Theory that the project is based on

The core of this project is so called LCA analysis. What does this abbreviation mean? LCA is a Life Cycle Assesment. It is a systematic way of compiling and analyzing all the inputs, outputs, and potential environmental impacts of a product or system over its lifetime, from initial extraction of raw materials through manufacture, distribution, use, and final disposal.
In the context of buildings, LCA can be used to evaluate a single product. It can also be used to analyze an entire building system by compiling data from all the individual building components. This is referred to as Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA). ​Life cycle assessment is governed by several international standards, notably ISO 14040 and 14044.

Life cycle stages

• Production Stage: Modules A1 – A3

A1 starts with raw material extraction or harvest; A2 is the transportation of those raw materials to the factory or mill; and A3 is manufacturing of the product itself. Together, these modules are often referred to as “cradle-to-gate.”

• Construction Stage: Modules A4 and A5

A4 is transportation of the product to the construction site; A5 is installation and/or the construction process.

• Use Stage: Modules B1 - B7

These modules include maintenance, repair, replacement, and refurbishment, as well as operational water and energy use for the duration of the building’s life.

• End-of-Life Stage: Modules C1 - C4

C1 includes deconstruction and/or demolition; C2 is transportation of waste to the disposal or processing site; C3 is waste processing; and C4 is the final disposal of that waste.

Modules A1 through C4 define the system boundary that fully represent the life cycle of the building; this is often referred to as “cradle-to-grave.”

For developers and design teams seeking to make their projects more sustainable, WBLCA can be used to evaluate a variety of environmental impacts, including:

• global warming potential (GWP),
• acidification,
• eutrophication,
• ozone depletion,
• smog and,
• fossil fuel consumption.

With the growing urgency of the climate crisis and resulting emphasis on reducing carbon emissions, many designers are specifically focused on measuring and reducing the GWP of their projects. Furthermore, while great strides have been made in reducing operational carbon emissions—those emissions associated with the operation and use of buildings—designers have more recently expanded their focus to include embodied carbon, which is the carbon footprint of the building materials themselves and construction process. For WBLCA where the goal is measuring the embodied carbon impact, it is appropriate to exclude some of the “use” modules from the analysis, typically B1, B6, and B7. B2 through B5 are related to maintenance, repair, replacement, and refurbishment, so should be included in the analysis as appropriate for the defined lifespan of the building.