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Using EcoSemantic

Once connected, you interact with EcoSemantic through natural language. Your AI assistant automatically selects the right tools—you don't need to know tool names or parameters.

Basic Queries

Searching for Activities

Find processes in the Ecoinvent database:

Search for electricity production from wind in Denmark

Find steel manufacturing activities in Germany

Look up plastic bottle production processes

Tips:

  • Be specific about location (country codes: DE, US, CN, GLO for global)
  • Specify database version if needed: "using Ecoinvent 3.11"
  • Use common terms—the AI will refine searches if needed

Calculating Impacts

Get environmental footprints:

Calculate the carbon footprint of 1000 kWh of coal electricity

What's the water footprint of producing 1 kg of cotton fabric?

Calculate climate impact for 100 kg of cement production in the EU

Tips:

  • Specify quantity and units clearly
  • Mention impact category if you have a preference (carbon, water, etc.)
  • The AI will select appropriate impact methods automatically

Comparing Options

Analyze alternatives:

Compare the environmental impact of paper vs plastic shopping bags

Which has a lower carbon footprint: aluminum or steel cans?

Compare solar, wind, and natural gas electricity in terms of CO2

Example Workflows

Quick Carbon Footprint

You: "What's the carbon footprint of a kilogram of beef?"

AI uses: search_activities → calculate_standard → presents result

Result: ~25-30 kg CO₂-eq per kg beef (varies by production system)

Material Comparison

You: "Compare environmental impacts of concrete vs timber for construction"

AI uses: Multiple searches and calculations, then summarizes in a table

Supply Chain Analysis

You: "What are the main contributors to smartphone manufacturing emissions?"

AI uses: search_activities to find smartphone assembly, then explores upstream inputs

Tips for Better Results

Be Specific

Less Effective More Effective
"Find electricity" "Find solar electricity production in Germany"
"Calculate impact" "Calculate carbon footprint for 100 kWh"
"Compare materials" "Compare steel vs aluminum for car body panels"

Specify Context

  • Location: "...in the United States" or "...using German grid mix"
  • Database: "...using Ecoinvent 3.11" (latest has most data)
  • Method: "...using IPCC 2021" (for specific impact methods)

Ask Follow-ups

"Show me only activities from renewable sources"
"What's the breakdown by life cycle stage?"
"Can you explain where those emissions come from?"

Chain Requests

For complex analyses, break into steps:

  1. "Search for battery production activities"
  2. "Calculate impacts for the lithium-ion option"
  3. "What are the main hotspots in the supply chain?"

Available Databases

Database Version Best For
ecoinvent-3.12-cutoff 2024 Latest data (Professional tier)
ecoinvent-3.11-cutoff 2024 Most current (all paid tiers)
ecoinvent-3.10.1-cutoff 2023 Recent stable
ecoinvent-3.9.1-cutoff 2022 Widely cited in research
ecoinvent-3.8-cutoff 2021 Legacy projects
ecoinvent-3.7.1-cutoff 2020 Historical analysis
ecoinvent-3.6-cutoff 2019 Free tier only

Database Selection

Unless you need a specific version for reproducibility, use the latest available for your tier.

Understanding Results

Impact Units

Category Common Unit Meaning
Climate change kg CO₂-eq Global warming potential
Water use m³ Water consumption
Acidification kg SO₂-eq Acid rain potential
Eutrophication kg P-eq Water nutrient pollution
Human toxicity CTUh Comparative toxic units

Interpreting Numbers

  • Per functional unit: Results are per unit (kg, kWh, km, etc.)
  • Cradle-to-gate: Usually includes extraction through production
  • Uncertainty: LCA results are estimates, not exact measurements

Common Issues

"No results found"

  • Try broader search terms
  • Check spelling of technical terms
  • Let the AI suggest alternatives

"Calculation failed"

  • The AI will usually retry with correct parameters
  • Different database versions use different impact methods
  • Ask to try a different method if one fails

"Results seem wrong"

  • Verify the functional unit (per kg? per kWh?)
  • Check if it's the right activity (production vs. disposal?)
  • Ask the AI to explain the result

Next Steps