简化大型木结构建筑全生命周期评估
2023年8月23日 芝麻小事
How 芝麻小事’ new resource can guide design teams interested in undertaking a WBLCA of mass timber buildings
The design community has embraced the use of whole building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) to quantify and compare the environmental impacts of buildings. 然而, detailed standards for a unified approach to WBLCAs are still in development, 让设计师在评估过程中需要更明确的指导. 为了解决这个问题,我们开发了一个资源来帮助理清WBLCA过程.
作为芝麻小事碳计划的一部分, 大型木结构建筑无砌块砌筑的考虑与工作表, seeks to outline the requirements for life cycle assessment (LCA) found in international standards and give 指导 on how to perform WBLCAs for mass timber buildings using commercially available LCA tools. 我们与吉隆坡正在进行的工作&一个工程师 & Builders, who authored the Platte Fifteen WBLCA with us in 2021, also helped to shape this document.
芝麻小事技术总监Ashley Cagle, PE, SE(与艾琳·金德合著), PE, SE, LEED AP) shares more about this resource and how it will help design teams interested in undertaking a WBLCA of mass timber buildings.
What is the purpose of this document in relation to mass timber building design?
阿什利礼物 lca的世界现在有点像狂野的西部. There is tremendous interest in learning about the environmental impact of our buildings—and naturally, 我们希望量化这种影响,以便我们能够努力减少它. 因为这是一个相对较新的领域, 也因为气候危机的紧迫性, 许多人正在努力快速开发标准, 规则, 指导, 最佳实践. These efforts are fantastic but can lead to confusion and conflicting information. 同时, many of the current standards don’t provide the level of specificity many designers seek, 尤其是在对比木质建筑的wblca时. 我们并不打算创建另一个LCA标准或指导文档, but instead we’re walking designers through the ISO-compliant LCA process step-by-step and identifying key decision points in the context of wood structures.
“我们并没有试图创造另一个LCA标准或指导文件, but instead we’re walking designers through the ISO-compliant LCA process step-by-step and identifying key decision points in the context of wood structures.”
How does the 工作表 assist teams in conducting a WBLCA for mass timber buildings?
AC: 在理论上, 做一个WBLCA听起来很简单:做一个材料起飞, 将这些数字输入LCA工具, 运行分析, 然后砰的一声,你就完成了! 但在实践中,在这个过程的早期出现了不少问题, 这样的事情, 我算上饰面了吗? 基础呢?? 我如何开发一个等效的替代设计? It can also be confusing to understand what is “baked in” to the LCA tools versus decisions the designer needs to make. The goal of the 工作表 is to outline these decision points so designers can be better informed during the planning stages of an LCA—and to provide 指导 throughout the LCA process on how to answer these questions for mass timber buildings.
的样本 工作表 可供设计团队使用
这能回答设计师的什么常见问题?
AC: One of the more challenging aspects of performing a structural WBLCA can be defining the scope. 同样,这听起来相对简单. 但根据我的经验, LCA project teams spend a significant amount of time discussing which materials, 程序集, 系统也会包括在内, and it can be difficult to anticipate all of the questions at the beginning of the LCA process. 我们只研究结构框架吗, 或者我们也在研究外部围墙和非结构墙? 包括建筑装饰吗?
Accurately defining the material scope becomes even more important when doing a comparative LCA between a mass timber building and conventional construction like steel or concrete. There are major inherent differences between these structural systems that extend beyond the framing members themselves. We need to ensure that all design alternatives have equivalent fire performance, for example. 用于大型木结构建筑, that might mean we need to include an additional volume of wood to meet char ratings, 而对于钢结构建筑, 我们可能需要包括喷雾防火材料. This 工作表 helps outline many of those differences so designers can do an apples-to-apples comparison of alternative designs.
“Accurately defining the material scope becomes even more important when doing a comparative LCA between a mass timber building and conventional construction like steel or concrete. There are major inherent differences between these structural systems that extend beyond the framing members themselves.”
Are there any tools you recommend using with this 工作表 for a more comprehensive WBLCA?
AC: 我经常被问到哪个LCA工具是最好的,应该使用哪个工具. We do recommend that designers use a whole-life LCA tool; that is, one that covers all life cycle stages rather than EPD-based tools that only cover cradle-to-gate (A1-A3) or cradle-to-construction gate (A1-A5) stages. 商用LCA工具通常在美国使用.S. 包括Athena、tallyLCA和One Click LCA. 经常, design teams will choose their tool based on how easily it fits into their established workflow, 哪一个因素可以说是最重要的. Teams need to pick the tool that they are most likely to use because the first step is just to get started. 然而, there are many other differences—from the data being used to assumptions that are programmed into the tool. 我总是说,一个工具并不比另一个更好, but it’s important for the user to know how the one they’re using works and fully understand its results.
还有什么要知道的
AC: 可填充PDF背后的想法是创建一个实用的, 帮助项目团队完成比较lca的有用资源. 它可以用来帮助指导项目团队会议, 记录所做的重要范围决定, 并有助于撰写全面的LCA报告. 最重要的是, it is meant to ensure that all the unique attributes of mass timber construction are accurately captured so an accurate comparison to more conventional building materials can be made.
If your project uses the 工作表 to help guide a comparative WBLCA for a mass timber project, 我们很想听听.
给阿什利发个便条: 阿什利.cagle@lumitutor.com.
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