In response to the introduction of the CALGreen legislation, One Click LCA, the global leader in construction life-cycle assessment (LCA) software, has launched an innovative tool designed specifically to meet these new requirements. The launch comes ahead of the July 1, 2024, mandate, preparing developers and builders to comply with the new sustainability benchmarks for non-residential buildings and schools in California.

As construction continues to grow, embodied will be responsible for half of the entire carbon footprint of new construction between now and 2050 according to the World Green Building Council. California, known for its proactive environmental policies, has furthered its green building standards with the new CALGreen code, being the first state to mandate a 10 percent reduction in embodied carbon for buildings over specified sizes. Embodied carbon is CO2 associated with manufacturing, transporting, and installing building materials. 

The new legislation is a significant step toward the reduction of the environmental impact of construction, supporting California’s climate goals. As of 2023, carbon emissions from buildings account for 36 percent of the total U.S. emissions.

The just launched One Click LCA CALGreen Tool is tailored to assist developers in achieving compliance with CALGreen's rigorous standards through three primary pathways: 

  • Building Reuse: Reuse at least 45 percent of an existing structure and exterior
  • Performance: Complete a whole building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) demonstrating a 10 percent reduction in embodied carbon from a baseline model
  • Prescriptive: Document environmental product declarations (EPDs) for specified materials

The tool provides a robust framework for building reuse, performance, and prescriptive compliance, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainability.

"We have built a tool that simplifies CalGREEN compliance by tapping into Revit models and energy models," says Panu Pasanen, CEO and Founder of One Click LCA. "This makes the process easier and faster, and it empowers architects and developers to meet their sustainability objectives without compromising on efficiency." 

The CalGreen tool features the world’s largest database of material EPDs and automates the calculation of embodied carbon reductions, making it easy to document and report compliance. Additionally, the CALGreen tool will be equipped to generate comparative LCA Word documents, aligning with both CALGreen and LEED requirements for developers who need to meet multiple certification standards.

"As California pushes forward with its environmental regulations, it's crucial that the construction industry has the tools it needs to succeed," Pasanen continues. "Our goal is to make compliance as straightforward as possible, removing barriers while decarbonizing the construction industry ." 

The One Click LCA tool is now available to use.