This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. The impact of building materials on the environment continues to grow in importance within the construction industry. In addition to performance, budget and aesthetics, design professionals are now being asked to evaluate the environmental burdens of their design choices. Measuring the impacts of buildings, assemblies and products can be complex. Every design decision, from material and product selection to envelope design and construction can have an impact on the environment and the methods used to evaluate those decisions are still not widely understood.


This presentation will address critical issues the design professional should consider when evaluating the environmental impacts of building materials to maximize performance and deliver lasting value.


Learning Objectives

  • Recognize how design decisions can affect environmental impacts of a buildings.
  • Learn how the life cycle perspective when making design decisions can help create sustainable projects.
  • Identify how critical issues such as land use, human health, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions can impact environmental performance.
  • Understand how life cycle assessment can play a role in evaluating environmental impacts of design decisions.

Pre-requisite: Basic knowledge of buildings, assemblies and products.