Life Cycle Assessment Software Now Free Download

The Athena Impact Estimator® (IE) is the most widely used North American life-cycle assessment tool made for designers that allows one to choose the structural system and specification. In order to significantly increase the user base of the IE within the architectural/engineering design community, the software is now offered free of charge. Visit http://calculatelca.com/software/impact-estimator/ for more information and to download.

The SEI Sustainability Committee is recognized in Athena Institute’s recent press release for our contribution to improvements made to their latest version of the Impact Estimator® (Version 4.2.01, released Sept 2012).  The LCA working group of the committee issued a wish list to Athena in late 2011 and worked through the year to fulfill one of the top wish list items: the addition of composite floors (concrete-filled metal deck over steel beams) to the floor and roof assembly options. This effort took a bridging of Athena with AISC and ensuring the translation of data from AISC into the tool met the needs of structural engineering users. The LCA WG will continue to push for implementation of other wish list items in the next release.”