BIM-based LCA throughout the Design Process with a Dynamic Approach

Abstract

In modern times, as building designs become ever more complicated, it has become increasingly important to integrate environmental considerations into the choice of building materials by the designers. A promising possibility is an incorporation of building systems Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data into Building Information Modelling (BIM) platforms. The implementation can support the spreading of environmental assessment and conscious choice of construction materials during the building design phase.

This study aims to develop a real-time environmental assessment method applicable to all design phases by integrating a BIM-based approach with known LCA methodologies.

The research focuses on two primary methods. The first one is a static approach where LCA is done with a conventional method at the end of each phase. The second one is a dynamic approach where the LCA is done in real time during the whole planning process. The performed approach illustrates several possible LCA workflows in BIM environment with the help of the Revit platform and Dynamo parametrization tool. The idea is to link BIM objects and their material properties with LCA databases to be able to extract the embodied energy directly from the data models.

Extracting all the data from BIM-model and LCA-databases reduces the effort of inputting the repetitive information into LCA tools. Simplifying the LCA methodology will allow the building professional to use LCA assessment efficiently in their daily work.
In conclusion, this work presents a way of integrating LCA with the help of BIM to the decision- making process of the planning based on automated and looped processes in order to boost sustainable development in the construction industry.