1. The Greening of the Rooftop Module 3 How Green is Green? Measuring Sustainability with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

2. How Green is Green? Measuring Sustainability When measuring the relative sustainability of a product or a system, the key questions are: Sustainability = Impact Time 1.How long (time) can the product or system last? 2.What is the cost (impact) to last that long?

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

4. 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

5. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Why is LCA Important? LCA is a globally recognized procedure based on established ISO standards LCA will be incorporated into the LEED ® Green Building Rating System in 2009 / 2010 LCA is a necessary measure to support emerging global warming initiatives such as carbon cap-and-trade

6. 1.Establish the Time Period 2.Describe the Life Cycle System 3.Identify & Measure the Impacts 4.Assess the Impacts Life Cycle Assessment Key LCA Steps

7. 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

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

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

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

11. Measuring Environmental Impacts The TRACI Model Impact: Global Warming Potential Ozone Depletion Potential Photochemical Oxidant Potential Acidification Potential Eutrification Health Toxicity (Cancer) Health Toxicity (Non-Cancer) Health Toxicity (Air Pollutants) Eco-Toxicity Potential Source: EPA Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) Linked To: Global Climate Change Degradation of Ozone Layer Ground-Level Ozone Acid Rain Algae Blooms Cancer Frequency Neurological & Reproductive Disorders Breathing-Related Illnesses Reproductive & Genetic Disorders

12. 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 CO 2 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)

13. 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?

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

15. Building Construction Examples: Which Product has the Lower Impact? Limestone Concrete versus Fly Ash Concrete (USA) Plastic Insulation versus Mineral Wool & Cork (Europe) Life Cycle Assessment LCA Benefits

16. 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

17. Building Construction Example: Which has the Lower Impact? 1.Insulated Roof Assembly with Cover Board? 2.Insulated Roof Assembly without Cover Board? Life Cycle Assessment LCA Limitations

18. 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

19. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26. Life Cycle Assessment LCA Tools Typically web-based or downloadable Usually sponsored by government or non-profit organizations Tend to follow a recognized LCA protocol Draw from life cycle inventory (LCI) databases for impact information Combine products and processes to evaluate whole buildings or sub-systems

27. Life Cycle Assessment Current LCA Tools Tool: Sponsor: Athena Institute (Canada) NIST (USA) Univ. of Stuttgart (Europe) Cost: Free Download $1,100 +/- Free Download

28. LCA Tools Athena EcoCalculator Summarizes Key Impacts Select from 86 Roof Assemblies Enter Square Footage Allows For Regional Variations

29. Athena EcoCalculator 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

30. LCA Tools Athena EcoCalculator Free Download Available: http://www.athenasmi.org/tools/ecoCalculator/index.html

31. LCA Tools BEES “Building for Environmental & Economic Sustainability” Maintained by National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST) Free download available Peer-reviewed and validated Limited, but growing product database

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

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

34. BEES 4.0 Limitations Limited Product Database … but peer-reviewed, validated, and growing

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

36. 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 (NREL) –Establishing peer-review & validation guidelines –Slowly, but surely expanding the database

37. 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.database LCA Tools US Life Cycle Inventory Database http://www.nrel.gov/lci

38. 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

39. 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

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

41. 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 Critical Issues

42. 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 (LCI) Database