ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the main characteristics of the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach with particular emphasis in its application to the building sector. It reviews the evolution of LCA from its roots, dating back in the decades of 1960s and 1970s, until today, and discusses efforts of different international organizations to standardize the overall procedure. The self-evident advantage of LCA application is that it enables the revealing of potentially significant though well-hidden environmental effects. The application of LCA may be limited by the following factors: lack of the acknowledgement of its necessity/utility; lack of specialized knowledge; lack of necessary budget; and lack of appropriate data and method. In addition, when applied in buildings, adaptation is needed for LCA to account for the long lifespan, local impacts, wide boundaries, maintenance, renovation and replacement needs, adaptation to changing expectations, users and technologies, occupant's behaviour and diverse interests of the involved stakeholders of the buildings.
