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

The Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings

Grant Finlayson Senior Research Associate

www.athenasmi.org

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

Athena LCI Database Process LCI data for:

• Building products
• Energy
• Transportation

TRACI v2.1 Database

• LCIA methodology

characterization factors Scenario Databases

• Product service life
• Transportation
• Construction waste
• Construction energy
• Demolition energy
• End of life outcome

Back End

LCA Results (LCIA)

• Fossil Fuel Use
• Global warming
• Acidification
• Human health particulate
• Eutrophication
• Ozone depletion
• Smog

LCI Categories

• Energy Consumption
• Resource use
• Air emissions
• Water Emissions
• Land Emissions

Bill of Materials

• Life cycle structure and

enclosure material use

Results User Input

Extra Basic Materials Input Dialog Assembly Input Dialogs

• Foundations
• Columns and beams
• Floors
• Roof
• Walls

Building Information

• Location
• Life expectancy
• Occupancy type
• Floor area
• Height
• Op. Energy Information
• Annual operating energy

from simulation or measurement Assembly Information

• Geometry
• Assembly/material choice
• Loading

Material Information

• Material takeoffs

User Input

• Users can provide a

bill of materials or can let the software calculate one

• Operating energy is an
• ptional input
• Delivers detailed LCI

and LCA results

• Supported by high-

quality regionally- specific material and process LCI/LCA data

• Multiple reporting
• ptions including

LEED-specific documentation

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

• verview, 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

• 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.

We’re working on:

• 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.

Live demo: Using the Impact Estimator to pursue the LCA credit in LEED