Measuring Sustainability: Life Cycle Assessment The Greening of the Rooftop Module 3 Measuring Sustainability: Life Cycle Assessment

Measuring Sustainability The Greening of the Rooftop Measuring Sustainability Sustainability can be defined quantitatively in terms of system life expectancy and the cumulative impact of certain factors or terms in the system: Impact Time Sustainability = (Impact over Time) When measuring the relative sustainability of a product or a system, the key questions are: How long (time) can the product or system last? What is the cost (impact) to last that long?

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) What is LCA? … a scientific approach to evaluating the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) What is LCA? Scientific Approach: Based on measurable and predictable attributes Focused on Impact: What is the net result to the environment? Throughout the Life Cycle: A “cradle-to-grave”… or “cradle-to-cradle” approach

Key LCA Steps Establish the Time Period Describe the Life Cycle System Life Cycle Assessment Key LCA Steps Establish the Time Period Describe the Life Cycle System Identify & Measure the Impacts Assess the Impacts

Step 1: Establish the Time Period Life Cycle Assessment Step 1: Establish the Time Period 10 Years 15 Years 20 Years 30 Years 39 ½ Years 60 Years Typical Commercial Roof Warranty Length U.S. Taxable Building Depreciation Period USGBC Life Cycle Task Force Recommendation

Step 2: Describe the Life Cycle System Life Cycle Assessment Step 2: Describe the Life Cycle System Inputs Processes Outputs System Boundary

The Product Life Cycle Describing the Life Cycle System Inputs: Raw Materials Energy Processes: Outputs: Atmospheric Emissions Waterborne Waste Solid Waste Co-Products Other Releases Raw Materials Acquisition Manufacturing Transportation & Handling System Boundary Installation / Assembly Operation / Maintenance Recycling / Waste Mgmt. Source: Life Cycle Assessment: Principles and Practice. Scientific Applications International Corporation, 2006.

Step 3: Measure the Impacts Life Cycle Assessment Step 3: Measure the Impacts Identify Significant Impacts Establish Meaningful Measures

Measuring Environmental Impacts The TRACI Model Significant Impact: Global Warming Potential (GWP) Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) Photochemical Oxidant Potential (PCOP) Acidification Potential Eutrification Health Toxicity (Cancer) Health Toxicity (Non-Cancer) Health Toxicity (Air Pollutants) Eco-Toxicity Potential Meaningful Measure: kg CO2 Equivalent kg CFC Equivalent kg NOX Equivalent H+ Moles Equivalent kg Nitrogen Equivalent kg Benzene Equivalent kg Toluene Equivalent kg: DALYs Equivalent kg 2,4-D Equivalent Source: EPA Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other Environmental Impacts (TRACI)

Step 4: Assess the Impacts Life Cycle Assessment Step 4: Assess the Impacts Weigh the Impacts Which impacts are most important in the assessment? Compare Alternatives Which alternative provides the optimal benefit? Look for Improvement Opportunities How can the impacts be reduced?

Life Cycle Assessment LCA Benefits Avoids Shifting of Impacts Allows Consideration of Trade-Offs Promotes Situation-Based Decisions

Building Construction Examples: Life Cycle Assessment LCA Benefits Building Construction Examples: Limestone Concrete versus Fly Ash Concrete (USA) Plastic Insulation versus Mineral Wool & Cork (Europe)

Life Cycle Assessment LCA Limitations LCA is Expensive Requires time & money LCA is Complex Difficult to understand & communicate LCA is Not Absolute Useful for reference or comparison Cannot by itself determine cost-effectiveness or practicality

Building Construction Example: Life Cycle Assessment LCA Limitations Building Construction Example: Use of Cover Boards in Insulated Roof Assemblies

Life Cycle Assessment Current Status of LCA Part of ISO 14000 “Standard for Environmental Management” Similar to ISO 9000 “Standard for Quality Management” Describes how LCA should be used to evaluate products and how the results should be communicated to the consumer

Life Cycle Assessment Communicating LCA Data Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) ISO 14000 method for communicating to the consumer Growing rapidly in Europe Driven by global corporations seeking common denominator to simplify product lines

Environmental Product Declaration Sample EPD Polystyrene Board Manufacturer: LAPE (Italy)

Environmental Product Declaration EPD Detail Life Cycle Diagram: Impact Summary: System Boundary (In this case, excludes installation, use and final disposal) Impact Category Impact Measure Impact Data

Environmental Product Declaration Sample EPD Steel Roofing System Manufacturer: Corus (UK)

Environmental Product Declaration EPD Detail Life Cycle Diagram: Impact Summary: System Boundary (In this case, covers “cradle-to-grave”) Impact Category Impact Measure Impact Data

Environmental Product Declaration EPDs Moving to United States Office Chair Manufacturer: Steelcase (USA)

Life Cycle Assessment LCA Tools EPD EPD EPD EPD EPD EPD EPD EPD (Environmental Product Declarations) LCA Database Project Requirements Life Cycle Assumptions LCA Tool Local Conditions Impact Weighting Project Life Cycle Assessment

Life Cycle Assessment LCA Tools Typically web-based or downloadable Usually sponsored by non-commercial research organizations Tend to follow a recognized LCA protocol Draw from life cycle databases for impact information Combine products and processes to evaluate whole buildings or sub-systems

Life Cycle Assessment Emerging LCA Tools ImpactEstimater (Athena Institute / GBI) BEES 4.0 (NIST) GaBi (Europe)

LCA Tools Athena Impact Estimator

Athena Impact Estimator Benefits Based on ISO 14000 methodology Covers “more than 90% of the structural and envelope systems typically used in residential and commercial buildings” Covers a wide variety of impact sources Allows for regional variations Summarizes key impacts Allows weighting of impacts

Athena Impact Estimator Limitations Not all product data has been peer- reviewed and validated Some databases may contain significant feedstock and product formulation errors Database errors may influence overall assessment validity Most of the product data is generic, based on a composite of different proprietary products Database may not reflect real differences between different proprietary products and processes

LCA Tools Athena Impact Estimator Free Demo Download Available: Very Important: Contains the background reports used to generate the product impact data. http://www.athenasmi.ca/tools/impactEstimator/demo/index.html

LCA Tools BEES “Building for Environmental & Economic Sustainability” Sponsored in part by US EPA Established and maintained by National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST) Free download available Peer-reviewed and validated Limited, but growing product database

BEES 4.0 Benefits Comprehensive Model Validated Weighted Averages Provides Overall Weighted Score Key Impacts Considers Economic as well as Environmental Factors

BEES 4.0 Benefits Validated & Weighted Scoring System Peer-Reviewed & Validated Weighted Average Key Impacts Simple Graphic Report Alternative A Alternative B

BEES 4.0 Limitations Limited Product Data … but peer-reviewed, validated, and growing

Free Download Available: LCA Tools BEES Free Download Available: http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees/bees.html

LCA Tools In the Future… US Life Cycle Inventory Database Joint Athena Foundation / US Government Initiative Funded in part by EPA, GSA, and DOE Managed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (DOE) Establishing peer-review / validation guidelines Slowly, but surely expanding the database

LCA Tools US Life Cycle Inventory Database NREL and its partners created the U.S. Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) Database to help life-cycle assessment (LCA) experts answer their questions about environmental impact. This database provides a cradle-to-grave accounting of the energy and material flows into and out of the environment that are associated with producing a material, component, or assembly. It's an online storeroom of data collected on commonly used materials, products, and processes. http://www.nrel.gov/lci

Life Cycle Assessment The Future of LCA ISO 14000 will become the global LCA model ISO 14000 has been endorsed as the basic model for managing environmental impacts Almost all major global companies are seeking ISO 14000 registration for their facilities – and this will carry over to their products Use of LCA tools will become standard for all major construction projects Integration of LCA tools into LEED will accelerate the process EPD will be the “New MSDS” Specifiers may soon require EPDs or similar data for all products

LCA & The Roofing Industry Short Term Impact Confusion Will Reign ISO 140OO is a standard method – not a standard Variety of proprietary rating systems may only add to the confusion Early Adapters May Influence the Rules Defining system boundaries Determining product inputs Determining weighting of impacts

LCA & The Roofing Industry Long Term Impact LCA may favor thinner, stronger products Lightweight membranes Lightweight foam insulations LCA may favor systems that can be installed quickly – and removed / recycled quickly New attachment technologies Industry recycling programs

Critical Issues Life Cycle Assessment Do system boundaries include all significant impacts? Are impacts weighted in regard to relative importance? Is the service life period realistic? Is the assessment realistic in terms of planned durability? Are alternatives compared equitably?

Life Cycle Assessment LCA Summary: Key Terms Life Cycle Period (or Study Period) Impacts / TRACI Inputs, Processes, Outputs System Boundaries ISO 14000 Environmental Management System Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) LCA Tools Life Cycle Inventory Database