JOKOTAI Material Impact Screener

OOPEAA JOKOTAI Material Impact Screener provides an early assessment tool for evaluating the impact of material choices on the sustainability of a building. The tool makes it possible for designers, clients and all parties involved in the early decision making process of a building project to better comprehend the impact of alternative material and structural choices on the sustainability of the project, and to communicate about it in an easily understandable, visual manner.

It is not a tool for providing a full life cycle analysis. Instead, it provides a tool to be used in the early stages of design prior to having made decisions that at a later stage will make it possible to perform a proper life cycle analysis. The JOKOTAI tool is about visualizing and making transparent basic information regarding a building project.

The building industry is responsible for about 40% of emissions and harmful impact on the environment. That is more than the share of any other sector of activity. That is why we as architects have a big responsibility in taking seriously the potential that we have in influencing decisions regarding material and structural choices related to the buildings design. The materials we use for building and how we use them make a big difference to sustainability.

The research and development project for creating the JOKOTAI Material Impact Screener tool was realized under the leadership of OOPEAA as an international collaboration in partnership with the Obayashi Corporation. It was carried out with the support of a grant awarded by the Ministry of Environment, Finland. The grant was part of the Growth and Development from Wood Program. Under the early research phase, the working name for the tool was the Life Cycle Visualizer.

To learn how the tool is used, you can watch an introduction video HERE.