Clear, credible information on environmental impacts of materials helps consumers and code officials make more informed choices. It also drives improvement as manufacturers strive to improve energy efficiency, durability and environmental performance of their products.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides a comprehensive, balanced, quantified look at significant product environmental impacts. An LCA is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate a product’s environmental attributes based on comprehensive analysis of life cycle impacts and transparent data.
“Green” product or material claims, whether based on certification programs or as stand-alone claims, are proliferating in the marketplace and navigating the meaning and validity of these claims is increasingly difficult. An LCA is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate a product’s environmental attributes based on comprehensive analysis of life cycle impacts and transparent data. Moreover, it is a process that requires third party verification of conformance to Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) requirements per ISO 14025 and LCA requirements according to ISO 14040. Since these are internationally recognized standards based on a broad consensus, companies gain credibility through use of both the ISO processes and the associated verification.
LCAs give contractors guidance at their fingertips on environmental issues related to proper management and waste disposal. Home Builders can use LCA to explain how building product energy savings yield returns over the life of the building. Building Owners want greener buildings with smaller environmental footprints. LCA shows them how building products can reduce global warming impacts over the lifetime of their investment.