Eco-efficiency assessment is a quantitative management tool which enables the study of life-cycle environmental impacts of a product system along with its product system value for a stakeholder.
Within eco-efficiency assessment, environmental impacts are evaluated using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as prescribed by other International Standards (ISO 14040, ISO 14044). Consequently, eco-efficiency assessment shares with LCA many important principles such as life cycle perspective, comprehensiveness, functional unit approach, iterative nature, transparency and priority of a scientific approach.
The value of the product system may be chosen to reflect, for example, its resource, production, delivery or use efficiency, or a combination of these. The value may be expressed in monetary terms or other value aspects.