Annex 31 examines how energy and life cycle assessment (LCA) tools and methods can be used to reduce the energy-related impact of buildings on interior, local and global environments.
As the need to address environmental concerns such as resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions become more pressing, the concepts, tools, case studies and practical considerations in Annex 31 present an invaluable information resource.
Both, this Website-based report and available CD-ROM contain the results of the Annex 31 project “Energy-Related Environmental Impact of Buildings” and is based on the research findings of the fourteen participating countries. The report includes a directory of current tools, a description of tool theory and methods, and research reports on how tools preform. Annex 31 reports may be of interest to users of tools, to groups engaged in tool design, and to anyone establishing policy and guidelines for promoting better decision-making within the building sector.  
Annex 31 is a project established under the auspices of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Programme.