Language
In advance, you can choose between the languages (“Sprache/Language”) in the black banner at the top right, English (“EN”) and German (“DE”). The change here only relates to words, including dataset names, but not to the output results for the environmental indicators in numbers. In this regard, decimals are always separated by a “.” in the English notation.
Create
The “LCA-Software” is an uncomplicated and easy – almost intuitive – to use tool, based on Ökobaudat data sets, which are provided by the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB).
The tool is able to calculate and display the results for various environmental indicators based on the selection of a building material and the specified usable quantity.
Input – Create Your Building Model
To create models or material registers, materials can be easily selected by “Category” and “Subcategory”. When the website is called up, the MDB tool is also in “Create” mode by default (see black banner at the top left), so that input can begin immediately. The three-stage material search is time-saving and easy to use. An exact description of components or even your building, the construction plan or your construction project is not required. It is sufficient to enter the materials consecutively, including the number or quantity of the required units.
Depending on the material, however, the unit may have to be entered differently (e.g. in kg, t, m, m²/qm, m³). For processing reasons, the unit cannot be varied here, which means that a previous conversion may be necessary. In addition to the number of units required, you should also be aware of the raw density, the weight per square meter or the layer thickness of the material you are entering. For a few materials such e. g. Roof Tiles (Category: Roofing ➞ Subcategory: Roofing ➞ …), you have the option to choose between two data sets (A and B), whereby for roof tiles data set A is for an entry in kg and data set B for an entry in m² stands. An independent conversion in advance is therefore not absolutely necessary for the corresponding materials.
Output – Model Details
For the selected (construction) materials, the results for the environmental indicators primary energy (KEA and KEV using PERT, PENRT, PENRM and PERM), Global Warming Potential (GWP), stratospheric Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP) and ground-level Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) are shown directly in the area below the entry, once the material and unit entry has been completed.
The results for the parameters describing the use of resources, which are measured in energy units, are given in kWh. The results of the indicators for the environmental impact are shown in the mass unit kg. Since the results of the individual environmental indicators in terms of the absolute quantities sometimes differ significantly from one another and the units kg and kWh are always used, sometimes very large but also very small result numbers are generated. For this reason, the tool uses the compact scientific-mathematical notation of numbers, with the decimal separator being a “.”.
Therefore, “1,000e+3” or “1e+3” stands for the number 1,000 (one thousand) while “1,000e-3” or “1e-3” stands for 0.001 (one thousandth). “1.500e+4” or “1.5e+4” stands for 15,000 (fifteen thousand) while “2.000e-4” or “2e-4” stands for 0.0002 (two ten-thousandths or one five-thousandth).
Further examples:
- 1e+1 = ten (10)
- 1e+2 = One Hundred (100)
- 1e-6 = One millionth (1/1000,000)
- 1e+9 = One billion (1,000,000,000)
- 1e-12 = One trillionth (1/1,000,000,000,000)
- 1.5e+6 = 1.5 million (1,500,000)
- 5e-9 = 5 x one millionth (5 x 1/1,000,000 or 1/200,000)
- 7.5e+12 = 7.5 billion
Graphic representation of the results – Energy Consumption and Environment Effect
The graphical representation of the results is located in the lower display area of the “Create mode”, directly below the numerical result output and the “Save button”. The individual building materials entered are displayed here in an XY bubble diagram, with the X-axis showing the entered usable quantity and the Y-axis showing the associated energy or emission quantity of the environmental parameter selected for display. The size of the bubble, on the other hand, stands for the mass, which is derived from the entered usable quantity of the selected building material.
Save on computer
You can enter a name or title for your model under the output of the environmental indicators and, if necessary, save the model (intermediately) under the chosen name. The model is now saved and you can start a new entry if required. At the top right of the black banner of the tool, next to the language selection (“Language”), you can call up your model again, which is saved and retained through the use of cookies, via “My Models” if required.
Compare
On the left side of the black banner, to the right of the “Create” mode, you will also find the “Compare” mode. This allows you to directly compare the results for the environmental indicators of your models. All you have to do is select the models for which you want to compare the results in the area on the left (set a tick) and press the “Compare” button. The results for the environmental indicators of the models are now displayed one below the other in the chronological order in which they were saved.
Explore
The “Explore” mode is also located in the upper left of the black banner, to the right of the “Compare” button, and provides a quick overview of the categories and their subcategories. When you click on a category, all of the subcategories become visible in a list below in the left area of the field of view. If you then click on a subcategory, all the materials for it are displayed in an additional field on the right in a list with up to three columns. As soon as you click on a material, the environmental indicators are finally displayed, broken down into energy (kWh) and environmental impact (in kg) per reference unit (e.g. kg, t, m, m²/qm, m³).
Legend – environmental indicators
- KEA [Joule] Accumulated energy expenditure
- KEV [Joule] Accumulated energy consumption
- PERT [Joule] Primary Energy Renewable Total
- PENRT [Joule] Primary Energy Non-Renewable Total
- PERM [Joule] Primary Energy Renewable Material
- PENRM [Joule] Primary Energy Non-Renewable Material
- GWP [mass CO2e] Global Warming Potential
- ODP [mass CCl3F] Ozone layer Depletion Potential
- AP [Mass SO2e] Acidification Potential of soil and water
- EP [mass PO4e] Eutrophication Potential
- POCP [mass C2H4e] Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (for ground-level)