Introduction to Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment: The Basics
A summary of life cycle changes and considerations for choosing and performing whole building life cycle assessments.
Sustainability Resources
Life-Cycle Assessment
Platte Fifteen Life Cycle Assessment
LCA study compares embodied carbon, construction costs, and construction speed of a real mass timber office project with functionality equivalent buildings in steel and concrete.
Carbon
When to Include Biogenic Carbon in an LCA
Part 1 in a series on biogenic carbon accounting for wood products – an overview of biogenic accounting practices as defined by international standards.
How to Include Biogenic Carbon in an LCA
Part 2 in a series on biogenic carbon accounting for wood products – specifics for each stage of the life cycle.
Biogenic Carbon Accounting in WBLCA Tools
Part 3 in a series on biogenic carbon accounting for wood products – the nuances of different tools.
Long-Term Biogenic Carbon Storage
Part 4 in a series on biogenic carbon accounting for wood products – climate benefits of long-term carbon storage and delayed emissions, and recommendations for reporting these benefits while aligning with ISO standards.
Calculating the Carbon Stored in Wood Products
There are many complex elements associated with carbon accounting and life cycle assessment (LCA). Fortunately, the amount of carbon stored in wood is a straightforward calculation that remains consistent for each wood species.
Calculating the Embodied Carbon of Different Structural Systems
A review of life cycle assessment (LCA) tools available to designers of U.S. commercial and multi-family projects, as well as carbon calculators and links to additional information on LCA tools and methodology.
Environmental Product Declarations
How to Use Environmental Product Declarations
Current EPDs for Wood Products – List of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) available for wood products as of November 2022.
Current EPDs for Wood Products
Addresses the limitations of using EPDs alone to determine the environmental impacts of construction products