SimaPro BV

SimaPro BV
Name	SimaPro BV
Type	Private
Founded	1990
Founder	PRé Sustainability
Headquarters	Amersfoort, Netherlands
Industry	Life cycle assessment software
Products	SimaPro

SimaPro BV is a company known for developing the SimaPro life cycle assessment software used in industrial ecology, sustainability assessment, and environmental management. The firm serves clients across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, chemicals, and construction and interacts with institutions including universities, consultancies, and international agencies. SimaPro BV's work connects to methodologies and initiatives like life cycle assessment, environmental product declarations, and circular economy frameworks.

Overview

SimaPro BV produces a software platform for life cycle assessment that supports practitioners working with standards such as ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and protocols promoted by organizations like European Commission institutions and the United Nations Environment Programme. The company engages with stakeholders including consultancies like ERM (company), academic centers such as TU Delft, research networks like SETAC, certification bodies including UL (company), and multinational firms including Unilever, Nestlé, and Siemens. SimaPro BV competes and interoperates with vendors such as OpenLCA, GaBi, and consulting practices at firms like PwC, KPMG, and McKinsey & Company.

History and Development

SimaPro BV originated from research and consulting activity in the Netherlands during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with founders linked to institutions such as PRé Sustainability and collaborations with academic groups at Leiden University and Eindhoven University of Technology. Over time the company expanded its dataset partnerships, integrating inventories from providers like Ecoinvent, US LCI Database, and regional datasets maintained by agencies such as JRC (European Commission). SimaPro BV's timeline includes product releases and methodological updates influenced by international events and policy developments including the Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, and European directives on product environmental footprints.

Products and Software

The flagship product, SimaPro, is an LCA modeling environment that incorporates life cycle inventory databases, impact assessment methods, and reporting capabilities used for environmental product declarations, comparative assertions, and eco-design. SimaPro supports impact assessment methods such as ReCiPe, TRACI, CML (Institute) methods, and newer approaches promoted by ILCD Handbook guidance and Product Environmental Footprint pilots. The software's features appeal to practitioners working on carbon accounting for organizations like IKEA, footprinting projects for Apple Inc., and supply-chain studies for Boeing and Toyota.

Business Model and Licensing

SimaPro BV operates a commercial licensing model offering academic licenses to universities such as KU Leuven and University of Cambridge, corporate licenses for firms like BP and Shell plc, and consultancy licenses used by firms such as Accenture and Deloitte. The company offers maintenance, training, and support services delivered by partners including Bureau Veritas and specialist consultancies. Licensing tiers mirror practices seen in software vendors like ESRI and Autodesk, with enterprise agreements, site licenses, and subscription options aligned with procurement frameworks used by institutions like World Bank and European Investment Bank.

Applications and Use Cases

SimaPro BV's software is applied to product design projects for companies such as Philips (company), lifecycle studies in the automotive sector for Volkswagen Group, and material substitution analyses in construction for firms like Arup (company). It is used for academic research at institutions including Imperial College London and MIT, policy assessment for agencies such as European Commission Directorate-General for Environment, and sustainability reporting aligned with standards from Global Reporting Initiative and frameworks from Science Based Targets. Case studies include circularity assessments for IKEA, carbon footprint reduction strategies for Danone, and biodiversity footprinting linked to initiatives by WWF.

Integration and Compatibility

SimaPro integrates with databases and tools including Ecoinvent, US EPA inventories, ecoinvent Association releases, and complementary software such as Microsoft Excel, Python (programming language) workflows, MATLAB, and life cycle cost analysis tools used in engineering firms like Arup (company). Compatibility extends to exchange formats and standards like ILCD format, SPINE (software) exchanges, and APIs used by platforms such as Sustainability Consortium. The product interoperates with building assessment tools like BREEAM and LEED (certification), and links to supply-chain systems employed by multinational retailers including Walmart.

Research, Standards, and Validation

SimaPro BV participates in research collaborations with universities including ETH Zurich, University of California, Berkeley, and Chalmers University of Technology and contributes to standardization efforts with bodies such as ISO, JRC (European Commission), and SETAC. The company’s methodologies are validated against academic studies published in journals including Journal of Cleaner Production, Environmental Science & Technology, and Resources, Conservation and Recycling. SimaPro BV’s role in method development has intersected with projects funded by entities like the European Commission, Horizon 2020, and research councils including NWO.

Category:Life cycle assessment