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Paper_Clip_Tutorial Part1.pdf - GaBi Software

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7. You can close this model.<br />

Procedure<br />

The flows that enter the product system coming from the natural system (our environment,<br />

e.g. resources as hard coal) or that leave the system (e.g. CO2 emissions) are called<br />

elementary flows. If you create a list of all the input/output elementary flows associated<br />

with the system you would have created the LCI.<br />

06.02 Flows<br />

Perhaps the most important information of <strong>GaBi</strong> is the flow information. Flows are<br />

characterized by mass, energy and costs with their respective values. For example, <strong>GaBi</strong><br />

contains flow information for different raw materials, plastics, metals, emissions to air and<br />

water and many, many more.<br />

It is important to understand that flows contain information that tells <strong>GaBi</strong> to what extent<br />

one unit of this flow contributes to different environmental impact categories: these are<br />

called classification and characterisation factors. Let´s look at an example.<br />

8. In the object hierarchy, click on the arrow next to ‘Flows’ and expand the flow<br />

group.<br />

You will notice that flows are grouped in folders according to whether or not they are<br />

resources, emissions or other types of flows.<br />

9. Click to expand the ‘Resources’ flow category and again to expand ‘Energy<br />

resources’ and ‘Non renewable energy resources.’<br />

10. Now click on the ‘Natural gas’ folder.<br />

You can now see all the natural gas flows available in your database. There are several<br />

country specific flows for natural gas since the gas mixture and its properties vary from<br />

region to region.<br />

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