LCA plugin Finally here :) DesignLCA

[Thomas Nymann]

Hi

Graphisoft Center Danmark just released a public beta version of DesignLCA, a plugin to AC 26 that facilitates Eco designer star, in order to calculate a projects CO2 footprint throughout a given period of time (CO2eq/m2/anno)

DesignLCA calculates the "Global Warming Potential" as an "Early stage LCA"

With this method designers can (fairly) easy get a reading of your projects CO2 footprint where both construction and operation is taken into consideration.

There´s a Danish version, prepared to meet the danish regulations that will be implemented in 2023.

There´s an international version where vaules and settings needs to be adjusted to meet your local regulations, demands and EPD´s .

DesignLCA calculates the "Global Warming Potential" as an "Early stage LCA"

Feel free to download  the international version from this website: https://www.designlca.com/

The Danish version is part of our Localization, and can be downloaded from our website:

https://Graphisoft-danmark.dk/download

Please leave a comment if this could be usefull for studio.

 

[Nik]

Thanks Thomas, I've got it to work now and your plugin values match my schedule. I think the issue was that I had the service life set to 0 in some of the materials. Setting it to 1 throughout has fixed that. I'll keep playing with things and let you know how I get on.

Do you have any recommendations for good sources of generic embodied carbon data? We're UK based. At the moment we just want to quickly compare design options at the concept stage to determine which is likely to perform better from a carbon point of view, but without having to get get too detailed about materials. Thanks again, Nik

[Thomas Graabaek]

Hi Nik. 

Try ÖKOBAUDAT: https://www.oekobaudat.de/en

[Jaime-airc_digital]

Thanks very much for the plugin, it is absolutely brilliant for early design integrated calculations and we are currently adapting our template file for UK standards.

I would suggest that some more automation for inputing values would be very welcome. Even just to be able to import and export the Building materials GWP values into Excel would be a great enhancement.

Also, please check the code so that the results units for comparison with national standards don't reset automatically to kg CO2eq/m2/a. It should stay on the metric indicated in the DesignLCA settings dialog. 

[Hugopoggi]

Hello, 

Thank you for this plug-in, it seems so convenient and well done.

I'm having trouble to use the plug-in. 

1) When i open the file an error message says " EcoDesigner STAR License activation Failed, Add-On functions will be disabled"

The evaluation Report can be done though.

2) When i try to use DesignLCA plug-in to go further in the analysis, i can find the plug-in on the tool bar at the top of the screen, but i can't use it because when the Energy Model Review window is open and i click to export the energy simulation, i dont have "Export to DesignLCA" 

Thank you for your help, 

Hugo

[Thomas Graabaek]

Hi Hugo

Are you sure you have the very latest update for Archicad 26 (build 4019)?

// Thomas

[Hugopoggi]

Oups you re right. Its 3001. Will it also work for USA Version ? Which means imperial units ?

Thank you very much, 

Hugo

[Thomas Graabaek]

Good question 😬

[Jaime-airc_digital]

After adapting our template to use DesignLCA, I have some additional suggestions.

Being intended as a design aid, it needs to help the designer take decisions on the materials and composites used. I suggest that for this purpose, it would be great to implement some additional functionality:

- In the Building Material LCA settings list, the interface should be consistent with the material editor. It would be useful to be able to sort materials either by Name, ID or more importantly, highlight the materials present in the elements selected in the 3D window.

 - Once the results are calculated, it would be really useful to see the individual elements impact on the calculation to be able to quickly identify them and propose alternatives. Also being able to filter them by either materials, composites or complex profiles to see which ones have the most impact.

[Thomas Graabaek]

Hi Jamie

Thanks for your feedback. 

I will try to find out, if we can add more functionality to the Material Browser in DesignLCA, but I don't think there it is possible. 

But we definitely looking into how we can break down the total CO2e from materials into (preferable) a list of Buildingmaterials divided by Layer. In this way you can get an overview of the lowest hanging fruits. – Exactly as you suggest: as a design tool! 

Thanks again and have a great day!

[Yazan]

Hi,
Thanks for sharing! However I have few questions :
-I've been trying with it a little bit and I'm getting unrealistic strange values with E* and very high values for doors, unlike the screnshots I saw on top, do you by any chance know why ? 
-How does it calculates for doors and windows ? or where does it take the values from?
-Since there's no layer compination to select, does it calculates the whole elements in the file or for the current elements that are showing in the 3d view ?

Best regards.