Welcome to GaBi 4.4

7/27/2019 Welcome to GaBi 4.4

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pg /1www.gabi-software.com

Welcome to GaBi 4.4!


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Congratulations for successfully updating to the newest version of GaBi

GaBi 4.4!

Wed like to introduce you to the newest features of GaBi 4.4 as well as update you

about some of the things that we have changed.

Weve been very busy over the last months putting together a whole lot of changes

in the software in response to changes within the LCA industry. Weve alsoresponded to your requests for new functionality. Of course, we also extendeddatabase content and the way database information can be used, f ixed bugs andworked on the performance of the software.

Lets take a quick look at the themes.

Perhaps the most obvious changes are related to the implementation of the ILCDFormat in GaBi 4.4. Most of these changes relate to the way you document yourmodelling within the software but weve also added new datasets.

Weve added Life Cycle Working Environment and Land Use information to thedatabase and split the existing carbon dioxide flows into CO2 from fossil resourcesand CO2 from renewable resources.

With increased pressure in the form of governmental regulations, EnvironmentalProduct Declarations or EPDshave become much more important and weve added

some features to GaBi 4.4 that will assist you to adhere to regulations and complywith certification systems.

Youll also notice that GaBi 4.4 looks a little different with additional fields here and

there. Ill explain these changes as well as a bunch of other updates in the other

changes section.

As with all GaBi updates this update includes a number ofdatabase improvementsincluding the addition of over 350 new datasets.

Finally, if you are an i-report user, we made a couple of small changes that shouldimprove the way you edit your i-reports.

Well start by taking a look at the implementation of the ILCD format in GaBi 4.4.

Your GaBi Team


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ILCD System Implementation

The International reference Life Cycle Data System, or ILCD, is a system designed

to increase the awareness and use of life cycle thinking and life cycle assessment

through scientific robustness, quality assurance and consensus building. The

system was developed by the European Unions Joint Research Centre in Ispra in

a consultation process that took into consideration the knowledge and

experience of the European Unions member countries, representatives from

global and regional industry associations and individuals and experts from

various database projects and academic institutions. In addition, an advisory

group of LCA software and database developers and an advisory group of LCIA

method developers were consulted.

Lets take a look at the DB manager. Youve probably noticed already that thecontent area looks a little different from 4.3. Weve modified the way objects

are displayed in the content area so that you can see more information as

documented according to the ILCD systems naming nomenclature. This new

format is now the standard display format in the DB Manager, project window,

search window and GPR export window. The advantage is that you can see the

differences between similar objects much more easily. Of course, if you decide

that you prefer the old way of viewing objects you can turn off this function by

selecting View and deselecting Details.

One aspect of the ILCD system has been the development of a standard method

for documenting process level meta data for your LCA project. In GaBi, process

documentation used to be stored in external files. Not anymore. When you work

in GaBi now, youll notice that when you click on the Documentation tab, things

look a little different.


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While were here, its worth pointing out that the Ecospold tab has been

removed. More about this later.

The Documentation tab allows you to record extensive information regarding

datasets including general information about the processes quantitative andtechnical representativeness, which LCI method principle and allocation were

used and data sources. You can also record validation information and

administration information including the dataset generator, dataset ownership

and publication information.

Most of the fields allow you to enter text. Just click in a box and start typing.

In a number of the fields youll notice a little pair of binoculars. Experienced GaBi

users will know that this activates the search function. Clicking on the binoculars

opens the search window where and you can search for the required object. For

example, under the Process Information section, in the Technological

representativeness field, you can click on the binoculars to search for processes

included in this dataset and document the link between them.


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You can also insert images into the documentation. For example, you can add a

pictogramme of the modelled technology by clicking on the image icon next to

pictogramme of Technology and locating the relevant file.

For a number of the fields, weve also implemented menus that allow you toselect the appropriate entry. For example in the LCI method approaches section

you can select which allocation method was used.


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With respect to validating your datasets you need to include a complete review

report. Youll notice in the Scope of Review section you can indicate which

review methods were used to review a series of important aspects of the

dataset. For example, the reviewer can indicate that a mass balance and energy

balance was conducted. The reviewer can also enter a response for variousquality indicators.

The reviewers name and institution can be entered by clicking on the binocularsand searching for the appropriate contact. In the Complete Review Reportsection, clicking on the book opens a new citation window where you can addthe necessary information for the citation and contact person. Alternatively youcan click on the binoculars to activate the search function to locate the relevantcitation.

By clicking on the Add Review button you can also add more reviews to your

documentation.


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For those who prefer the old way of adding documentation through external

files, youll be happy to know that this is still possible.

We realised that adding all of this documentation can be a long and tiring

process. So, we included the Adopt Info button. Clicking on the Adopt Infobutton activates the search function allowing you to search for a process whose

documentation completely or partially matches the current process. By selecting

and accepting a process, its documentation will be copied into the current

process where you can further modify and complete it.


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If we take a look back at the DB manager, youll notice that there are two new

menu items: Contacts and Reference, Citation.

The Contacts folder allows you to enter contact information in much the same

way that you enter other information in GaBi. With the Contact item selected,

you can right click in the content area and select New to enter a new Contact in

your database. In the new contact window you can enter the relevantinformation for the contact person and link this person to another organisation.

You can do this by clicking on the binoculars and searching for the organisation

to which this person belongs. Alternatively, if this organisation does not yet exist

in the database, you can click on the Contacts icon and enter another new

contact.


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The Reference, Citation folder stores all your literature references. In the same

way that you create other objects in GaBi, select this folder and right click in the

content area. Selecting New will open a new window where you can enter

citation information including the citation name, reference, publication type and

general comments. You can also indicate who this citation belongs to. Forexample if the citation belongs to PE INTERNATIONAL you can click on the

binoculars and search for PE INTERNATIONAL. Alternatively, you can enter a new

contact person directly by clicking on the contact icon.

To improve access to LCA data a number of leading tool developers agreed to

provide an import/export interface that allows ILCD format files to be imported

to and exported from the most widely used tools. GaBi 4.4 allows you to export

your database in ILCD format simply by clicking on Database, Export and

selecting ILCD. Please keep in mind, the ILCD export function only works for

processes. You cannot export plans in the ILCD format. Despite our best efforts,

due to methodological limitations, it is unfortunately not possible to import

ELCD databases (in ILD format) into GaBi. In order to be able to import ILCD

data we need to understand the way the flows should interact with other GaBi

datasets. At this stage, the ELCD flow list, containing impact assessment

characterisation factors have not yet been released meaning that we cannot

make the relevant calculations during the import.

We are, however, happy to announce that the entire

ELCD database is included in the GaBi 4.4 update so

you shouldnt need to do any importing anyway.


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Life Cycle Working Environment - LCWE

One of the big issues within the LCA field at the moment is how to integrate

social aspects in LCA. The Life Cycle Engineering Department at the University of

Stuttgart has been working on this issue extensively with the result that GaBi 4.4

includes the first database information that allows you to do exactly this. Weve

implemented the Life Cycle Working Environment method (or LCWE) into the

4.4 database. This method allows quantitative tracking of social aspects

throughout a products life cycle on the basis of seconds of labour per value

added.

In the process window you are now able to enter information regarding the

social aspects of the process. Clicking on the LCWE tab reveals a number of input

areas. The Qualified Working Time section allows you to enter the amount ofworking time for internal and external activities. Internal activities represent all

activities occurring within the established system boundary. External activities

include all activities outside the established system boundary. Youll notice that

the flows are divided into various GQLs. GQL stands for general qualification

level and refers to the skill level of the person undertaking the work. You can see

that it is possible to enter the amount of time according to various units such as

the seconds worked, hours, person days or person years.

Under the Health and Safety section you can enter the number of lethal

accidents and serious non-lethal accidents that occurred internally andexternally. You can also enter the amount of time classified as having unhealthy

labour conditions.


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In the Humanity of Working Conditions section, various humanitarian aspects of

the working environment can be recorded. For example you can specify how

much time is spent using childrens labour and forced labour.

When we take a look at the balance view you can see that there is nowinformation contained in the LCWE tab. This information allows you to analyse

an additional aspect of your product system and can be used to generate charts

in the same way as other balance information.


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Land Use

In addition to Life Cycle Working Environment, another major theme in LCA is

how to take into account the impacts of land use. Weve been working together

with the Life Cycle Engineering Department at the University of Stuttgart to

integrate site-specific impact flows for land use processes. In short, the Life

Cycle Engineering department has developed a too l called LANCA that calculates

site-specific characterisation factors and impacts. Weve integrated these results

into some of the aggregated processes within the GaBi 4.4 update. We are also

happy to report that this approach is generally compatible with the framework

set up by the UNEP-SETAC taskforce Operational Characterization factors for

land use impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the life-cycle impact

assessment.

When defining new processes you now have the possibility of entering a number

of new land use indicator value flows including erosion resistance and ground

water replenishment. You can enter these as inputs in your process.

The other place you will notice these new flows is in the quantities drop down

menu in the balance view. You can now choose to view the results for each of

the new land use indicator values.


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If you select the quantity view in the balance window youll notice a new row on

the input side called Land use quantities where you can view all of the different

land use indicator value results.

If youd like to learn more about calculating land use impacts there is anexcellent free publication which you can access by clicking on this link:

http://www.gabi-software.com/support/gabi-44/report-land-use/
http://www.gabi-software.com/support/gabi-44/report-land-use/http://www.gabi-software.com/support/gabi-44/report-land-use/


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Carbon Dioxide Flows

There has long been discussion regarding whether or not the carbon dioxide

flows within an LCA model should be split into two flows; CO2 from fossil

resources and CO2 from biotic or renewable resources. Weve come to the

conclusion that they should. In fact, by modelling the CO2 flows in this way, we

believe that you will be able to model CO2 according to the most relevant and

well-known CO2 modelling techniques such as PAS 2050 and the GHG Protocol.

It is important to point out that we have not split the CO2 flows to force you to

model them in a particular way or according to a particular method (we do not

give preferential treatment to one particular approach). On the contrary, this

change allows you to remain flexible in the way that you calculate and analyse

your results.

In GaBi there are now four CO2 flows; a carbon dioxide resource flow, a carbon

dioxide product flow, carbon dioxide as an emission to air and carbon dioxide

(biotic) as an emission to air. This level of differentiation between different

types of carbon dioxide is particularly useful when your assessment includes the

utilisation of renewable resources, where you would like to better understand

how much carbon dioxide is embedded in a product and the contribution of

natural CO2 emissions and fossil CO2 emissions.

When you look at your balance youll see that on the input side there is typically

only one CO2 flow. This makes sense since all carbon dioxide comes from theatmosphere. On the output side, apart from the carbon dioxide as chemical

product flow, you can see two carbon dioxide emission flows: carbon dioxide

emissions from fossil resources and carbon dioxide emissions from biotic or

renewable resources. One of the most important aspects to understand is that

the difference between the carbon dioxide input and the carbon dioxide (biotic)

flow represents the carbon dioxide embedded in the product. It was not easy to


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see this in the balance view in GaBi 4.3. It is also important to note that the fossil

carbon dioxide emission to air is in no way related to the carbon dioxide input

and typically gives a good indication how much CO2 arises from standard energy

generation.

If we look at the global warming potential view and aggregate the results, the

net carbon dioxide emission becomes clear.

These changes could be described in much more detail. For now, it suffices to

say that they should improve your ability to analyse the roles of carbon dioxide

emissions from fossil resources and from renewable resources according to

various approaches.


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Environmental Product Declarations - EPDs

Over the last year we have received an increasing number of enquiries regarding

how to use GaBi to support the development of EPDs. Weve seen increasing

participation of our clients in various EPD schemes too. We thought it wouldmake sense to provide additional support to those needing to produce EPD

information and reports.

An EPD dataset contains the documentation plus the selected indicators

required by EPD databases like the German kobau.dat and the European

Sustainable Construction database ESUCO. When you go to the ILCD

Documentation tab youll notice in the top right corner a button called Highlight

EPD Fields. Clicking this button highlights the fields most commonly required for

documentation of an EPD dataset. You should be aware that in order to make

this useful for the largest number of users the Highlight EPD fields function does

not provide the complete set of documentation for a specific EPD system but

rather, a generalised set that should fit most requirements.

You can export your EPD dataset as an xml file by selecting the object in your

database, clicking Database, Export, EPD... The created file can then be opened

in a web browser using a stylesheet where you can print it out if required.

In the same way that the Highlight EPD fields button works, you can click on the

Highlight Ecospold Fields button to highlight the fields necessary for completingecospold format documentation. As with the EPDs, you can export the

documentation as an xml file. Locate the object in the database, click on

Database, Export and ecospold. This will export an ecospold format document

that can be viewed and printed from a web browser.


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i-report

In response to your feedback weve added a couple of new functions to the i-

report software. When you are creating an i-report you often insert tables. In

the past the method for defining the number of digits shown in the table wasquite limited. You can now select which number format you would like to use in

much the same way as in other software tools like Excel. So, right click on a table

and select Properties. In the properties window click on the Formatting tab.

Here you see a new drop down menu called Format Pattern where you can

choose from a list of predefined formats. You can also select the position of the

comma and how many digits should appear after the comma.

If we take a look at the variables tab you could previously enter the name of the

variable, select the type and define a plan or process and quantity to be

displayed. This was ok for most users, but in response to your requests you now

have the freedom here to select a scenario and define formulas. Heres how.


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You can see that there is a new Scenario/Formula column. This column allows

you to select which scenario should be referenced in this variable. Simply choose

one of the scenarios form the currently active scenario group.

Youll notice that in the type column you can now choose Formula. By selectingthe formula type you can enter a formula into the scenario/formula column in

exactly the same way that you would enter formulas in the parameters section.

Be aware that you can also reference other variables within this variables table.

This variable can then be added into your i-report by right clicking, selecting

Insert and selecting the variable that you would like to insert. Just like before,

you can also select Insert, New Variable. This opens the variable window where

you can now define a formula as well.

Conclusion

So thats about it. We hope these changes will help you get even more out of

your GaBi software. If you have questions about any of these changes or about

any of the GaBi products please get in touch with your GaBi Team

representative. If you are not sure who that is, please go to the GaBi website formore information.

http://www.pe-international.com/index.php?id=1533&L=0Viel Spa!
http://www.pe-international.com/index.php?id=1533&L=0http://www.pe-international.com/index.php?id=1533&L=0

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