The Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings Grant Finlayson Senior - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

www.athenasmi.org The Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings Grant Finlayson Senior Research Associate

About the Athena Institute We are a non-profit research and advocacy group for LCA in construction, providing pioneering work and leadership since 1997. LCA consultants • Hundreds of LCA studies on materials and products • EPDs and PCRs • Peer reviews Public service • LCA research studies and white papers • LCA education and advocacy • WBLCA guidelines and benchmarking • LCA standards committees • Advice and guidance to green building programs and policy Free software tools • Impact Estimator for Buildings • Pavement LCA Our work is supported by research grants, industry, donors, and our members.

• Launched in 2002 • PC desktop app • Useful at all stages of design and for all building types • Useful for whole buildings, parts of buildings, or just materials • Full cradle-to-grave disaggregated results (Modules A-C or A-D) • Continuously updated

User Input Building Information User Input • Location Assembly Input Dialogs Assembly Information • Life expectancy • Foundations • Geometry • Occupancy type • Columns and beams • Assembly/material choice • Floor area • Floors • Loading • Height • Roof • Users can provide a • Walls Op. Energy Information Material Information • Annual operating energy • Material takeoffs bill of materials or can Extra Basic Materials from simulation or Input Dialog let the software measurement calculate one • Operating energy is an Back End optional input Scenario Databases Athena LCI Database • Product service life • Delivers detailed LCI TRACI v2.1 Database Process LCI data for: • Transportation • Building products • Construction waste • LCIA methodology and LCA results • Energy characterization factors • Construction energy • Transportation • Demolition energy • End of life outcome • Supported by high- quality regionally- specific material and Results process LCI/LCA data LCA Results (LCIA) • Fossil Fuel Use LCI Categories • Multiple reporting • Global warming • Energy Consumption Bill of Materials • Acidification options including • Resource use • Life cycle structure and • Human health particulate • Air emissions LEED-specific enclosure material use • Eutrophication • Water Emissions • Ozone depletion • Land Emissions documentation • Smog

Choose closest city for regionally-accurate results.

Create a project Option 1: Early design Use dialogue boxes to quickly create assemblies. The software will calculate a bill of materials.

Create a project Option 2: Import a bill of materials Load a file and map it. Save the map for future projects.

Detailed help pop-ups available for every feature

Make custom concrete mixes if needed

Live running totals (value or percent) of any measure, by assembly

Detailed LCA and LCI results by life cycle stage and by assembly – multiple table options, or export all to Excel

Multiple graph options, or export all results to Excel

Compare operating and embodied energy and carbon

Easy side-by-side comparisons

Instantly generate project reports and LEED submittals

Lots of short video demos: get a general overview, learn the basics, or take a deep dive in the advanced features

What you’ll find at www.athenasmi.org • Detailed background information and links for our software tools • User guides/transparency documents • Short video demos and FAQs • Case studies • Material LCA reports, other LCA-based studies, environmental building declarations, general LCA information and more • Our guide to the LCA provisions in green building programs • Link to join our mailing list • Information on our mandate and how to help

We’re working on: • Creating a web app version • Partnering with third-party web apps • Data updates and software improvements • WBLCA Benchmarking and Guidelines • Advocating for Environmental Building Declarations • Encouraging education providers to teach more about LCA fundamentals.

Live demo: Using the Impact Estimator to pursue the LCA credit in LEED • Addition to an existing one story medical clinic • Slab on grade, steel stud walls, rigid insulation, brick • Wood truss roof, blown insulation, shingles • Natural gas heating, electrical cooling, hot water and plug loads.