In the context of building materials, what does the ISO 14040 standard primarily address?

The ISO 14040 standard primarily addresses Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles, which is a systematic process for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal. This standard outlines the methodology for conducting life cycle assessments, establishing a framework that includes goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation phases. By focusing on LCA principles, the standard helps to identify areas where improvements can be made to reduce environmental impacts and encourages more sustainable decision-making regarding building materials and practices.

In this context, the other choices focus on related but distinct areas. Environmental labels are certifications that indicate specific environmental attributes of products, rather than the methodologies for assessing their life cycles. Recycled content pertains to the proportion of materials in a product that come from recycled sources, which is an element that can be assessed through an LCA but is not the main focus of the ISO 14040 standard. Raw material sourcing addresses the origins of materials used in products, which can be informed by LCA findings but does not encompass the overall assessment principles elucidated by the ISO 14040 framework.