The phrase “first impacts” is coined by the author of the 10 Principles of Future-Proofing, Brian Rich, during research on the implications of life cycle analysis (LCA) on future-proof buildings. The phrase was developed during the Spring of 2014. “First impacts” refers to the environmental impact of creating and installing building materials including the extraction of raw resources, refinement of the materials, fabrication into building components, transportation to project sites, and installation of the building components. The concept is similar to that of “first cost” – the cost to develop a building and turn it over to the owner for occupancy.
See Rich’s research on Life Cycle Analysis here.