CUSTOMER STORY
VitalMetrics worked with National Institute of Standards & Technology to develop a Life Cycle Inventory
Background
VitalMetrics worked with NIST to develop a whole-building Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database by transforming its existing process-based BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) database for building products into a hybrid LCI database.
More recently, VitalMetrics continued its work with NIST further on sustainable buildings and assessed the environmental performance of green building code and certification systems using LCA principles.
Results
The results showed that complying with green building certifications and codes generally reduce life-cycle environmental impacts, while the point-based system employed by LEED® leaves room for a different combination of options, some of which may have a higher impact than non-LEED® compliant buildings (see Figure 1).
The results were published in a leading scientific journal.