Innovation Credit Inquiry for Life Cycle Analysis/Database Development. Intent: The intent of this innovation is to develop a process for the evaluation of the economic and environmental life-cycle impacts of materials. This process was used on this project and will continue to be used on all projects at the Pentagon as it is developed. Description: The Pentagon Renovation Program has developed in-house tools to evaluate the life-cycle impacts of materials. The tools are described below. 1. Sustainable Questionnaire. An interdisciplinary team, with representation from the designers, facilities staff, and the Pentagon Renovation Office, developed a detailed questionnaire regarding life-cycle impacts of materials. The forms were filled out by the sustainable consultant, with input from manufacturers and were used in the final selection of most materials. Materials used in the highest volume and/or representing the highest cost were a priority. 2. Database. The development of the questionnaire was the first phase of a bigger undertaking, which is the development of a Sustainable Products Database. The database will allow the Pentagon Renovation Office to track all products that were considered; which were selected; submittals; cut sheets; cost data and performance data so that this information can be used on future projects. This is a very important undertaking since the Pentagon will be undergoing renovation at least until 2010, but the database will probably be used for a longer period. Due to the successes of the Pentagon Renovation Office on earlier projects, we have been asked to tackle other projects on the Pentagon Reservation. The MEF is just one example of new construction; i.e., an additional project not included as part of the original Renovation Program. The lessons learned after 9/11 will, undoubtedly, generate new requirements and projects. 3. LEED Comparison to Federal Requirements. A matrix was developed by the team to show the Pentagon Renovation Office where LEED overlapped other Federal Requirements such as the Executive Orders and the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines. This tool was helpful in showing how LEED complemented, and didn\'t contradict, Federal sustainable requirements. If examples of these tools are submitted with an example of how materials were selected based on these tools, could an innovation credit be achieved?
In principle, LEED would like to award an innovation point for initiatives that encourage the use of LCA and LCC/WLC techniques and set an example for other projects. However, more detail would be needed to demonstrate the scope and rigor of the assessment, the sources of base data the methodology used, and its relevance to the Pentagon Site including: How are functional units selected for the materials? What method of allocation is used between co-products and is it used consistently throughout (for all process stages and materials and resources)? What sources of cost data are used and what discount rates are assumed? How are the transport implications of supplies from different sources accommodated? How are recycled materials accounted for (coming into the project and leaving the project)? How are the lives of competing materials estimated and accounted, etc.? For materials that also have an impact on the operational performance of the building over the life cycle - e.g. external fabric, insulation materials and glazing systems that affect operational energy consumption, finishes that have implications for cleaning etc. how have the materials implications been reconciled with the operational implications? Finally, how are the LCA results interpreted to reach conclusions including: What method of classification and characterization of impacts is used (CML, TRACI, other)? What method of normalization is used (per citizen, per $ GDP, other)? What method of weighting of impacts is used? How are LC Cost results reconciled with LC Environmental Assessment results? OR has an off-the-shelf method been used like ecological footprinting? OR has externality costing been used and if so from what source? In our experience, many claims for the use of LCA do not stand up to scrutiny and actually lead to inappropriate materials choices. A review of the method and documentation with some examples to illustrate its use would be needed for us to reach a conclusion.