular economy strategies promoted by Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Criticisms and Limitations

Critiques focus on data quality, regional representativeness, and methodological choices. Analysts cite concerns about reliance on secondary databases such as Ecoinvent and ELCD for localized decisions, and debates over impact methods like ReCiPe versus TRACI in cross-jurisdictional studies. Limitations include handling of temporal aspects emphasized by IPCC SR15 timelines, biodiversity metrics discussed in Convention on Biological Diversity forums, and social life cycle assessment complexities noted by ILO and UNIDO. Comparisons with tools like GaBi and OpenLCA highlight trade-offs in usability, transparency, and customization.

Licensing and Availability

SimaPro is distributed by PRé Sustainability under proprietary licensing models for academic, professional, and enterprise users. Licensing options mirror arrangements seen with commercial software vendors such as ESRI, Autodesk, and Dassault Systèmes, including network licenses for organizations and discounted academic subscriptions for institutions like MIT, Stanford, and ETH Zurich. Training and certification are offered through partnerships with consultants and training providers that work with UNEP, European Commission training programs, and professional organizations including SETAC.

Category:Life cycle assessment