What is primary data?
In LCA, primary data is data you collect directly from your own operations or your supply chain. It reflects the actual conditions of your specific products and processes, rather than industry averages.
Examples of primary data in Root:
The exact weight and material composition in your Bill of Materials (BOM)
Actual electricity, heat and water consumption figures from your facility utility bills
Real transport distances and modes from your logistics records
Supplier-specific data from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Primary data is always preferred in LCA because it produces results that are accurate, specific, and defensible to auditors and regulators.
What is secondary data?
Secondary data is data sourced from databases, literature, or industry averages — used to fill gaps where primary data is unavailable. In Root, secondary data comes primarily from the ecoinvent database, which provides environmental impact values for thousands of materials, processes, and energy sources.
Examples of secondary data in Root:
An ecoinvent dataset used as an impact reference for a material you haven't received supplier data for
A generic electricity emission factor for a country or region
An average transport emission factor for a given vehicle type
Secondary data is entirely valid and widely used in LCA — but it introduces uncertainty because it may not perfectly reflect your specific suppliers or processes.
Why the distinction matters
| Primary data | Secondary data |
Source | Your own operations or suppliers | Databases (e.g. ecoinvent, articles, EPDs) |
Accuracy | High — specific to your context | Medium — industry average |
Effort to collect | Higher | Medium — requires research |
Preferred for reporting | Yes | When primary is unavailable |
Affects data quality score | Positively | Neutral / slightly negative |
For regulatory reporting (e.g. CSRD) and supplier engagement programmes, increasing the share of primary data in your Root account improves both the accuracy of your footprint and your credibility with stakeholders.
How to increase primary data in Root
Upload detailed BOMs — the more precise your material weights and compositions, the less Root needs to rely on generic estimates
Upload utility data for all facilities — actual electricity, heat and water consumption per facility replaces modelled averages
Use EPD data for key materials — if your suppliers have published EPDs, add them as impact references in the Materials chapter
Provide actual transport details — specific routes and modes are more accurate than distance-based estimates
FAQ
What happens if I don't have primary data for a material?
Primary data in this context refers to the quantities you provide — the material weights and amounts in your Bill of Materials. If you don't have exact figures, you may need to use estimates or exclude that material from your BOM entirely, which introduces uncertainty into your results.
Separately, Root will suggest an impact reference (an ecoinvent dataset) to match each material in your BOM — but this suggestion always requires your confirmation before it is applied. The impact reference itself is secondary data regardless; what makes your footprint more or less primary is the accuracy of the quantities you supply. You can improve this at any time by updating your BOM with more precise material weights.
Is secondary data acceptable for CSRD reporting?
Yes. CSRD and most LCA standards accept secondary data, particularly for Scope 3 categories where primary data collection is impractical. However, regulators and auditors expect companies to progressively increase their use of primary data over time, especially for the highest-impact materials and suppliers.