Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Academic Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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AE 6461 - Life Cycle Assessment of Building and Infrastructure Systems

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
Life cycle assessment and costing allow the engineer to effectively model both the environmental and economic impacts of a building or infrastructure system. Topics covered include 1) an introduction to the ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment protocols for quantifying environmental life cycle impacts, 2) introduction to the Economic Input Output (EIO) method for quantifying environmental life cycle impacts, 3) a review of life cycle cost modelling using the net present value technique and applied specifically to green building and infrastructure projects as a means to justify potentially higher first costs of such projects, 4) a survey of green rating systems such as LEED, Green Globes, and Envision and discussion of how these rating systems incorporate the principles of life cycle assessment, 5) introduction to risk management as applied to green building and infrastructure projects, with particular emphasis on how risks affect the life cycle cost modelling for such projects, 6) strategies for quantifying uncertainties in the life cycle cost modelling of green building and infrastructure projects, including use of Monte Carlo simulation, 7) an introduction to software packages used to assist in LCA modelling, and 8) building and infrastructure case studies of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost modelling. (prereq: graduate standing)
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  • Understand the basic elements required when performing an ISO 14040 compliant Life Cycle Impace Assessment (LCIA)
  • Understand the basic elements of the Economic Input Output (EIO) method for quantifying environmental life cycle impacts
  • Perform a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) on a building or infrastructure system
  • Perform a Life Cycle Impacts Assessment (LCIA) on a building or infrastructure system
  • Identify common risks and liabilities associated with a green building or infrastructure project and assign costs associated with such risks and liabilities
  • Perform a Life Cycle Cost Assessment on a building or infrastructure project, accounting for uncertainties associated with future costs and discount rates

Prerequisites by Topic
  • None

Course Topics
  • Introduction to the ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment protocols
  • Introduction to the Economic Input Output (EIO) method
  • Review of life cycle cost modeling using the net present value technique
  • Survey of green rating systems such as LEED, Green Globes, and Envision
  • Introduction to risk management as applied to green building and infrastructure projects
  • Strategies for quantifying uncertainties in the life cycle cost modelling of green building and infrastructure projects
  • Introduction to software packages used to assist in LCA modeling
  • Building and infrastructure case studies of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost modeling

Coordinator
Dr. Deborah Jackman



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