LEED AP Building Design and Construction (BD+C) Practice Exam

What is NOT an impact category of a life-cycle assessment?

1. Depletion of non-renewable energy resources

2. Formation of tropospheric ozone

3. Water scarcity

4. Acidification of land

The correct answer is: Water scarcity

The impact categories of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) are designed to evaluate the potential environmental effects of a product or service throughout its lifecycle. These categories typically include aspects like depletion of non-renewable energy resources, formation of tropospheric ozone, and acidification of land, all of which are crucial for understanding various environmental impacts. Water scarcity, while an important environmental issue, is not traditionally categorized as a formal impact category in classic LCA methodology. Instead, LCAs focus on impacts that are more readily quantifiable and related to specific environmental mechanisms or problems. Therefore, the correct choice highlights that water scarcity does not fit neatly into the traditional set of impact categories used in LCA frameworks, making it a less appropriate classification when compared to the others listed. In summary, the identification of options such as depletion of non-renewable energy resources and formation of tropospheric ozone as recognized categories reflects well-established areas of environmental impact.