EcoCalculator for Assemblies Tool Development

www.athenasmi.ca/tools/ecoCalculator

In an effort to spread awareness and make life-cycle assessment faster and more user-friendly, CSBR undertook the development of the Athena EcoCalculator for Assemblies. Using the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings, data was derived for particular construction components that make up various portions of commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. This data was then placed into an spreadsheet-based interface that allows users to choose specific assemblies and quickly calculate and compare the LCA impacts of the assemblies used in their project based on the following environmental impact categories:

• Primary Energy Consumption
• Weighted Resource Use
• Global Warming Potential
• Aqueous Acidification Potential
• Human Health Respiratory Effect Potential
• Aqueous Eutrophication Potential
• Ozone Depletion Potential
• Smog Potential

Version 3.5.2 of the EcoCalculator will be released Sept. 1, 2010 and is available for free download from the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute website (link below).

The various versions of the EcoCalculator 3.5.1 are now specific to the cities of Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York City, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg, as well as one with average US data.

A residential version of the EcoCalculator is also currently under development, with a focus on ease of use and building comparison.