INNOVATION September-October 2014

LCA Concepts in Practice: Integrated Design Reviews As a senior project manager at Vancouver’s Light House Sustainable Building Centre, building scientist Joanne Sawatzky works alongside engineers, architects, and owners to develop sustainable and cost-effective solutions for the long-term. “We typically conduct Integrated Design Reviews early in the design phase,” she reports. “This process brings all consultants to the table to look at the options available in terms of sustainability features and at times using the LCA approach.” One oft-cited example is the comparison between a concrete building versus a wood framed building. Using LCA early in design, the two options can be compared in terms of “At the end of the day it usually comes down to cost, whether it be for long-term maintenance costs or the initial first costs.”

Environmental impacts and long-term costs of building materials are a subject of LCA

environmental impact and embodied energy, which includes the amount of energy inputs to produce the products. Spoiler alert: wood comes out on top. “It’s amazing how many different fields we’re expected to synthesize,” says Sawatzky with a laugh. LCA provides a common ground that is needed. “At the end of the day it usually comes down to cost, whether it be long-term maintenance costs or the initial first costs.” A State-of-the-Art Engineering Service The benefits of sustainable design practices go well beyond the economic and the short-term. As these ad- ditional benefits continue to be recognized, celebrated and demanded by society-at-large, sustainable design will become a more sought-after engineering service. LCA offers a systematic way to quantify the economic, environmental, and/or social “bottom line” when comparing various engineering alternatives. While there are a variety of models available, any defensible LCA study will include defining system boundaries and indica- tors, quantifying the relative impacts, and identifying ways to reduce lifecycle costs and impacts through ap- proaches that maximize durability, minimize environmental impact and capitalize on opportunities for reuse and recycling. That’s design generations will thank us for. Brandon Walker, P.Eng., is British Columbia’s regional engineer for Advanced Drainage Systems and a member of the APEGBC Sustainability Committee. v

APEGBC Sustainability Guidelines:

1. Maintain a current knowledge of sustainability. 2. Integrate sustainability into professional practice. 3. Collaborate with peers and experts from concept to completion.

4. Develop and prepare clear justifications to implement sustainable solutions. 5. Assess sustainability performance and identify opportunities for improvement. To learn more, contact the APEGBC Sustainability Committee at: apeg.bc.ca/sustainability or sustainability@apeg.bc.ca

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