BEES Online (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability)

NIST's BEES Online compares alternative building products on two axes: environmental performance by life cycle assessment to the ISO 14040 standards, and economic performance by the ASTM life cycle cost method, covering initial investment, replacement, operation, maintenance and disposal. Products are classified by UNIFORMAT II; the user picks an element group such as shell, interiors or sitework and gets a comparison of the products in that category. Suited to architects, designers and sustainability consultants selecting materials. Limitations: it is online only; NIST notes that categories from version 1.0 are still being converted to 2.1, so coverage is partial; the data reflect the US market.