When it started, we formed a research alliance involving organizations and people with detailed knowledge about production processes for different building products, the use of those products in building and construction, and broader environmental issues associated with resource extraction and building demolition and disposal. Today we still commission inventory studies by people or organizations expert in the specific industry or product group of interest, and have industry associations and their members participate by providing information and by reviewing and commenting on reports at a draft stage. As a result, our work reflects the combined talents of architects, economists, engineers and environmentalists in universities, government, manufacturing industries and private practice. One of the first tasks of the alliance was to develop Research Guidelines defining boundary or scope conditions and ensuring equal treatment of all building materials and products in terms of assumptions, data gathering, research decisions, and other aspects of the work. To ensure transparency, the Institute has previously published the research guidelines as well as Institute life cycle inventory studies and the results of investigations to assess issues and help determine future Institute activities.
Users can then see exactly how data has been developed and the assumptions made.