A joint organisation

of UNEP & SETAC

Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches
in the Building Sector

Overview
Who we are
Life Cycle Approach: What? Why?
Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
Take-home messages
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector 2
WHO WE ARE
3 Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
4
Who we are UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative
a public private partnership
Vision:
A world where life cycle approaches are mainstreamed
Mission:
Enable the global use of credible life cycle knowledge for more sustainable societies.
Building the SCIENCE Supporting the DEMAND Building the CAPACITY
Objective 1:
Enhance the global
consensus and
relevance of existing
and emerging life cycle
methodologies and
data management
Objective 2:
Expand capability
worldwide to apply and
to improve life cycle
approaches; making
them operational for
organisations
Objective 3:
Communicate current
life cycle knowledge
and be the global
voice of the Life Cycle
community to influence
and partner with
stakeholders
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
5
LIFE CYCLE APPROACH
WHO WE ARE
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
Life Cycle of product or service
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
Product System
All life cycle stages
Multiple environmental
impacts
Life Cycle Thinking Creates Opportunities
Time Spent

Opportunities

Upstream
Opportunities:
Building up better
alliances, access to
limited resources,
stability of supply, etc.
high
low
Value Chain
Source: Adapted from WWF-UK 2003
Downstream
Opportunities:
Customer satisfaction
and loyalty, improved
brand image, etc.

Disposal Use Sale Manufacturing

Transport
Production/
Extraction
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
LIFE CYCLE APPROACHES IN
THE BUILDING SECTOR
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LIFE CYCLE APPROACH
WHO WE ARE
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
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Identify the best opportunities in decisions such as
Best to retrofit or demolish and re-build?
pay-back time for renewable energy installation?
Wooden vs. ceramic flooring?
Optimal thickness for insulating layer?
Etc.
(while avoiding burden-shifting across the supply chain)
Life Cycle in the building sector
RAW MATERIALS,
PRE-MANUFACTURE
CONSTRUCTION USE
DECONSTRUCTION,
DEMOLITION
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
Key: focus attention on hotspots
Relative hotspots of buildings may be changing
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
Value Chain
11
Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) - A complex value chain (simplified),
EEB Facts and Trends, 2007
Life Cycle Approach also facilitates identifying which actor
in the value chain is best placed to address specific issues
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
12
DATA, DATA, DATA
Methods/indicators for assessing and
communicating building performance
Tools to share information and guide decision
making
Networks, sharing best practice

What do we need for this?
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
13
a. Global capability
development
a. Communication strategy
b. LC Platform: clearing house
and social media
5. Communication &
stakeholder outreach
4. Capability Development
& implementation
a. Product sustainability meta
specification
b. Knowledge mining
a. Global database management network
& training
b. Key environmental indicators based
on mature environmental approaches
c. Life Cycle Assessment of
Organisations
1. Methodologies
2. Data
3. Product sustainability
information
Flagship projects
These projects are
considered as the most
important in the group,
especially in terms of
establishing a public image
Life Cycle Initiative
Summary of Flagship Projects
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
TAKE HOME MESSAGES
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LCA IN THE BUILDING SECTOR
LIFE CYCLE APPROACH
WHO WE ARE
Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
Take Home Messages
The Life Cycle Approach helps focusing on the
key opportunities to increase resource
efficiency
Avoiding unintended burden shifts / trade-offs
The Life Cycle perspective opens up
improvement and collaboration opportunities
Many initiatives and tools exist already
Need for coordination, collaboration, capacity
building ?
Build them into business practice and public policy


Incorporating Life Cycle Approaches in the Building Sector
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A joint organisation
of UNEP & SETAC
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