Life Cycle Assessment Tools to Measure Environmental Impacts (December 2001, 49 p.)
In the last decade, various organizations have developed computer-based
modeling tools that attempt to qualify the potential environmental impacts and performance of
various building materials. These models are generically known as Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) tools. LCAs have been developed to help user choose the most environmentally friendly
building materials and building designs. Thus far, these tools have been used primarily by
architects, designers, product manufacturers, and builders and engineers in the commercial
building industry.
Given the potential
importance of these tools for America's homebuilders, HUD commissioned the NAHB Research
Center to convene a meeting of experts to thoroughly examine these issues. This publication presents the results of this examination. The report presents a critique of
LCAs, and offers suggestions on how they could be made more useful.
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