What is a Life Cycle Assessment?
LCA is a tool that describes a product's or service's environmental impact during its life cycle.
The purpose of life cycle assessments, also known as LCA, is to guide lower carbon design alternatives.
Life cycle assessments measure impacts associated with all phases of a building's life cycle:
To measure embodied carbon emissions, we perform a life cycle assessment.
These emissions occur throughout the whole life cycle of a building, as illustrated in the images below:
Source: World Green Building Council
Drawing by Steven Biersteker “The Carbon Architect”
We can’t talk about life cycle assessments without a lesson on carbon:
In construction, we measure carbon in two ways: “embodied” and “operational.”
Together, they equal “whole life carbon.”
Let’s focus on the embodied.
Embodied carbon refers to all greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions emitted during the extraction, production, transportation, and assembly of buildings and then the disposal of the building.
Why should we care about embodied carbon?
Addressing embodied carbon is crucial because, unlike operational carbon, once embodied carbon is "locked in" during construction, it cannot be undone or reduced over the building's lifecycle.
✅ Sustainability: To be a responsible steward, which meets growing market and tenant demands.
✅ Regulation: To comply with and be proactive with evolving policies.
✅ Value: Lower embodied carbon boosts property value and attracts investment.
✅ ESG Reporting: To align with GRESB, TCFD, SBTi frameworks and others.
Life cycle assessments evaluate different strategies to help architects and developers make informed decisions with the goal of reducing a building’s embodied carbon.
Whether it's selecting materials for manufacturing, making policy regulations, or choosing between product alternatives, life cycle assessments provide data-driven insights.
Addressing embodied carbon is crucial because, unlike operational carbon, once embodied carbon is "locked in" during construction, it cannot be undone or reduced over the building's lifecycle.
Whether it's selecting materials for manufacturing, making policy regulations, or choosing between product alternatives, life cycle assessments provide data-driven insights.
Life Cycle Assessments for LEED Certification
For new construction, LEED’s LCA evaluates only the structure and enclosure materials of the building for six environmental impacts:
Global Warming Potential (greenhouse gases referring to the embodied carbon) measured in kg CO2e;
Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, in kg CFC-11e;
Acidification of land and water sources, in moles H+ or kg SO2e;
Eutrophication, in kg nitrogen eq or kg phosphate eq;
Formation of tropospheric ozone, in kg NOx, kg O3 eq, or kg ethene; and
Depletion of nonrenewable energy resources, in MJ using CML / depletion of fossil fuels in TRACI
If using the LEED v4 Building Design and Construction (BD+C) rating, LCAs earn 1 credit for Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction.
GAIA performs a life cycle assessment on all LEED projects.
Life Cycle Assessments for ESG Reporting
The GRESB Development framework awards points for life cycle assessments (DMA2.1) based on percentage of projects that have conducted LCAs.
And here are more reasons for the value of performing (or conducting) a life cycle assessment:
Reducing Costs: By identifying inefficient or wasteful stages in a product's life cycle, businesses can potentially reduce costs through optimization.
Resource Optimization: LCA can spotlight opportunities to conserve resources, reduce waste, and improve overall efficiency.
Competitive Advantage: Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can offer businesses a competitive edge, especially in markets where consumers prioritize eco-friendly products.
Regulatory Compliance and Reporting: As environmental regulations become stricter, many industries are now required to report their environmental impacts. LCA can aid in meeting these requirements.
Enhancing Brand Image and Reputation: Undertaking LCAs and acting upon their findings can boost a company's reputation as environmentally responsible.
Risk Management: Identifying potential environmental impacts can help companies anticipate and mitigate risks, especially those linked to resource scarcity, regulatory changes, or public perception.
Supporting Marketing Claims: Companies that want to make green or eco-friendly claims can back up such statements with data from LCAs.
Innovation Drive: The insights from an LCA can spur innovation, leading to the development of new, sustainability-driven materials, processes, or products.
Global Standards Alignment: LCA is a globally recognized methodology, allowing companies to align their processes with international standards, facilitating trade and global operations.
In essence, life cycle assessments are not just about understanding environmental impacts but also about integrating sustainability into core business strategies and decision-making processes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Projects in California?
CALGreen 2022 Code: Starting July 1, 2024, all large-scale commercial developments will require to conduct a life cycle assessment to reduce their embodied carbon. GAIA performs LCAs on all projects.
Email hello@gaiadevelopment.com to learn more or book a client workshop.
