Life Cycle Assessment
is widely accepted as the best basis
for comparing the environmental
impact of alternative materials,
components and services. In the
case of buildings, material manufacturing
is the most important
contributor of emissions to water
and land, including toxic releases.
A recent US study found that
construction is the sector producing
the most CO2 emissions through
the manufacture, transport and use
of materials. A Canadian study
indicates that the embodied energy
in office buildings can be equivalent
to more than 20 years of operating
energy use, and that material
selection or other design decisions
can significantly reduce embodied
energy. LCA is the route to
document, understand and reduce
such critical environmental effects.
Impact Estimator training offered with EarthShift
We are pleased to announce an online course being offered monthly in conjunction with EarthShift. The three-hour course, entitled "LCA for the Building Industry" will provide an introduction to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), its application to the building industry, and how to use three tools:
- SimaPro;
- the ATHENA® EcoCalculator for Assemblies; and
- the ATHENA® Impact Estimator for Buildings.
For dates and fees please visit the EarthShift website by clicking here
.
