Assignment $3$ Whole building LCA $($WB$-$LCA$)$ for Green Building Programs

The following assignment is designed to provide experience using LCA to inform low impact building designs that earn points on LEED v$4$ projects, and gain practice with LCA methods. This exercise is completed with the Impact Estimator for Buildings $($IE$4$B$)$ LCA software, which can be downloaded for free $($link$)$ and has tutorial videos available $($link$),$ and using the content posted to the Learning Hub.

Once you have completed this assignment, submit the following for Assignment $3$ on the Learning Hub:

$\backslash$geoquad This document saved as a $.$pdf

$\backslash$geoquad Both IE$4$B LCA model files for the Baseline and Proposed Shack designs

$\backslash$geoquad The excel workbook used for your bar graphs in questions $2$b and $3$ci$,$ and table showing calculation from $3$bi$.$

Directions

$1.$ Create an LCA model of the $$Baseline Shack$$ in the IE$4$B using the $$IE$4$B Model Inputs$$ on page $5.$ When starting the project, use Vancouver as the project location and set the building type as Single Family Residential.

a$.$ What does LEED require the building service life to be$?\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

b$.$ What is the estimated height of the building $($measured from ground level$)?\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$ Roof is $10$x$10$x$14\mathrm{.}8(15)$

c$.$ What is the estimated gross floor area of the building? $\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

$2.$ LEED Questions

a$.$ Design a Proposed Shack design that meets the LEED threshold for impact reductions $($see 'LEED v$4\_$Whole$-$building LCA credit requirements' in the Assignment $3$ content$).$ Start by Duplicating your Baseline Shack LCA model. Note: Round $\text{'}\%$ Difference' to whole numbers when considering if your Proposed Shack design meets the threshold.

b$.$ Create a bar graph with the Baseline and Proposed Shack design LCIA results normalized to the Baseline Shack design. Have the values for $\%$ difference from Baseline showing for the Proposed design's bars. Paste your bar graph below:

c$.$ Provide a short description of the assemblies and materials you changed on the Baseline Shack building design that resulted in a Proposed Shack design that meets the LEED threshold for impact reductions: $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

$3.$ LCA Method Questions

a$.$ Impact Assessment

i$.$ Which impact categorie$($s$)$ are considered in the IE$4$B but not in LEED?

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

ii$.$ Which impact categorie$($s$)$ are considered in the TRACI v$2\mathrm{.}1$ but not in LEED? See the US EPA TRACI website $($link$)$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

b$.$ Interpretation: Identification of Significant Issues

i$.$ In an excel sheet, carry out a contribution analysis by life cycle stage for the Global Warming Potential $($GWP$)$ LCIA results, and provide your results in the table below.

Life cycle stage Information Modules Baseline Design

$(\%$ of Total A to C GWP$)$ Proposed Design

$(\%$ of Total A to C GWP$)$

Product A$1$ to A$372\mathrm{.}48/81$

Construction A$4$ to A$510\mathrm{.}43/12$

Use B$411\mathrm{.}01/0$

End of Life C$1$ to C$46\mathrm{.}08/7$

Cradle$-$to$-$Grave Total A to C $100\%100\%$

ii$.$ Use the dominance analysis ranking scale language to describe which life cycle stages are dominating the impacts of the Baseline and Proposed designs:$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

$\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$

Product life cycle stage has a significant influence on GWP$,$ construction and use have some influence on GWP$,...$

c$.$ Interpretation: Evaluation

i$.$ Carry out a sensitivity check on your results to the system boundary definition. In an excel sheet, create two bar graphs with the Baseline and Proposed Shack design LCIA results for $$Total Effects A to C$$ and $$Total Effects A to D$,$ normalize each graph to the Baseline Shack. Have the values for $\%$ difference from Baseline showing for the Proposed design$$s bars. Paste your bar graphs below:

ii$.$ How has including module D changed the comparison of the different Shack designs? In what way would considering A to D change how a building is designed? Hint: Familiarize yourself with the IE$4$B User Guide posted in the Assignment $3$ content "Scope and System Boundary Section". $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.$

Including module D increased the percentage difference from the baseline to proposed for all impact categories. The Beyond Building Life took into consideration the BBL material and transport factors but ultimately were the same for the baseline and proposed building. When considering A to D change with how a building is designed, we can see