A Rule-Based Green Product Configurator: Real-Time LCA/EPD Computation for Variant Manufacturing

Manufacturers increasingly face pressure to provide transparent, standards-compliant sustainability information for highly configurable products. Yet existing product configuration systems rarely integrate life-cycle data, making it infeasible to calculate environmental impacts for thousands of possible variants. This paper develops and demonstrates a causality-driven framework that embeds ISO 14040/44–aligned LCA and EN 15804–compliant EPD calculations directly within a modular product configurator. Building on a multi-layer product–production architecture, the approach links each configurable attribute—materials, processes, and usage parameters—to corresponding life-cycle impact factors. A mathematical model decomposes total impact into five stages (A1–A3, A4, B, C, D) and computes results dynamically through a rule engine triggered by user selections. Using a real-world industrial circulation pump with hundreds of components and manufacturing processes, we test the framework’s ability to generate real-time LCA indicators and full EPD outputs. Results show that use-phase electricity consumption dominates overall impacts, while material substitutions (e.g., cast iron vs. stainless steel) affect production-stage emissions only marginally. The study demonstrates that integrating LCA/EPD models into configurators enables instant sustainability feedback, supporting greener product choices and more efficient planning. The paper concludes with implications for data governance, organizational adoption, and future integration with digital manufacturing technologies.