Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
LCA and its Significance
A life cycle assessment evaluates the environmental impact of a product/process over the course of its life cycle. Most assessment techniques are primarily concerned with operational carbon, but LCA takes a different approach and analyses the embodied carbon, from raw material supply and manufacturing stage to end of life disposal stage.
BREEAM NC 2018 places a special emphasis on Life Cycle Assessments, by awarding credits in the Mat 01 issue for conducting an LCA on your building.
Depending on the scheme, up to 20 additional credits, such as:
- Assessment of operational energy & water use
- Use of low carbon materials
- Responsible sourcing of construction products
And more… can be obtained by carrying out an LCA at the appropriate times, as they are a part of the Life Cycle Assessment.
Benefits of LCA and why you need it?
UK regulations are slowly making it a requirement for LCA to be carried out on certain buildings or materials as part of the move towards more sustainable buildings.
Another benefit of LCA is that it can compare multiple options regarding building designs, constructions processes, materials used and then help determine which options would be more sustainable.
Early adoption of a Life Cycle Assessment can help cut costs over the life cycle of the building, and also offers opportunities for environmental improvement.
All our LCA specialists are One Click LCA certified and trained.
