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PUBLICATIONS

BEES Online: Life Cycle Analysis for Building Products

Published

Author(s)

Barbara C. Lippiatt, Anne L. Greig, Priya D. Lavappa

Abstract

The BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) Online web application implements a rational, systematic technique for selecting environmentally-preferred, cost-effective building products. The technique is based on consensus standards and designed to be practical, flexible, and transparent. The decision support software--aimed at designers, builders, and product manufacturers--includes actual environmental and economic performance data for over 230 building products across a range of functional applications. BEES measures the environmental performance of building products using the environmental life-cycle assessment approach specified in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14040 standards. All stages in the life of a product are analyzed: raw material acquisition, manufacture, transportation, installation, use, and waste management. Economic performance is measured using the ASTM International standard life-cycle cost method (E917), which covers the costs of initial investment, replacement, operation, maintenance and repair, and disposal. Environmental and economic performance are combined into an overall performance measure using the ASTM standard for Multiattribute Decision Analysis (E1765). For the entire BEES analysis, building products are defined and classified based on the ASTM standard classification for building elements known as UNIFORMAT II (E1557).
Citation
BEES Online
Pub Weblink
http://ws680.nist.gov/bees/
Pub Type
Websites

Keywords

Building products, economic performance, environmental performance, green buildings, life cycle assessment, life-cycle costing, multiattribute decision analysis, sustainable development
Buildings and Construction

Citation

Lippiatt, B. , Greig, A. and Lavappa, P. (2010), BEES Online: Life Cycle Analysis for Building Products, BEES Online, [online], http://ws680.nist.gov/bees/ (Accessed October 10, 2024)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact reflib@nist.gov.

Created September 30, 2010, Updated February 19, 2017