Life Cycle Analysis

"A buildings environmental impact extends from global factors, such as ozone depletion, to the quality of the environment inside the property. These impacts arise from decisions made at all stages of the buildings life, including materials manufacture, site selection, design, construction, occupation and ultimately demolition."


Source: Greener Buildings, Environmental Impact of Property - Stuart Johnson.










A Report On Environmental Life Cycle Analysis ( L.C.A. )






Introduction


The world is becoming an ever more environmentally vigilant society and pressure by governments, NGOs ( Non - government organisations ) and the general public is being put on all aspects of industry to become more "Green".






The construction industry has a great impact on the environment both at the construction stage and the buildings future life, as stated in Stuart Johnsons opening statement above. As with all industries the construction industry as a whole has and continues to devise ways in which the relationship between the built and the natural environment can improve. One such development is the technique of Environmental Life Cycle Analysis.






Life Cycle Analysis


Life cycle analysis is used to explore the life cycle of a building material. It is computer based and its methodology was developed by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry ( SETAC ).






The life cycle analysis will show the environmental impacts of different materials at different stages of its life from the materials extraction through processing, manufacture, use, maintenance and disposal. An example of the type of software used in L.C.A. is SimaPro 3.0 which was developed by PRe Consultants in the Netherlands. SimaPro provides information on the generation of pollutants and the following environmental effects of different materials and is measured using eco-points....