ONWARD HISTORIC PRESERVATION! EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF NEW CONSTRUCTION THROUGH LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA): A POLICY PERSPECTIVE
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Date
2016
Authors
Wheeler, Terra Ettrick
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Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
The focus ofthis terminal project is to research and measure the environmental impact of
demolitions of single-family homes in Portland through the lens of Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA). LCA is a method of estimating the life cycle impacts of a product,
including the various processes used to process, manufacture, use and dispose of an item
- in this context an entire building. This experiment is intended to create a standardized
measurement of the carbon footprint that occurs as a result of demolition and associated
new construction The specific application is the approximately 400 demolitions of
existing buildings that occurred in Portland, 2015 - 70% of which were single family
homes I and the approximately 100 new single family homes that were built to replace
them According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation Green Lab's report, The
Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, "additional
research and analysis [is] needed to help communities design and employ public-policy
tools that will remove obstacles to building reuse. 2" Research conducted to inform policy
has the potential to be a helpful tool for more effective preservation planning and
advocacy. Data analysis and synthesis of accumulated data will yield results that will
build upon existing knowledge, including several historic preservation case studies that
utilize Life Cycle Assessment to assess carbon impacts of new construction. It is
important to mention that the socio-cultural element of demolishing existing buildings is
worthy of its own study. However, the scope of this work focuses on the connections
between land use policies, carbon reduction and reuse of existing buildings. This research has the potential to influence policy decisions that will shape the sustainability
of cities now and in the future, especially in the face of balancing pressures of
development and reduction of carbon impacts.
Description
83 pages