The current release is ATHENA^® Impact Estimator for Buildings 4.0.66
(Version 4.0 Build 66)

Now Shipping Version 4 !

Click here to see the press release.

In North America, the ATHENA® Impact Estimator for buildings is the only software tool that evaluates whole buildings and assemblies based on internationally recognized life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology.

Using the Estimator, architects, engineers and others can easily assess and compare the environmental implications of industrial, institutional, commercial and residential designs–both for new buildings and major renovations. Where relevant, the software also distinguishes between owner–occupied and rental facilities.

The Estimator puts the environment on equal footing with other more traditional design criteria at the conceptual stage of a project. It incorporates ATHENA’s own widely–acclaimed databases, which cover more than 90% of the structural and envelope systems typically used in residential and commercial buildings. It also simulates over 1,200 different assembly combinations and is capable of modeling 95% of the building stock in North America.

The Estimator takes into account the environmental impacts of:

Although the Estimator doesn’t include an operating energy simulation capability, it does allow users to enter the results of a simulation in order to compute the fuel cycle burdens and factor them into the overall results.

Complex Results in a User-friendly Format

Although LCA is a complex process, the Estimator has been designed for ease of use.

The first step is to enter required information such as geographic location (the system allows users to select from specific Canadian and US regions as well as a US national average), building life and occupancy type, and, if desired, optional information such as annual operating energy values.

Pre-set dialogue boxes (see lists and diagram below) prompt users to describe the different assemblies–by requesting the width, span and live load of a floor assembly, for example–that together form a conceptual building design. The Estimator then instantly provides cradle–to–grave implications in terms of:

Summary Measures: Embodied primary energy use (Energy Consumption) Acidification Potential Global Warming Potential Human Health Respiratory Effects Potential Ozone Depletion Potential Smog Potential Aquatic Eutrophication Potential Weighted Resource Use

Absolute values: Energy Air Emissions Water Emissions Land Emissions Resource Use

Simplified Tracking As design data is entered for each assembly, the software builds a “tree” (see diagram below) so that each individual assembly can be identified and viewed easily. The tree can also display, in value or percentage terms, the impact of each assembly in terms of a selected measure such as global warming potential. This allows users to track affects of each assembly as it’s added, or to quickly pinpoint which one is causing a particular environmental effect. Tree Screen

Detailed LCA Results Results from an individual design can be seen in summary tables and graphs by assembly group and life cycle stage. Detailed tables and graphs show individual energy use by type or form of energy and emissions by individual substance for both the assembly group and life cycle stage breakouts (see diagram below). Detailed Results Graph

Make Flexible Comparison of Alternate Building Designs Accommodating up to five comparisons at once, the Estimator allows users to change the design, substitute materials, and make side–by–side comparisons for any one or all of the environmental impact indicators (see diagram below). Or compare the new building design to one you did last year. You can also compare similar projects with different floor areas on a unit floor area basis. The Estimator can handle as many as five comparisons at a time. Comparison Graphs

Highlights of Version 4

The Impact Estimator’s greatly increased functionality and flexibility allows design teams to:

 

Other important features of Version 4:

• More impact measures. The Impact Estimator generates both a detailed life cycle inventory for an entered design and a set of summary impact indicator reports in either graphical or tabular form. The software supports the following characterization measures based on mid-point impact estimation methods developed by the US EPA and reported in their Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI, 2007 version):
  • primary energy
  • acidification potential
  • eutrophication potential
  • global warming potential
  • human health respiratory effects potential
  • ozone depletion potential
  • weighted raw resource use**
  • photochemical smog potential
  
  
• Enhanced graphics. The new Impact Estimator will feel familiar to current users, but its colour scheme, graphics, input boxes, text styles, and graphing have been enhanced. We have also added a new toolbar that provides users with a short list of commands to further improve functionality.
• Updated LCI data. A number of the underlying LCI profiles for common fuels, electricity and transportation energy have been updated using the more detailed USLCI Database Project data.
• New flexible layering feature. In preparation for future exporting of envelope data to energy simulation tools, a new feature has been added that allows for flexible layering of envelope components to meet the needs of energy simulation tools that may have different results depending on the specific envelope component layering order.

System Requirements

The ATHENA® Impact Estimator for buildings is a Visual C++ application. It is PC-compatible but can also be run on a Macintosh system with appropriate Windows™ compatibility.

The ATHENA^® Impact Estimator for buildings Version 4 is a C# (C-Sharp) software application and has been tested on a PC system. For more detailed hardware requirements, click here.

Known Issues

For a discussion of known issues, please click here.

More Information?

To see how user–friendly the software really is, click here to learn how to download a copy of the free trial version of the Impact Estimator.

The Inner Workings of the Impact Estimator for buildings
The Athena Institute has prepared this report in an effort to provide an indication of the inner workings of the Impact Estimator, i.e., what the software does and how it does it. The report illustrates the relationships between building materials, components and assemblies, how they were arrived at and how they are called upon in the software. It also outlines the various life cycle stages the software supports and the methods used to derive a complete building environmental life cycle inventory and impact assessment profile. The software’s embedded databases are also explained, highlighting their use within the tool. To view or download the report, click here .

Companion LCI Database Reports
As part of the release of Version 4 of the Impact Estimator, we have decided to make the background reports whose data populates the software freely available. This decision reflects our desire for increased transparency; please also see the Inner Workings document mentioned above. These 19 reports were previously available on our LCI Database Reports CD, which was available for purchase as a companion CD to the Impact Estimator. The reports provide examples of how the Athena Institute develops its datasets. To see a list of reports which can be viewed or downloaded click here.

How to order

Click here to learn how to order the complete version of the Impact Estimator.

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*The Athena Institute would like to acknowledge the support of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in the development of LCI data for the New York City region.

**The weights reflect a valuation of ecological carrying capacity effects.

Note:
The Estimator is not an engineering design tool. It’s a tool that allows users to express a design in simple terms in order to assess the environmental implications of their choices.

Software sold subject to a license agreement.