Integrated BIM-based LCA for the entire building process using an existing structure for cost estimation in the Swiss context

The building sector has a significant potential to reduce the material resource demand needed for construction and therefore, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Digitalization can help to make use of this potential and improve sustainability throughout the entire building\u27s life cycle. One way to address this potential is through the integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) into the building process by employing Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM can reduce the effort needed to carry out an LCA, and therefore, facilitate the integration into the building process. Areview of current industry practice and scientific literature shows that companies are lacking the incentive to apply LCA. If applied, there are two main approaches. Either the LCA is performed in a simplified way at the beginning of the building process using imprecise techniques, or it is done at the very end when all the needed information is available, but it is too late for decision-making. One reason for this is the lack of methods, workflows and tools to implement BIM-LCA integration over the whole building development. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to develop an integrated BIM-LCA method for the entire building process by relating it to an established workflow. To avoid an additional effort for practitioners, an existing structure for cost estimation in the Swiss context is used. The established method is implemented in a tool and used in a case study in Switzerland to test the approach. The results of this study show that LCA can be performed continuously in each building phase over the entire building process using existing Building Information Modeling (BIM) techniques for cost estimation. The main benefit of this approach is that it simplifies the application of LCA in the building process and therefore gives incentives for companies to apply it. Moreover, the re-work caused by the need for re-entering data and the usage of many different software tools that characterize most of the current LCA practices is minimized. Furthermore, decision-making, both at the element and building levels, is supported

greenBIM, a BIM-based LCA integration using a circular approach based on the example of the Swiss sustainability standard Minergie-ECO

There exist hundreds of sustainability certifications for the built environment. The number is expected to rise as the focus on environmental issues increases. However, these certificates are usually carried further through linear-based approaches in a late building phase. They are disconnected from the design practice, while, as shown by the ‘MacLeamy Curve’, design decisions made earlier in the building process strongly affect positive outcomes. As a result, decision-making metrics are limited and the related improvements of the building concepts are minimized. There is an opportunity to bring forward sustainability certifications metrics and benchmarks in a digital built environment. Here, a proof-of-concept of such a circular approach is presented, using the Swiss sustainability standard Minergie-ECO as an example. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculations are implemented in a digital form, namely Building Information Modelling (BIM). The BIM-LCA integration demonstrates that current prevalent linear approaches can be further refined and turned into circular ones. Hence, the time and effort for their implementation are reduced, and decision-making information is brought in a structured and visual form. Moreover, architects and planners are enabled to apply sustainability metrics in their processes

The Potential of Digitalization for Sustainability: A Building Process Perspective

There is a potential of digitalization in improving sustainability throughout the entire building process. One way to address this potential is through BIM-LCA integration. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method for analyzing the environmental impact of buildings. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a methodology that can help to account for LCA during the Building Process. Current industry practice and research show that there are mainly two approaches for BIM-LCA integration. Either the evaluation is done in a simplified way at the beginning of the building process, or it is accounted for at the end when the needed information is available, but it is too late for having an impact on decision-making. There is, therefore, a lack of methods and tools for implementing BIM-LCA integration over the entire building process. Based on this, the objectives of this study are to analyze the potential of integration of LCA methodology in BIM practice in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry and to define a methodology for BIM-LCA integration in the Swiss context. For the achievement of the objectives, a parametric tool for BIM-LCA evaluation is created and tested on a case study. The case study is provided by the Swiss construction company Implenia AG. Through the application of the parametric tool on the case study, it is shown that the entire building process (SIA 112, 2001) can be evaluated for its environmental impact continuously in each Building Phase (SIA 112, 2001) while applying an existing code structure (crb, 2012). In that way, the re-work that characterizes most of the current LCA practices is minimized and decision-making metrics, both at Element (SIA, 2018) and Building (MINERGIE, 2014) Levels, are provided

Integrated BIM-Based LCA for the Entire Building Process Using an Existing Structure for Cost Estimation in the Swiss Context

ISSN:2071-105