Designers call for consistent approach to LCAs
Lighting designers are collaborating to help Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) impact data on luminaires be applied in project designs.
The discussions are part of the work of a newly established LCA Task Force within the International Lighting Designers Association (IALD) following work initiated through the Life Cycle Assessment Incubator, an industry collaboration between the GreenLight Alliance and the IALD since 2021.
As part of the Incubator, data was collated from participating individual manufacturers to produce an Industry Average Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for each of the following luminaire classes: linear fittings, downlights, cylinder-style products, recessed 600 x 600 modular panels and post top luminaires. The EPDs are currently in the process of being third party verified to ensure robustness of the approach and results before being released to the public.
Once public, designers will be able to apply the resulting Industry Average EPD data for generic luminaires to typical spaces in projects they have in development.
This will provide designers with a more reliable means to understand and compare the qualitative and quantitative impact of various designs.
In the interests of supporting a global approach to LCA in the lighting industry, the EPDs will be published under a Memorandum of Understanding between program operators, Pep Ecopassport and EPD International. This will allow for potential adoption across jurisdictions that otherwise may be more limited.
The Incubator follows a commitment by manufacturers and designers to investigate the current life cycle impact of commonly used luminaires and lighting strategies. The goal is to take a collective step towards transparency, constructive dialogue and a consistent approach to measuring, reporting and applying LCA information for lighting design.
A key issue the designers are grappling with is comparability and complexity of the metrics. There is call for industry wide efforts to develop consistent assumptions and reporting standards to enable best use of LCA findings in design decision making. This includes choosing between luminaires to specify those that have a lower carbon footprint over the life of the luminaire. Designers are also calling for simplifying the complexity of results to support engagement and uptake by clients and the wider supply chain.
Other issues under scrutiny in the workflow proceedings include standardised lifetime measuring, carbon ‘budgeting’, and selection of at least one standard location to present impacts in terms of one consistent energy grid since different regional grid mixes significantly change results.
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