170
residential building, BIRDS then provides choices to the users regarding building
type (only for commercial) and relative size. These are used as stand-ins for the
building and determine the building size, material constructions, and HVAC equipment. The user then has the ability to select different building locations, energy
codes, and length of study. The user can test multiple options for each of these
variables to compare results. While the prototype buildings included in BIRDS represent the typical building typologies, many factors including material selection,
geometry, and operational conditions can have a material impact on the results of
these studies, and therefore the results from BIRDS may not be representative of the
specific building that is being evaluated (Kneifel and O’Rear 2018). For more information, please visit https://www.nist.gov/services- resources/software/birds.
Both BEES and BIRDS utilize an environmental impact score (EIS) in the results
of the studies that creates a combined weighted total of the impacts across the chosen impact categories included in the study (Kneifel and O’Rear 2018). The user
can pick from predefined weights, such as those from the US EPA or BEES, or
define their own weighted average. The idea of including a single score is to make
the comparison between two or more options spanning several impact categories
easier. However, it is also something that adds a lot of bias to the study and is prohibited in ISO standards 14040 and 14044. LCA is meant to be utilized as an evaluative tool and does not claim to provide a definitive answer. An EIS aims to bring an
answer to a study, but based on what weighting is chosen, this answer will be different for different practitioners. On the other hand, it makes it so that the user of the
tool, who will often not be a chemist or environmentalist, is not trying to weigh the
impacts in different categories at random. Instead, the predefined weighting choices
are built on science and expert opinions and provide a more sound, albeit biased,
point to make a decision from.
8.7.3 SimaPro and Other LCA Tools
All of the LCIA tools included up until this point have been aimed at designers and
other non-LCA experts. However, there are other tools that allow users to be
involved with every step of the LCA process. These tools, aimed at people with lots
of knowledge about LCA, have a much steeper learning curve but allow for a much
more detailed study. One such example is SimaPro, an LCA tool developed by PRé
Sustainability. Another example, GaBi is run by Sphera. Partially due to their international applicability, these are the two of the most commonly used LCA software
(Speck et al. 2015). Since they are aimed at LCA professionals, both in industry and
academia, they offer full control and transparency to the user in terms of methodological decisions and underlying assumptions at all steps of the LCA process.
While a majority of the design tools discussed at length in this chapter are black-box
types with the underlying data out of the view and control of the designer, LCA
tools bring the user into every stage and decision of the study. This level of control
8 Dashboard
residential building, BIRDS then provides choices to the users regarding building
type (only for commercial) and relative size. These are used as stand-ins for the
building and determine the building size, material constructions, and HVAC equipment. The user then has the ability to select different building locations, energy
codes, and length of study. The user can test multiple options for each of these
variables to compare results. While the prototype buildings included in BIRDS represent the typical building typologies, many factors including material selection,
geometry, and operational conditions can have a material impact on the results of
these studies, and therefore the results from BIRDS may not be representative of the
specific building that is being evaluated (Kneifel and O’Rear 2018). For more information, please visit https://www.nist.gov/services- resources/software/birds.
Both BEES and BIRDS utilize an environmental impact score (EIS) in the results
of the studies that creates a combined weighted total of the impacts across the chosen impact categories included in the study (Kneifel and O’Rear 2018). The user
can pick from predefined weights, such as those from the US EPA or BEES, or
define their own weighted average. The idea of including a single score is to make
the comparison between two or more options spanning several impact categories
easier. However, it is also something that adds a lot of bias to the study and is prohibited in ISO standards 14040 and 14044. LCA is meant to be utilized as an evaluative tool and does not claim to provide a definitive answer. An EIS aims to bring an
answer to a study, but based on what weighting is chosen, this answer will be different for different practitioners. On the other hand, it makes it so that the user of the
tool, who will often not be a chemist or environmentalist, is not trying to weigh the
impacts in different categories at random. Instead, the predefined weighting choices
are built on science and expert opinions and provide a more sound, albeit biased,
point to make a decision from.
8.7.3 SimaPro and Other LCA Tools
All of the LCIA tools included up until this point have been aimed at designers and
other non-LCA experts. However, there are other tools that allow users to be
involved with every step of the LCA process. These tools, aimed at people with lots
of knowledge about LCA, have a much steeper learning curve but allow for a much
more detailed study. One such example is SimaPro, an LCA tool developed by PRé
Sustainability. Another example, GaBi is run by Sphera. Partially due to their international applicability, these are the two of the most commonly used LCA software
(Speck et al. 2015). Since they are aimed at LCA professionals, both in industry and
academia, they offer full control and transparency to the user in terms of methodological decisions and underlying assumptions at all steps of the LCA process.
While a majority of the design tools discussed at length in this chapter are black-box
types with the underlying data out of the view and control of the designer, LCA
tools bring the user into every stage and decision of the study. This level of control
8 Dashboard