MIPS Online

Material extractions and emissions are changing natural material flows and biological cycles in ecosystems. Once stable cycles - are unhinged. Sooner or later every material-input becomes an output (waste, emissions). Measuring the inputs therefore enables a rough approximation of the overall environmental burden.

The abbreviation MIPS stands for Material Input per Service Unit. MIPS is an elementary measure to estimate the environmental impacts caused by a product or service. The whole life-cycle from cradle to cradle (extraction, production, use, waste/recycling) is considered. MIPS can be applied in all cases, where the environmental implications of products, processes and services need to be assessed and compared.

A practical application of the MIPS Concept is called material intensity analysis. Material intensity analyses are conducted on the micro-level (focussing specific products and services), as well as on the macro-level (focussing national economies). Exemplary studies for both levels can be found on this site.

Downloads

MIPS Calculation Sheet

Support for data documentation more

Material Intensity Factors

Overview on materials and energy sources more

Publications

Introduction to Resource-Efficiency in Russian

MIPS concept in Russian more

Calculating MIPS

Resource Productivity of Products and Services more

MIPS berechnen

Ressourcenproduktivität von Produkten und Dienstleistungen more