City of Fremantle
Coastal Charm
A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) helps housing developers understand the long-term costs and benefits of their design choices. By considering factors such as materials, orientation, energy sources and water fixtures, an LCA supports smarter decision-making that saves money and resources.
As part of our commitment to supporting the reduction of community carbon emissions, the City is trialling a LCA tool for new residential buildings (single dwellings and additions over 100m2). While helping to lower the carbon footprint of new builds, this can also lower the running costs and improve comfort of these dwellings.
Through this trial program, we’ve partnered with Rapid LCA and are inviting up to 20 eligible developers who plan to lodge a Development Application (DA) within the next 3–6 months to take part.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a way of measuring the environmental impacts of your home design. It looks at things like energy use, water use, materials, and carbon emissions across the whole life of your home — from construction through to ongoing use. This helps identify where you can make design choices that reduce costs, save resources, and lower your carbon footprint.
Taking part gives you:
Better insights – Understand the long-term costs and benefits of your design choices. Cost savings – Find opportunities to save on energy, water, and maintenance. Sustainability benefits – Reduce your home’s environmental impact and carbon footprint. Free access – The City of Fremantle is fully covering the cost of the tool for eligible applicants during the trial. Practical support – Get guidance from the City and Rapid LCA consultants if you need help with the process.
By joining the trial, you’ll also be helping the City test new ways to support more sustainable housing development in our community.
The Rapid LCA tool is available for anyone planning to lodge a DA and build a standalone home, or an addition to an existing dwelling over 100m2, within the City of Fremantle.
You don’t need any prior experience to complete the LCA assessment. Using information from your proposed design, you will input information regarding your proposed design.
The assessment can be completed in under an hour. However, should you need additional support, 1-on- 1 meetings can be arranged by the City with a Rapid LCA consultant to guide you in using the tool.
Please note this does not include design advice, so involving your architect or builder in using the tool is a good idea.
No. The City is fully covering the cost for eligible applicants. In fact, using the LCA tool now, can potentially save you money by reducing the ongoing running costs of your home!
Early! It’s most valuable while you are in the planning and designing stages of your new home, and before you are ready to lodge a DA. Using it early gives you the chance to adjust your design for better outcomes through the LCA process.
No. Taking part in the LCA trial will not affect your Development Application. Your DA will be processed in line with standard City’s procedures.
