Date: Thursday 19 June 2025

Time: 10am - 12pm

Location: Zoom

Designing for Circularity: Life Cycle Assessment in Practice

A collaboration of ArchiTeam and Australian Architects Declare

Thinking about making your practice more sustainable this year, but not quite sure where to start?
Maybe you’ve heard of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), or even tried to use it, but found it hard to make sense of how it fits into real-world projects. This workshop is here to help.
Join us for a down-to-earth and practical session where we’ll unpack what LCA really means for small and medium practices—and how it can be integrated into your everyday design process.

We’ll be joined by Professor Usha Iyer-Raniga (RMIT University), who will introduce the big-picture ideas behind the circular economy and its role in addressing climate change through the built environment. Craig Harris and Zoe Zou from LID Consulting will walk us through current LCA tools and explain how to consider embodied carbon from the earliest stages of a project. Finally, Steffen Welsch (Steffen Welsch Architects, Architects Declare) will reflect on the process of applying LCA to the Life Cycle House—sharing what worked, what didn’t, and what he learned along the way.

Whether you’re new to LCA or looking to build on what you already know, this workshop offers a supportive space to gain insights, ask questions, and take the next step toward more sustainable practice.

Speakers:

Professor Usha Iyer-Raniga (RMIT University)
Speaking on circular economy in the built environment and its impact on climate change
Craig Harris and Zoe Zou (LID Consulting)
Speaking on Life Cycle Assessment tools and building embodied carbon considerations into every project
Steffen Welsch (Steffen Welsch Architects and Architects Declare)
Speaking on process and learnings from the Life Cycle House: putting LCA into practice

Learning outcomes:

This CPD session will help us to:

Develop a clearer understanding of what Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is and how it applies to architectural practice.
Learn how to integrate embodied carbon considerations into early-stage design decisions using practical LCA tools.
Gain insight into the role of circular economy principles in the built environment and their relevance to climate-responsive design.
Understand how to communicate the value of sustainability and LCA to clients in a way that supports design outcomes and project viability.
Learn from a real project case study—The Life Cycle House—about how LCA can influence design thinking, decision-making, and long-term project outcomes.
Build confidence to take small but meaningful steps towards embedding sustainability into your practice, regardless of scale or project type

AACA Competencies (2021 NSCA)

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC 6 – Awareness of legislation, regulations, codes and standards affecting the practice of architecture and associated built environment.

PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
PC 20 – Integration of environmentally sustainable design principles into projects.
PC 26 – Resolution of design in accordance with the brief, including assessment of alternative approaches.
PC 27 – Assessment and integration of construction systems and materials consistent with project brief.

DETAILED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION
PC 39 – Incorporation of relevant technical services, environmental systems and/or building technology knowledge into the project documentation.

Additionally, the workshop builds broad capabilities in:

Sustainable Practice and professional responsibility (a key theme in the revised NSCA 2021).
Evaluating embodied carbon and life cycle impacts—essential for delivering environmentally responsible projects

TIME: 10am - 12pm

COST: ArchiTeam / ACA - Members $44, Non Member $55, Students $19 (no CPD points)

FAQ

I won't be able to make it to the session, or might miss part of it, will there be a recording that I can catch up on?
Yes, there will be a recording. All registered attendees will receive a link to view it the following week alongside their CPD quiz to receive points. For anyone who isn't registered, it will be made available on CPD Online in a month's time.

How do I get my CPD points?
A CPD quiz will be sent alongside the session recording which you can complete. The quiz will be open for 2 weeks. Certificates will be sent out to those who have completed the quiz after it is closed.

I have a specific question for the speaker / panel. How do I ask it prior to the event?
You can send it to admin@architeam.net.au and the ArchiTeam office will pass it on for you.

More Info:
NOTE: This event may be photographed and filmed. Your recorded image may be used by ArchiTeam Cooperative in printed and electronic publications for promotional and educational purposes. By attending this event you are agreeing to ArchiTeam Cooperative using your image for these purposes.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Formal CPD points will only be issued on completion of any written requirements. Attending the session alone will not earn you formal CPD points. ArchiTeam reserves the right to alter the dates, speakers or venue of an event. Cancellations or refunds must be requested 48 hours prior to the event, no refunds will be given after this time. People attending in replace of a member must pay the difference for non member pricing. Start and end times are an estimation.

Click here to read the Terms and Conditions.