Climate & Environment
Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment
Definition
Whole-building life cycle assessment is the application of life cycle assessment methodology to a complete building across all life cycle stages, quantifying impacts such as global warming potential, resource use and pollution from raw material supply through construction, operation and demolition.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment” is defined and used.
Source imported for editorial provenance.
Overview
How it is used
Green building certifications (LEED, BREEAM, DGNB) award credits for whole-building LCA; the EU Level(s) framework uses it as a core indicator; planning regimes increasingly require it; it provides the evidence base for whole life carbon limits.
Why it matters
Product-level data alone cannot capture building-scale trade-offs. Whole-building LCA reveals where impacts concentrate across the life cycle, directing reduction effort to where it counts.