46: How to Measure the Impact of Where Stuff Comes From with eTool

What's the impact of where all the stuff comes from that you use when creating your dream home, and how do you measure it? That's what LCA (life cycle analysis) is all about, and that's what eTool is all about. This week, I talk to eTool creator, Alex Bruce. 

Growing up on a farm helped shape Alex's appreciation for the outdoors. He went on to study Mechanical Engineering and while working in remote north Western Australia, got an opportunity to get into the solar panel business. 

One day someone asked Alex if it was true that solar panels consume more energy to make that what they produce in their lifetime. At the time he didn't know the answer, and set out to find out. 

eTool is now available to help answer that same question for all types of products and materials that go into building your home. 

References:

• http://etool.net.au/
• http://www.homestar.org.nz/
• http://www.bioregional.com/oneplanetliving/what-is-one-planet-living/
• http://www.oneplanetliving.org/index.html
• http://www.usgbc.org/leed/homes
• http://living-future.org/lbc

Book recommendation:

Making Your Home Sustainable, by Derek Wrigley

Other Podcasts:

http://www.entrearchitect.com/category/podcast/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/geoff-mcdonald-ideas-architect/id673000099

http://www.houseplanninghelp.com/category/podcast/

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/rnz-nine-to-noon/id174829950

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/rnz-this-way-up/id207987745