The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute is a membership-based non-profit research collaborative bringing life cycle assessment (LCA) to the construction sector.

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We work with leading edge construction sector practitioners, product manufacturers and policy makers in partnership towards the next generation of green buildings.

Athena’s reputation as a credible, objective organization is built on its science-based work and a commitment to transparency. We provide clear and robust information and tools to support sustainability objectives and verifiable results.

The construction sector and its product suppliers are increasingly adopting life cycle assessment (LCA)—the Athena Institute was formed to help them get there. Athena does so largely through work for the common good, such as the continued development of its free LCA software tools for the construction sector. These tools, and the environmental footprint data behind them, require constant maintenance and updates. Financial support from members facilitates an unmatched depth and breadth of  information that couldn’t otherwise be achieved. Membership also supports education, advocacy and expertise as North American codes and standards evolve towards LCA.

With a highly specialized team of experts, the Athena Institute is frequently contracted for custom research projects that require a particularly deep level of knowledge and experience in construction sector LCA. Whenever possible, results of these research projects are linked back to the core goal of delivering LCA tools to the construction sector as a whole.