The Actor module of the Life Cycle Assessment Network Ontology (LCAnet).
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The Actor module of the Life Cycle Assessment Network Ontology (LCAnet).

This version:
https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor/2.2.0
Latest version:
https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#
Previous version:
2.1.0
Revision:
2.2.0
Issued on:
2026-05-20
Authors:
Fatima Danash
Publisher:
https://www.cea.fr
Download serialization:
JSON-LD RDF/XML N-Triples TTL
License:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Visualization:
Visualize with WebVowl
Cite as:
Danash, F., et al. (2026). LCAnet: A Modular Ontology Network for Life Cycle Assessment (Version 2.2.0).
Ontology Specification Draft

Abstract

LCAnet is a modular ontology network for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) designed to provide a unified semantic framework for representing LCA systems. It is composed of six interoperable modules covering key aspects of LCA modeling: the Core module, Activity module, Actor module, Property module, Spatiotemporal module, and Impact Assessment module. The Core module serves as the central backbone of the network by importing the other modules and establishing explicit semantic links across all components, enabling consistent representation and reasoning over LCA data.

Introduction back to ToC

LCAnet-Actor provides classes and properties that enable users to model agents involved in Life Cycle Assessment processes. It represents individuals, organizations, or systems responsible for performing or managing activities. The module supports the representation of responsibility and participation in LCA studies and is linked to other LCAnet modules through the Core ontology.

Namespace declarations

Table 1: Namespaces used in the document
actor<https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#>
dc<http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/>
dcterms<http://purl.org/dc/terms/>
foaf<http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/>
owl<http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#>
rdf<http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#>
rdfs<http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#>
swrl<http://www.w3.org/2003/11/swrl#>
swrlb<http://www.w3.org/2003/11/swrlb#>
vann<http://purl.org/vocab/vann/>
xml<http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace>
xsd<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#>

LCAnet-Actor: Overview back to ToC

This ontology has the following classes and properties.

Classes

Object Properties

Annotation Properties

SWRL Rules

LCAnet-Actor: Description back to ToC

The Actor module is part of the LCAnet ontology proposed by the SmartACV Carnot Project. It provides a formal representation of actors (e.g., persons, organizations, and groups) involved in LCA processes, as well as their roles and responsibilities. It resuses some elements from the FOAF (Friend Of A Freind) ontology.

Cross-reference for LCAnet-Actor classes, object properties and data properties back to ToC

This section provides details for each class and property defined by LCAnet-Actor.

Classes

Agencyc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Agency

An actor capable of intentional action and decision-making.
has super-classes
Organization c

Agentc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/Agent

is equivalent to
Agent c

Agentc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Agent

is equivalent to
Agent c

Agentc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Agent

An entity that performs, participates in, or influences activities.
has sub-classes
Group c, Organization c, Person c
is in domain of
bears Responsibility op, plays Role op
is in range of
is Borne By op, played By op
is disjoint with
Context c, Responsibility c, Role c

Auditorc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Auditor

Represents a type of role that an agent may assume when evaluating, reviewing, or verifying the conformity and quality of a life cycle assessment study or its results.
has super-classes
Role c

Consumerc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Consumer

epresents a type of role that an agent may assume when using or consuming a product or service during its life cycle.
has super-classes
Role c

Contextc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Context

A social, institutional, or processual situation that provides the setting in which a Role is played by an Agent and where its associated Responsibilities apply. Examples include projects, collaborations, assessments, or audits.
is in range of
in Context Of op
is disjoint with
Agent c, Responsibility c, Role c

Customerc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Customer

Represents a type of role that an agent may assume when acquiring or purchasing a product or service within its life cycle.
has super-classes
Role c

Groupc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Group

is equivalent to
Group c

Groupc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Group

A collection of agents acting together as a social unit.
has super-classes
Agent c
is disjoint with
Person c

Manufacturerc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Manufacturer

Represents a type of role that an agent may assume when performing production or assembly activities within a life cycle system.
has super-classes
Role c

Organizationc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Organization

is equivalent to
Organization c

Organizationc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Organization

A structured collection of agents pursuing common objectives.
has super-classes
Agent c
has sub-classes
Agency c
is disjoint with
Person c

Personc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/Person

is equivalent to
Person c

Personc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Person

A human individual acting as an agent.
has super-classes
Agent c
is disjoint with
Group c, Organization c

Recyclerc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Recycler

Represents a type of role that an agent may assume when performing recovery, recycling, or treatment operations on products or materials at the end-of-life stage.
has super-classes
Role c

Researcherc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Researcher

Represents a type of role that an agent may assume when conducting analysis, modeling, or scientific studies related to life cycle assessment data, methods, or systems.
has super-classes
Role c

Responsibilityc back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Responsibility

A Responsibility is a relator (a kind of social relation) that connects: the Agent (bearer), the Role (through which it is borne), and the Action(s) or Goals to which it applies. It include duties, obligations, tasks, etc. Examples: certify LCA results, verify data quality, etc.
is in domain of
entailed By op, is Borne By op
is in range of
bears Responsibility op, entails op
is disjoint with
Agent c, Context c, Role c

Rolec back to ToC or Class ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#Role

Represents a functional role that an agent can assume in a specific context. Example: LCA Auditor, LCA Agency Role
has sub-classes
Auditor c, Consumer c, Customer c, Manufacturer c, Recycler c, Researcher c
is in domain of
entails op, in Context Of op, played By op
is in range of
entailed By op, plays Role op
is disjoint with
Agent c, Context c, Responsibility c

Object Properties

bears Responsibilityop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#bearsResponsibility

relates an agent to the responsibility they bear
has domain
Agent c
has range
Responsibility c
is inverse of
is Borne By op

entailed Byop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#entailedBy

relates a responsibility to the role it is entailed by
has domain
Responsibility c
has range
Role c
is inverse of
entails op

entailsop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#entails

relates a role to the responsibility it entails
has domain
Role c
has range
Responsibility c
is inverse of
entailed By op

in Context Ofop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#inContextOf

relates a Role to the Context (e.g., project or process) in which it is instantiated and meaningful.
has domain
Role c
has range
Context c

is Borne Byop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#isBorneBy

relates a responsibility to the agent it is borne by
has domain
Responsibility c
has range
Agent c
is inverse of
bears Responsibility op

played Byop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#playedBy

relates a role to the agent playing it
has domain
Role c
has range
Agent c
is inverse of
plays Role op

plays Roleop back to ToC or Object Property ToC

IRI: https://w3id.org/lcanet/actor#playsRole

relates an Agent to the Role they play
has domain
Agent c
has range
Role c
is inverse of
played By op

Annotation Properties

creatorap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/creator

dateap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/date

descriptionap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/description

issuedap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/issued

licenseap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/license

preferred Namespace Prefixap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/vocab/vann/preferredNamespacePrefix

preferred Namespace Uriap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/vocab/vann/preferredNamespaceUri

publisherap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/publisher

titleap back to ToC or Annotation Property ToC

IRI: http://purl.org/dc/terms/title

SWRL rules

Rule #1back to ToC or SWRL ToC

Agent c(?a) , plays Role op(?a,?r) , Role c(?r) , entails op(?r,?x) , Responsibility c(?x) -> bears Responsibility op(?a,?x)

Legend back to ToC

c: Classes
op: Object Properties

References back to ToC

Add your references here. It is recommended to have them as a list.
null

Acknowledgments back to ToC

The authors would like to thank Silvio Peroni for developing LODE, a Live OWL Documentation Environment, which is used for representing the Cross Referencing Section of this document and Daniel Garijo for developing Widoco, the program used to create the template used in this documentation.