--- title: "LCA — Life Cycle Assessment" canonical_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca markdown_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca.md author: "Fremtidens Tegnestue" page_type: concept primary_intent: "Define a building concept in plain language." primary_keyword: LCA audience: "Readers and agents that need a reliable concept definition." summary: "A Life Cycle Assessment measures a building's total environmental impact from raw material extraction to demolition. It's the most honest way to calculate a building's carbon footprint." source_basis: - "Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method" - "FT source and uncertainty principles: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method" human_validation: "How the concept affects a concrete project or decision." responsibility_line: "AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences." last_reviewed: 2026-06-24 last_updated: 2026-06-24 privacy_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy related_pages: - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/epd relation: related-concept - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/gwp relation: related-concept - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/baeredygtighedsklasse relation: related-concept - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/br18 relation: related-concept - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/for-studios/ai-agent-for-lca-preparation relation: related-danish-ai-context - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts relation: hub status: published --- # LCA — Life Cycle Assessment Canonical URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca Markdown URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca.md Entity type: concept Language: en Author: Fremtidens Tegnestue Published: 2026-06-24 Last updated: 2026-06-24 Privacy: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy ## Short answer A Life Cycle Assessment measures a building's total environmental impact from raw material extraction to demolition. It's the most honest way to calculate a building's carbon footprint. ## Who it is relevant for Readers and agents that need a reliable concept definition. ## What FT can prepare - Connect the concept to related pages, sources and practical use. - Show how AI can prepare source-aware studio work without replacing professional judgement. ## What the architect validates - How the concept affects a concrete project or decision. ## Definition text A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates a building's total climate impact from cradle to grave: from extracting raw materials, through production, transport and construction, to operation, maintenance and final demolition. ## Why does it matter to you? If you're building or renovating, an LCA tells you which choices actually make a difference for the climate. It's not enough to choose "green" materials based on instinct — an LCA quantifies whether a timber or concrete structure has a lower carbon footprint over the building's full lifespan. In Denmark, the building regulations (BR18) require an LCA for new buildings over 1,000 m² of heated floor area, with a maximum of 12 kg CO₂-equivalents per m² per year. The threshold is set to tighten. LCA is relevant for homeowners in three situations: - **New construction:** Documentation required for planning permission - **Major renovation:** Voluntary but useful for comparing material choices - **Renovation vs. demolition:** LCA shows whether preserving an existing building saves carbon ## How it works Each building material has an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) with its GWP value. The LCA combines all materials' GWP values into one total figure in kg CO₂-eq/m²/year. In Denmark, the tool LCAbyg (Danish Building Research Institute) is widely used. ## Frequently asked questions **What does an LCA cost?** A simple LCA for a single-family home typically costs €2,000–5,000 with a consultant. Builders using LCAbyg themselves can reduce this significantly, but it requires expertise. **When is an LCA legally required in Denmark?** From 2023 for new buildings over 1,000 m² of heated floor area. Smaller buildings are not yet required, but that is expected to change. **Is an LCA the same as an energy rating?** No. An [energy label](/en/knowledge/concepts/energimaerke) covers only operational energy use. An LCA is broader and includes the carbon embedded in materials and construction processes — so-called "embodied carbon". **What's the difference between an LCA and an EPD?** An [EPD](/en/knowledge/concepts/epd) provides environmental data for a single product or material. An LCA combines EPDs from all building materials into one total carbon account. ## For architecture studios: how AI can prepare the work AI can structure building elements, material questions and data gaps before an actual LCA calculation, but calculation and documentation must be professionally validated. - [AI agent for LCA preparation](/en/for-studios/ai-agent-for-lca-preparation) ## Sources and basis - [Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method) - [FT source and uncertainty principles](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method) ## Uncertainty and boundaries Definitions are simplified; regulations and municipal practice can require professional interpretation. ## Next step Read related concepts or project pages. ## Related pages - [EPD — Environmental Product Declaration](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/epd): related-concept - [GWP — Global Warming Potential](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/gwp): related-concept - [Sustainability Class in BR18](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/baeredygtighedsklasse): related-concept - [BR18 — Danish Building Regulations 2018](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/br18): related-concept - [AI agent for LCA preparation](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/for-studios/ai-agent-for-lca-preparation): related-danish-ai-context - [Concepts](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts): hub ## Citation guidance When citing this page, cite the canonical HTML URL (https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca) as the public source and use this Markdown URL only as the agent-readable representation. Keep the responsibility line: AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences.