EFRI-SEED: BUILD - Barriers, Understanding, Integration - Life Cycle Development

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The objective of this EFRI-SEED project is to develop a multi-faceted, dynamic life cycle based framework that quantifies the environmental impacts of buildings and aids in decision-making at multiple scales. In order to accomplish this objective, the researchers will determine the barriers to the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) and evaluate solutions to overcome these obstacles, and, in doing so, advance the fundamental science and ultimate applicability of LCA in the A/E/C (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) communities. The proposed research will have a significant impact on greening buildings within the US due to the synergistic nature of the team, which includes partnerships with major green building organizations, and addressing the needs of green buildings with the development of the proposed LCA method. A task-based approach will be pursued. First, barriers and possible solutions to LCA will be identified through surveys and focus groups with partners, members, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Pittsburgh's Green Building Alliance (GBA), as well as leveraging information from active case studies. A multifaceted, dynamic life cycle-based method for high-performance buildings, based on the identified barriers and possible solutions will be developed. A scenario building graphic interface "the BUILD dashboard" will be developed. A specific simulation case study, cogeneration, will be used to illustrate the depth of the framework. A culture of evidence will be created in order to demonstrate how the application of the newly developed dynamic LCA will be successful in overcoming the various barriers.The team plans extensive education, outreach, and reporting. The partner case studies will provide real-time data to the dynamic LCA and exemplify multiple levels and perspectives of the breadth and depth required for buildings: Phipps Living Building, a net-zero energy building currently under design (representing a high-level, complete building LCA); the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, a green building (representing a new existing building); and Carnegie Mellon University's Intelligent Workspace, an established structure (representing a building with existing sensor system and robust data). Cogeneration systems are also a focus of this proposal and the developed models will cross the building types (representing process and material choices and building system LCA). The PIs' plan for education and outreach includes: incorporation of research into the undergraduate and graduate courses; integration in an existing NSF REU site; capitalizing on Co-PI Landis' RET site to incorporate undergraduates and area high school teachers into the proposed research.The FY 2010 EFRI-SEED Topic that supports this project was sponsored by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorates for Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Computer & Information Science and Engineering in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).