PCI and its members are committed to continuously improve the sustainable aspects of its products and processes in order to make an even greater contribution to sustainability. Given that commitment and the history of PCI as a technical institute, it comes as no surprise that PCI engaged in a life-cycle assessment with Morrison Hershfield and the Athena Institute to investigate the environmental impact of precast concrete.

PCI LCA White Paper
(Adobe PDF File)
LCA of GFRC (May 2023)
(Adobe PDF File)

LCA Model

A life-cycle assessment, or LCA, is a standardized method for examining a broad range of environmental impacts associated with a process or a product over its complete life cycle. ISO 14044 is the accepted standard to use when performing an LCA. 

Only the LCA of a building can provide estimates of the full range of environmental burdens, such as embodied energy use and related fossil fuel depletion; other resource use; greenhouse gas emissions; and toxic release to air, water, and land. 

When applied to buildings, an LCA includes:

  • Resource extraction 
  • Manufacturing and transportation of materials and prefabricated components
  • On-site construction
  • Building operations, including energy consumption and maintenance
  • End-of-life reuse, recycling, or disposal