ASTM E2921-22

Standard Practice for Minimum Criteria for Comparing Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments for Use with Building Codes, Standards, and Rating Systems

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This practice provides criteria that building design teams shall use to compare the environmental impacts associated with a reference building design and a final building design, including additions to existing buildings where applicable.  
5.2 This practice deals specifically with material selection for initial construction, including associated maintenance and replacement cycles over an assumed service life, taking operating energy use into account if required or explicitly allowed under the applicable code, standard, or rating system.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides criteria to be applied irrespective of the assessment (LCA) tool that is used when LCA is undertaken at the whole building level to compare a final whole building design to a reference building design.  
1.2 The purpose of this practice is to support the use of whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in building codes, standards, and building rating systems by ensuring that comparative assessments of final whole building designs relative to reference building designs take account of the relevant building features, life cycle stages, and related activities in similar fashion for both the reference and final building designs of the same building.  
1.3 The criteria do not deal with building occupant behavior, possible future changes in building function, building rehabilitation or retrofit, or other matters that cannot be foreseen or reasonably estimated at the design or permitting stage, or both where this practice applies.  
1.4 Only environmental impacts and aspects of sustainability are addressed in this practice. The social and economic impacts and aspects of sustainability are not addressed in this practice.  
1.5 This practice does not deal with basic LCA methodology, calculation methods or related matters that are covered in cited international standards.  
1.6 This practice does not supersede or modify existing ISO standards for the application of LCA at the product level, nor does it address any of the following related applications:  
1.6.1 Aggregation of building products Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) at the whole building level;  
1.6.2 Rules for applying EPDs in a building code, standard, or rating system; and  
1.6.3 Comparability of building product EPDs.
Note 1: ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 provide guidance on use and comparability of building products EPDs.  
1.7 This practice does not specify the impact categories or sustainability aspects to be addressed in building codes, standards, or building rating systems and users of this practice conform to the impact category requirements specified in the applicable code, standard, or rating system.  
1.8 The text of this standard contains notes that provide explanatory material. These notes shall not be considered as requirements of the standard.  
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 14-Nov-2022
• ICS: 13.020.60 - Product life-cycles
• ICS: 91.040.01 - Buildings in general
• Technical Committee: E60 - Sustainability
• Drafting Committee: E60.01 - Buildings and Construction

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E2921 − 22
Standard Practice for
Minimum Criteria for Comparing Whole Building Life Cycle
Assessments for Use with Building Codes, Standards, and
1
Rating Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2921; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.6.3 Comparability of building product EPDs.
1.1 This practice provides criteria to be applied irrespective
NOTE 1—ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 provide guidance on use and
comparability of building products EPDs.
of the assessment (LCA) tool that is used when LCA is
undertakenatthewholebuildingleveltocompareafinalwhole
1.7 This practice does not specify the impact categories or
building design to a reference building design.
sustainability aspects to be addressed in building codes,
standards, or building rating systems and users of this practice
1.2 The purpose of this practice is to support the use of
conform to the impact category requirements specified in the
whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in building
applicable code, standard, or rating system.
codes, standards, and building rating systems by ensuring that
comparative assessments of final whole building designs rela-
1.8 The text of this standard contains notes that provide
tive to reference building designs take account of the relevant
explanatory material. These notes shall not be considered as
building features, life cycle stages, and related activities in
requirements of the standard.
similarfashionforboththereferenceandfinalbuildingdesigns
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the
of the same building.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
1.3 The criteria do not deal with building occupant responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
behavior,possiblefuturechangesinbuildingfunction,building
rehabilitation or retrofit, or other matters that cannot be mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.10 This international standard was developed in accor-
foreseen or reasonably estimated at the design or permitting
stage, or both where this practice applies. dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
1.4 Only environmental impacts and aspects of sustainabil-
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
ity are addressed in this practice. The social and economic
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
impacts and aspects of sustainability are not addressed in this
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
practice.
2. Referenced Documents
1.5 This practice does not deal with basic LCA
2
methodology, calculation methods or related matters that are
2.1 ASTM Standards:
covered in cited international standards.
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
E2114 Terminology for Sustainability Relative to the Perfor-
1.6 This practice does not supersede or modify existing ISO
mance of Buildings
standards for the application of LCA at the product level, nor
3
2.2 Other Standards:
does it address any of the following related applications:
ISO 21930 Sustainability in building construction – Envi-
1.6.1 Aggregation of building products Environmental
ronmental declaration of building products
Product Declarations (EPD) at the whole building level;
ISO 14025 Environmental labels and declarations – Type III
1.6.2 Rules for applying EPDs in a building code, standard,
environmental declarations – Principles and procedures
or rating system; and
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E60 on Sustain- contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
ability and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E60.01 on Buildings and Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Construction.
the ASTM website.
3
Current edition approved Nov. 15, 2022. Published November 2022. Originally
Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO
approved in 2013. Last previous edition approved in 2016 as E2921-16a. DOI: Central Secretariat, BIBC II, Chemin de Blandonnet 8, CP 401, 1214 Vernier,
10.1520/E2921-22. Geneva, Switzerland, http://www.iso.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Consh
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E2921 − 16a E2921 − 22
Standard Practice for
Minimum Criteria for Comparing Whole Building Life Cycle
Assessments for Use with Building Codes, Standards, and
1
Rating Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2921; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice provides criteria to be applied irrespective of the assessment (LCA) tool that is used when LCA is undertaken
at the whole building level to compare a final whole building design to a reference building design.
1.2 The purpose of this practice is to support the use of whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in building codes, standards,
and building rating systems by ensuring that comparative assessments of final whole building designs relative to reference building
designs take account of the relevant building features, life cycle stages, and related activities in similar fashion for both the
reference and final building designs of the same building.
1.3 The criteria do not deal with building occupant behavior, possible future changes in building function, building rehabilitation
or retrofit, or other matters that cannot be foreseen or reasonably estimated at the design or permitting stage, or both where this
practice applies.
1.4 Only environmental impacts and aspects of sustainability are addressed in this practice. The social and economic impacts and
aspects of sustainability are not addressed in this practice.
1.5 This practice does not deal with basic LCA methodology, calculation methods or related matters that are covered in cited
international standards.
1.6 This practice does not supersede or modify existing ISO standards for the application of LCA at the product level, nor does
it address any of the following related applications:
1.6.1 Aggregation of building products Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) at the whole building level;
1.6.2 Rules for applying EPDs in a building code, standard, or rating system; and
1.6.3 Comparability of building product EPDs.
NOTE 1—ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 provide guidance on use and comparability of building products EPDs.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E60 on Sustainability and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E60.01 on Buildings and Construction.
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2016Nov. 15, 2022. Published October 2016November 2022. Originally approved in 2013. Last previous edition approved in 2016 as
E2921-16.-16a. DOI: 10.1520/E2921-16A.10.1520/E2921-22.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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E2921 − 22
1.7 This practice does not specify the impact categories or sustainability aspects to be addressed in building codes, standards, or
building rating systems and users of this practice conform to the impact category requirements specified in the applicable code,
standard, or rating system.
1.8 The text of this standard contains notes that provide explanatory material. These notes shall not be considered as requirements
of the standard.
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
E2114 Terminology for Sustainability Relative to the Performance of Buildings
3
2.2 Other Standards:
ISO 21930 Sustainability in building construction – Environmental declaration of building products
ISO 14025 Environmental labels and declarations – Type III environmental declarations – Principles and procedures
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For A
...