How do you communicate the results and implications of life cycle assessment to stakeholders and clients?

When disseminating the findings and ramifications of a life cycle assessment (LCA) to stakeholders and clients, it is essential to customize the communication to suit the intended recipients. To effectively engage stakeholders with a strong environmental consciousness, it is crucial to stress the significant environmental implications associated with the subject matter at hand, as well as the possible avenues for enhancing sustainability. Emphasizing the need of resource efficiency, decreased emissions, and waste reduction may effectively appeal to this demographic. For customers whose primary concern is cost and profitability, it is advisable to emphasize the economic advantages derived from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results.

During my first green building project, our LCA results revealed more than just data. They uncovered a story of transformation. We started with a modest goal: reducing our carbon footprint. But as we dug into the LCA, we found surprising insights. For example, switching from traditional materials to sustainable ones cut our emissions by 40%, far exceeding our expectations. To share this, I crafted a narrative that began with our team’s initial excitement and the challenges we faced. I highlighted specific results like how choosing recycled steel rather than new reduced our impact and tied these back to our project's vision. The story resonated, showing that LCA is not just about numbers but about impactful decisions and inspiring others.

I have used examples of buildings that are 100 plus years old and buildings torn down before 50 years old. Then I discuss there building or buildings, using comparisons to the examples to help them gain insight into where their building fits in regards to the structures discussed as examples. Usually this becomes a discussion of what they want the lifecycle of their building to look like.

In a recent LCA for a new eco-friendly building, we faced significant uncertainties and controversies. Our results showed a higher environmental impact for certain sustainable materials compared to conventional options. This surprised many stakeholders who believed that all green choices automatically led to lower impacts. To address these issues, we were transparent about our LCA methodology. We detailed our assumptions, such as the choice of impact categories and data sources, and openly discussed the limitations. By presenting our findings with honesty and backing them with detailed evidence and thoughtful analysis, we aimed to provide informed discussions and drive improvements in our green building practices.

During my project design stage, the LCA revealed that energy use during operation was a major environmental impact. To address this, we focused on improving energy efficiency. We upgraded to high-efficiency HVAC systems and added solar panels, which reduced our operational footprint by 30%. The LCA also showed that our chosen materials had high production impacts, so we switched to recycled and locally sourced options. This not only cut emissions but also enhanced our competitive edge by showcasing our commitment to sustainability. For further guidance, I recommend consulting resources like the Green Building Council for practical tools and case studies.

LCA models created during the design phases will increasingly be used during procurement and construction. Building owners will want the model and analysis to be updated based on actual material purchases and installed quantities so at the end of the project an "as-built" LCA can be handed off to the owner. Because of this, the team should provide guidance to the owner on how the model was created and updated and how it can be used to make legitimate sustainability claims for the building or project.

In my experience, actively engaging stakeholders in the process of life cycle assessment and policy making which is also known as an Argumentation Corrected Context Weighting-LCA (ArgCW-LCA), can improve their understanding and increase support for sustainable actions among people. It means that their concern regarding the design process, and cost forecasting unjustified disagreement must be considered and communicated through the decision-making process.

Leverage low cost or free resources to get started. You don’t have to be an expert in conducting Life Cycle Assessments to get started. There are numerous freemium or no cost platforms such as the Building Transparency’s EC3 Tool or Tally that can be used for a cursory pass during the early design stages of a new development project. Of course, for more refinement and accuracy, an experienced professional would be required, but that shouldn’t preclude project teams from getting started.