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USGBC to Add Life Cycle Assessment to LEED

An LCA plan is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Meaghan O'Neill -- Interior Design, 2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

In order to incorporate building materials with a Life Cycle Assessment analysis into its LEED program, the U.S. Green Building Council launched an LCA team in early 2005 to research the environmental impact of various products throughout their life cycles.

Life Cycle Assessment is a scientific methodology that holistically evaluates building materials by analyzing how their raw materials are extracted or harvested, processed, manufactured, installed, used, and, ultimately, disposed of or recycled. In buildings, LCA can then be used to compare the environmental benefits or detriments of available materials options over the lifespan of the structure. "Until now, there hasn't been much work done incorporating LCA into U.S. building practice because of limited research," says Tom Hicks, vice president of the U.S. Green Building Council. "We are venturing into new territory." The LCA working group is part of the "LCA into LEED" project, which was commissioned as an advisory group by the LEED Steering Committee. More than 60 volunteers--from LCA experts to manufacturers, trade associations, the federal government, nonprofits, and USGBC LEED committees--are involved in the project. The LCA group's recommendations include short- and long-term implementation strategies for incorporating life cycle assessments into the LEED program. Initially, this will mean taking stock of the assemblies that constitute a building's structure and envelope. These will then be ranked according to their environmental impact; LEED credits will be awarded accordingly. Using this approach, USGBC hopes it can quickly and effectively incorporate LCA into the LEED program. The long-term goal is to create LCA guidelines that ensure a building's environmental performance is considered over its entire lifecycle. Any proposed LCA-based LEED credit must meet two essential requirements":

It must be fair and objective," that is, based on a consistent methodology applied to all products and at all stages of their lifecycle, including production, transport, use, and disposal or recycling.
Tools and methods used for LCA-based LEED credits "must be very practical and intuitive for designers, specifiers, and facilities managers to use."

The working group recently filed its findings with the LEED Steering Committee; the organization hopes to complete its LCA plan by the end of this year. To facilitate this, the USGBC is contracting with Greg Norris, Ph.D., president of Sylvatica and an LCA expert, who will serve as project manager.