The Athena Institute

The Athena Institute is dedicated to sustainability of the built environment, a goal that can only be achieved by meeting the building community's need for better information and tools. From its Canadian offices, and through its US affiliate, Athena Institute International, the not-for-profit Athena organization undertakes and directs various research and development activities that make it possible to factor environmental considerations into the design process from the conceptual stage onward. Architects, engineers and researchers can get life cycle assessment (LCA) answers about conceptual designs of new buildings or renovations to existing buildings from the Athena Institute’s Environmental Impact Estimator. The Estimator lets you assess the environmental implications of industrial, institutional, office, and both multi-unit and single family residential designs. Where relevant, it also distinguishes between owner-occupied and rental facilities. The Estimator puts the environment on an equal footing with other more traditional design criteria at the conceptual design stage of a building project.