September 2022
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a powerful tool to understand environmental impacts, whether that’s a plastic bottle, a hamburger or a whole building! But when is the best time to run an assessment? Lendlease is a global construction, investment management, and development company who use LCA throughout their projects. They use it as a crucial decision-making tool, not just to measure environmental impacts. The earlier it’s used, the greater influence it can have on a project.
In this webinar, Ceire Kenny, a Sustainable Futures Consultant, Integrated Solutions at Lendlease explains how they use LCA early and the positive effects it brings.
Watch a sneak peek of the webinar:
Main webinar takeaways
Use Life Cycle Assessment as a decision maker
Lendlease use LCA as a crucial decision-making tool, not just to measure environmental impacts. The earlier it’s used, the greater influence it can have on a project. As a scientific assessment, LCA won’t label a project ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – it provides data without judgment.
Lendlease measure throughout a project with iterative LCA
LCA can be run at multiple stages in a project, letting you refine your approach and measure your progress against sustainability targets. As a decision-making tool, LCA can be used at the early planning stages, concept design, subcontractor engagement, detailed design and elsewhere.
Go ‘top down’ to guide your thinking
Embedding LCA in your organisation means you can start with climate targets and strategic thinking in mind, and work toward them. With a ‘top down’ approach, this can help guide your project or procurement. This contrasts with many building projects where LCA is only done at the end. ‘Top down’ might start with ambitions for a building with a high Green Star rating and this will inform all your decisions. ‘Bottom up’ might ask at the end of a project ‘is this eligible for any environmental certificates?’
LCA can drive big changes
Lendlease has an ambitious goal to become carbon zero by 2040. This includes ‘no greenhouse gas emissions from our business activities. No offsets. And it applies to scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions.’ LCA is an important part of this ambition, combining strategic thinking and iterative decision making.
Supply chain collaborations are essential for transformation
Work with your suppliers – find out what’s possible or what other options you have. Use your market position to influence change. Ceire described sustainable approaches to building as a megatrend and that suppliers need to get on board.