The Building Activity, Like Most Human Activities, Has a Negative

question 43

Short Answer

The building activity, like most human activities, has a negative impact on the environment. A metric that measures the impact of a building product on the environment is called environmental product declaration (EPD).
This metric is provided by the manufacturer of the product and can either be cradle- to- gate EPD or cradle- to- grave EPD. Which of the two EPDs is more commonly available?

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Definitions:

Direct Materials

Raw materials that can be directly traced to the production of goods.

Conversion Costs

Costs incurred in the process of converting raw materials into finished products, typically including direct labor and manufacturing overhead.

Assembly Labor's Wages

The earnings provided to employees who work specifically in assembling parts or products in a manufacturing process.

Raw Lumber

Unprocessed wood used as a base material in construction and manufacturing, typically sold in bulk or by the board foot.