Athena Impact Estimator Software
Metal Building Solution in the Athena Impact Estimator
The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute's Impact Estimator for Buildings is a free software program used to conduct whole building LCA to meet the provisions of green building rating systems, codes and standards. This program allows designers to explore the environmental footprint of their material choices using LCI data provided within the software. The MBMA industry-wide LCI data for metal building systems is included in the Impact Estimator software to allow for detailed analysis using the bill-of-materials approach; or the designer can use the simplified drop-down menus to evaluate a preliminary design. The free software is available by visiting www.athenasmi.org or www.calculatelca.com.
Athena Impact Estimator Case Studies
Case studies were prepared by Walter P. Moore and Associates, Inc., and were based on a series of whole building life cycle assessments using the Athena Impact Estimator software. This detailed study included the complete design of multiple different construction types, including metal building systems, with the goal of comparing them. By completely designing each building type, the detailed Bill of Materials (BOM) method could be used in the Athena software. The BOM method is more accurate than the simplified drop down menu system, and therefore provides for better project specific results.
