DMA2.1: Life Cycle Assessments – Above Green

Intent

This indicator examines the entity’s approach to life cycle assessments and emissions methodology. GHG emissions or energy consumption are linked to every stage of the life cycle of buildings – starting from extraction or manufacturing of materials and their transportation, through construction, use phase and to final demolition of buildings. Understanding and consistent measurement of life-cycle emissions of built projects is important for identifying the best opportunities for reducing lifetime emissions and target setting.

Requirements

Select yes or no. If yes, select all applicable sub-options.

Does the entity assess the life cycle emissions of its development projects?

Yes
- Select the type of assessment:
  - Quantitative assessment
  - Qualitative assessment
- Select the boundaries of the calculation applied:
  - Cradle-to-gate
  - Cradle-to-practical completion/handover
  - Use stage
  - End-of-life stage
  - Cradle-to-grave
  - Whole life
  - Other: ____________
- Select the standards/methodologies/tools applied:
  - BBCA Label (Bâtiment Bas Carbone)
  - E+C - Label (Énergie Positive & Réduction Carbone
  - Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) Tool
  - EN 15978
  - EN 15804
  - GHG Protocol - Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard
  - ISO 14040/44
  - ISO 14025
  - One Click LCA
  - The Carbon Smart Materials Palette®
  - Whole life carbon assessment for the built environmental, RICS
  - Other: ____________
- Percentage of development projects completed during the last three years using any calculation method
  
  ________________________
- Percentage of development projects completed during the last three years using the whole life LCA
  
  ________________________
- Explain the embodied carbon calculation method applied and the results of the assessment (maximum 250 words)
  
  ________________________
No

Percentage of development projects completed during the last three years using any calculation method: The percentage of projects completed within the last three years having undergone any life cycle emissions assessment.

Percentage of development projects completed during the last three years using the whole building LCA: The percentage of projects completed within the last three years having undergone a whole building LCA.

Open text box: The contents of this open text box are not used for scoring, but will be included in the Benchmark Report. Participants may use this open text box to communicate on:

The applied standard/methodologies and boundaries of the calculation;
The results of the assessments carried out by the entity.

Validation

Other:

Other: State the boundaries on calculation applied.
Other: State the standard/methodology/tool applied.

It is possible to report multiple other answers.

See Appendix 2a for additional information about GRESB Validation.

Scoring

Not scored, E

This indicator is not scored and is used for reporting purposes only.

See the Scoring Document for additional information on scoring.

Terminology

Cradle-to-gate: Includes raw materials extraction and supply, transport to manufacturing plant, and manufacturing and fabrication. Emissions across this stage are usually calculated by assigning suitable embodied carbon factors to the given elemental material quantities: Cradle to gate emissions = Material quantity × Material embodied carbon factor.

Cradle-to-grave: Encompasses embodied carbon over the life cycle, including emissions in the previous stage (cradle to practical completion/handover) plus emissions from Use Stage and End-of-life stage.

Cradle-to-practical completion/handover: Includes emissions in the previous stage (cradle to gate) plus the emissions from the construction process. In total, this boundary includes raw materials extraction and supply, transport to manufacturing plant, manufacturing and fabrication, transportation of the materials and components from the factory gate to the project site and their assembly into a building.

Embodied carbon: Refers to emissions that arise from producing, procuring and installing the materials and components that make up a structure. It may also include the lifetime emissions from maintenance, repair, replacement and ultimately demolition and disposal.

End-of-life stage: Any emissions arising from decommissioning, stripping out, disassembly, deconstruction and demolition operations as well as from transport, processing and disposal of materials at the end of life of the project.

Use stage: Any emissions relating to operational energy and water use as well as any embodied carbon impacts associated with maintenance, repair, replacement and refurbishment of building components.

Whole life: Includes emissions in the previous stage (cradle to grave) plus potential environmental benefits or burdens of materials and components beyond the life of the project. It captures the avoided emissions (or potential loads) from utilizing repurposed items to substitute primary materials and can be used as a metric for quantifying circularity and assessing future resource efficiency.

References

CDP Climate Change 2020 Questionnaire, C-CN6.6/C-CRE6.6, C-CN6.6a/C-RE6.6a