Why You Need a Life Cycle Assessment
A building’s carbon footprint does not start when it opens. The extraction, manufacturing and transport of materials, construction itself, maintenance and replacements, and finally demolition all carry an environmental cost. A building life cycle assessment measures these impacts so they can be reduced while there is still time to change the design.
- Stay ahead of regulation: under the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the life-cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) of new buildings must be calculated and disclosed in their Energy Performance Certificate. This applies from 2028 for new buildings over 1,000 m² and from 2030 for all new buildings. Member States are also setting roadmaps with limit values from 2030.
- Achieve green building certifications: embodied carbon is now central to leading rating systems. LEED v5 includes a prerequisite to quantify and assess embodied carbon, and LCA also earns credits in BREEAM.
- Cut carbon and cost at the design stage: comparing materials and structural options early helps reduce embodied carbon, often while using materials more efficiently.
- Strengthen ESG reporting and investor confidence: LCA results give credible, science-based data for carbon footprint disclosures and sustainability reports.
- Unlock circular economy opportunities: looking at the full life cycle, from cradle to grave and beyond, shows where reuse, recycled content and design for disassembly can make a difference.
Tailored LCA Solutions for Your Business
All our LCA studies follow the international standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, and the European standard EN 15978 for the assessment of buildings.
Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment
For new construction and major renovations, we carry out a whole building life cycle assessment covering all life cycle stages, from product manufacturing and construction to use, maintenance and end of life. You get a clear picture of where the biggest impacts lie and how they compare with your targets.
LCA for Green Building Certifications
We prepare the LCA required for LEED and BREEAM credits and prerequisites, working with your design team so the study supports the certification strategy from the start.
Embodied Carbon Analysis & Design Optimization
Our embodied carbon analysis compares design options, such as structural systems, façades or material choices, to find where carbon can be reduced most effectively. Calculating embodied carbon early helps you set realistic targets and avoid costly late changes.
EPBD Life-Cycle GWP Readiness
We help developers and owners prepare for the EPBD life-cycle GWP requirements, so new projects are ready for disclosure and for future national limit values.
Why Choose DCarbon for Your Life Cycle Analysis?
- Built environment specialists: we focus on buildings, so our LCA studies reflect how real projects are designed, built and operated.
- Certification know-how: as a LEED Proven Provider for Building Design & Construction and Interior Design & Construction, we know exactly how LCA feeds into certification.
- Connected with energy performance: we combine LCA with building energy modeling, so you see embodied and operational carbon together and make balanced decisions.
- Standards-based and transparent: our studies follow ISO 14040/14044 and EN 15978, with clear assumptions and data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a life cycle assessment?
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardized method for measuring the environmental impacts of a product or building across its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to end of life. It covers impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions (Global Warming Potential), resource use and pollution, and is defined by the international standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
What are the stages of a life cycle assessment?
An LCA study has four phases: goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory (collecting data on materials, energy and processes), life cycle impact assessment, and interpretation of the results. For buildings, EN 15978 groups the life cycle into:
- product and construction stages (modules A1–A5)
- use stage (B1–B7)
- end of life (C1–C4)
- benefits beyond the system boundary, such as reuse and recycling (module D)
Is there a life cycle assessment certification?
An LCA itself is not a certificate, but its results can be independently reviewed and used to achieve green building certifications such as LEED and BREEAM. For building products, LCA is the basis for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
How long does a typical LCA take?
It depends on the size of the project, the scope of the study and how much data is available.
How do I prepare for an LCA?
Have your drawings, bill of quantities or material schedules, structural and MEP information and any available EPDs ready. The more specific the data on materials and quantities, the more accurate the results.
Can LCA help with carbon footprint reporting?
Yes. LCA provides reliable data on the embodied carbon of your buildings, which supports carbon footprint calculations, decarbonization targets and sustainability reporting.
Get Started with Your Life Cycle Assessment
Find out where your building’s biggest environmental impacts lie and how to reduce them.