LCA tools around the world

When choosing materials and designing buildings to achieve sustainability, the decisions are seldom as clear-cut as they would like. To simplify life cycle assessment (LCA) and make it easier to understand, experts around the world have developed LCA tools to fit into the green building toolkit. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Building Design & Construction 2005-11, Vol.46 (11), p.S12
Main Authors: Trusty, Wayne, Horst, Scot
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Building construction
Environmental impact
Floor coverings
Materials selection
Product life cycle
Simulation
Software
Sustainability
Sustainable materials
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:When choosing materials and designing buildings to achieve sustainability, the decisions are seldom as clear-cut as they would like. To simplify life cycle assessment (LCA) and make it easier to understand, experts around the world have developed LCA tools to fit into the green building toolkit. The Athena Institute's simple tool classification system suggests three main level of tools, describing the spectrum from individual product assessments through to whole building assessment and rating systems. The Athena Environmental Impact Estimator software was developed by the nonprofit Athena Institute to make it possible for architects, engineers, and researchers to assess the environmental implications of industrial, institutional, office, and residential building designs at an early stage in the project delivery process. The building life is selected by the user and can be varied to assess relative service life effects. It is important to establish some clear and important distinctions when delving into the green building toolkit.
ISSN:0007-3407