LCAs and EPDs of Building Materials Presented by: James Salazar Senior Researcher, Athena Institute
Outline of Presentation 1: Background on Athena and LCA 2: LCAs and EPDs of Windows 3: Conducting an LCA with Athena 4: Window LCA Tool
Life Cycle Thinking Life Cycle Thinking seeks to identify possible improvements to goods and services in the form of lower environmental impacts and reduced resource use across all life cycle stages. It begins with raw material extraction and conversion, then manufacture and distribution, through to use and/or consumption. It ends with re-use, recycling of materials, energy recovery and ultimate disposal.
Why do an LCA Gain comprehensive environmental life cycle perspective - (identify win-win outcomes) Transparent / Scientific Credibility / Quantitative Demonstrates proactive social responsibility Control message, image and data LCA is in building rating systems and codes
Why do an LCA Voluntary assessment/rating tools & programs: LEED, Green Globes, state & local programs, etc. Model codes & standards: primarily ASHRAE 189.1, IgCC, & NGBS State code/s: CALGreen Federal regulations & programs: FTC Green Guides, EPA EPP program, Executive Orders 13423 & 13514 Environmental groups/organizations & consumers Slide credit Jeff Inks, WDMA
LCA Standards Standardization of Scope and Data to Ensure Comparability ISO 14040, 14044, 21930, 14025 North American Windows PCR 2 European Door PCRs Internationally Accepted Best Practices
ISO 14044 LCA Framework
Impact Categories
Life Cycle of a Window
Previous Window LCA Studies Numerous Published Studies STUDY GOAL FUNCTIONAL UNIT Weir and Consider Relative Double Glazed Wood Muneer Impacts Window 1998 RESOURCE EXTRACTION AND COMMODITIES MANUFACTURE Argon, Krypton, Xenon, Wood, Aluminum, and Glass LIFE CYCLE STAGE CONSIDERED IN STUDY SECONDARY USE, MAINTENANCE MANUFACTURE AND REPLACEMENT Sealed Unit, Wood Frame, Aluminum Flashing, Spacer, and Hardware END OF LIFE Each Study Starts from Scratch Increased Performance Outweighs Increased Manufacturing Citherlet et al. 2000 Entec 2000 Asif et al. 2002 Kiani et al. 2004 Recio et al. 2005 Syrrakou et al. 2005 Compare Frame Materials & Justify Energy Payback Compare Frame Materials Compare Frame Materials Justify Energy Payback Compare Frame Materials & Justify Energy Payback Justify Energy Payback Numerous Window Systems Wood and PVC Window Frames Aluminum, PVC, Wood, and Clad Frames Fully Glazed Commercial Building Envelope Five Window Types Electrochromic Device Float Glass, Fiberglass, Argon, Aluminum, Thermoplast, Wood, Plywood, PVC Wood, Paint, PVC, Steel, Aluminum, TBTO Preservative Aluminum, PVC, and Wood Glass, Argon, and Krypton PVC, Steel, Glass, Aluminum, and Wood K-glass, Tungsten Oxide, Lithium Perchlorate, and Silicone Wood, PVC, and Aluminum Frames, Sealed Unit, Replacement, Thermal Blinds, and Finished Performance Window System Wood and PVC Frames Thermal Performance Landfilling Wood, Aluminum Clad Maintenance and Wood, PVC, and and Replacement Aluminum Frames, Thermal and Lighting Tinted and Reflective Performance, Recycling Sealed Unit Replacement Aluminum, Wood, and PVC Thermal and Permeation Landfilling Frames Electrochromic Device Thermal Performance Mixed Results Depending on Scope Salazar and Sowlati 2008a Blom et al. 2010 Tarantini et al. 2011 Compare Frame Materials Compare Frame Materials and Maintenance Regimes LCA to inform Green Public Procurement Policy Aluminum Clad Wood, PVC, and Fiberglass Windows Softwood, Hardwood, and PVC Windows Wood Frame Windows Aluminum, Wood, PVC, Fiberglass, Glass, and Steel Azobe, Spruce, PVC, Alkyd in Solvent and H2O Wood, Preservative, Adhesives, Glazing, Paint Al Clad Wood, PVC, and Fiberglass Frames, Sealed Units, Finished Windows Softwood, Hardwood, and PVC Windows Wood Frame, Double Glazing Maintenance and Replacement Stripping, Painting, Replace Hinges, Locks, and Sealant Thermal Performance and Maintenance Landfilling Incineration and Landfilling Landfilling and Recycling Sinha and Kutnar, 2012 Compare Frame Materials and Thermal Properties Wood, PVC, and Aluminum Frame Windows Wood, PVC, Aluminum, Glazing, Chromium Steel, PET, Nylon Wood Frame, Aluminum Frame, and PVC Frame Windows Thermal Performance Incineration and Landfilling
Goal and Scope If you don t know where you re going you might end up someplace else - Yogi Berra
Goal and Scope Design of LCA Functional unit what precisely is being studied what service delivered by the product system System boundaries Which life cycle stages to be included Impact categories Allocation methods How to partition the environmental load of a process when several products or functions share the same process
Goal and Scope Meeting LCA Goals Data requirements Assumptions Limitations Value choices Data quality requirements Type of critical review, if any Type and format of the report required for the study.
Manufacturing
Double Glazed IGU Manufacture
Impact Categories
Windows LCA Tool Why is it Useful? Presents Results in Alignment with PCR Houston, Minneapolis, and Washington customer locations Compatible with NFRC Test Sizes TRACI Impact Assessment and Cumulative Energy Demand Allows Real Time Sensitivity Analysis Material Use Increase/Decrease Energy Use Increase/Decrease Batch Order Results Calculation of LCA results for multiple windows based on common modular data Integrated with Athena Carbon Sequestration Calculator
Windows LCA Tool Granularity of Results Frame Materials Pre-manufacture Glazing Materials Pre-manufacture Delivery of Materials to Manufacturer Manufacturing Impacts Energy Use Material Use Installation and Maintenance Use Phase Performance End of Life Impacts Net Carbon Sequestration for Wood Windows
Windows LCA Tool
Dimensions
Service Life
Distance to Customer
Frame and Glazing Type
Customer City
Impact Indicator
Life Cycle Results
Results By Life Stage
Sensitivity Analysis
Parameters to Modify
Parameters to Modify
Batch Results
Multiple Window Dimensions
The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute Ottawa, ON, Canada and Kutztown, PA, USA james.salazar@athenasmi.org www.athenasmi.org Get in touch with us for more information. THANK YOU!