What is a Life Cycle Assessment?
Life cycle assessment (also known as LCA) is a method of measuring the environmental impact of a product or service during its entire life cycle.
The purpose of conducting a life cycle assessment is to help decision makers choose lower carbon alternatives in design and construction.
Life cycle assessment data makes the invisible visible, addressing the embodied carbon of a building which cannot be reduced or offset after construction.
Life cycle assessments measure a wide range of environmental impacts:
Greenhouse gas emissions (including but not limited to embodied carbon)
Energy consumption
Water usage
Air and water pollution
Solid waste generation
Impact on biodiversity
Human health impacts
We can’t talk about life cycle assessments without a lesson on carbon.
In real estate, we measure carbon in two ways: “embodied” and “operational.”
👣 Together, they equal “whole life carbon” which many people call “carbon footprint”.
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, LCAs provide data-driven insights.
Let’s focus on the embodied.
Embodied carbon refers to all greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions during the whole life cycle of a building, as illustrated in the images below. This includes:
Raw material resource extraction
Transportation to the construction site
Maintaining, repairing, and refurbishing the building
Demolition the building
Source: oneclick LCA
Source: World Green Building Council
Drawing by Steven Biersteker “The Carbon Architect”
LCAs Earn LEED Points
For new construction, LEED’s Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction credit evaluates the structure and enclosure materials of the building for six environmental impacts:
Global Warming Potential (GWP): Greenhouse gases referring to the embodied carbon, measured in kg CO₂e
Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer: measured in kg CFC-11e;
Acidification of land and water sources: measured in moles H+ or kg SO2e;
Eutrophication: measured in kg nitrogen eq or kg phosphate eq
Formation of tropospheric ozone: measured in kg NOx, kg O₃ eq, or kg ethene
Depletion of nonrenewable energy resources: measured in MJ using CML / depletion of fossil fuels in TRACI
If using the LEED v4 Building Design and Construction (BD+C) rating, conducting a life cycle assessment earns 1 credit for Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction.
How to earn up to 5 points: https://www.usgbc.org/credits/new-construction-core-and-shell-schools-new-construction-retail-new-construction-data-27
In 2021, GAIA began conducting LCAs across all projects, at no additional cost, to further our knowledge on embodied carbon and help clients understand the full impact of their materials and design choices.
LCAs Earn Points For GRESB
The GRESB Development framework awards points for life cycle assessments (DMA2.1) based on percentage of projects that have conducted LCAs.
Why does embodied carbon matter?
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.
More good reasons for 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.
GAIA’s Role
Technical: GAIA has conducted over 300 life cycle assessments. We’ve compiled data to identify a national benchmark value. This value helps project teams compare and evaluate their carbon performance and design considerations.
Education: We guide our clients to understand evolving regulations, ensuring compliance while decarbonizing their portfolios.
Projects in California?
Starting July 1, 2024, large-scale commercial developments are required to conduct a life cycle assessment.
