MR-1: Lifecycle Assessment

Goal

Create new lifecycle assessment information for roads.

Requirements

Conduct a detailed process-based lifecycle assessment (ISO-LCA) or hybrid economic input-output lifecycle assessment (Hybrid-EIO) according to the ISO14040 standard frameworks for the final roadway design alternative. Include all items on the project bid list in the initial scope of the study before any streamlining of the scope is done. Use primary data for all processes where possible. Where no primary data exists, use the best available data and justify the substitution. Choose at least three impact categories to report for the lifecycle impact assessment (LCIA) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Framework for Responsible Environmental Decision-Making (FRED: 2000). Use equivalency factors for the impact assessment based on the most current version of the indicator model referenced. FRED is available from the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment here: http://www.lcacenter.org/library/pdf/fred.pdf. Note that some equivalency factors in this document are outdated. See the MR-1 Research section for more details.

Documentation

Copy of the completed LCA. This document should include, at minimum, the following specific information.

• Name and contact information of person(s) who conducted the LCA. Be sure to list any LCA Certified Professionals (LCACP) involved in the project.
• A list of all data sources used, and the input data used. If data is proprietary, list the owner and contact information, and identify all processes included in the proprietary data sets.
• List any material inputs not listed in PR-3 but included in the LCA (these will be non-pavement items). 
• Detailed results of the life cycle inventory (LCI).
• Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results showing a minimum of three impact categories (i.e. global warming potential, acidification, photochemical smog, human health, etc.) from FRED. List sources of equivalency factors used.
• The data quality score of the final alternative (see MR-1 Research section.)
• A list of the top three contributing processes to the impact categories (based on normalized results, such as annual energy use per American household, etc.)
• A list of all limitations of the study scope and data used.

Public commentary on credit MR-1