Analysis of current practice and future potentials of LCA in a BIM-based design process in Germany

Abstract

The construction and building sector, responsible for 39% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is undergoing a fundamental digital transformation enabled by Building Information Modelling (BIM). Integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) in digital building design processes enables early evaluation of embodied impacts. This connection offers opportunities to generate predictive parameters to efficiently use environmental optimization potentials. The aim of this study was to investigate current barriers and incentives for practitioners to use LCA in combination with BIM in practice in Germany. Based on criteria identified in a systematic literature review, a survey amongst 161 practitioners is conducted, analysing five different user profiles. The evaluated criteria are added value, perception of relevance, intention, age, data availability, standardization, external demand and usability. The results present a recognised added value of integrating LCA in BIM from the perspective of all user profiles. Currently, measures in a political and social context have higher potentials, i. e. are more urgent to implement, than measures in the information technology context, whereas priorities vary depending on user profiles. The greatest drivers are external demand and pressure in forms of stricter political requirements and more demand from the public-sector. The presented insights, trends and need for action can support implementing procedures for achieving the urgent climate goals of the construction sector strategically through digital transformation.

Sustainability assessment of bridge structures in the operation phase based on a digital twin

“…The study divides the respondents into 5 user profiles [28]: The number of respondents per user profile reveals that user profiles 1 and 2, those with the highest relevance to the present research topic, are covered by the fewest respondents. This is justified by challenges due to incomplete data, lack of standards, and low external demand [28]. Among other things, the unified BIM use cases have so far not considered sustainability considerations [28].…”

“…This is justified by challenges due to incomplete data, lack of standards, and low external demand [28]. Among other things, the unified BIM use cases have so far not considered sustainability considerations [28]. Furthermore, the unified BIM use cases for the application in the infrastructure sector have so far not taken sustainability into account [4,29].…”

BIM4EarlyLCA: An Interactive Visualization Approach for Early Design Support Based on Uncertain LCA Results Using Open BIM

“…This LCA method ensures current national and international regulatory frameworks, for example, LEVEL (s), used to verify EU Taxonomy classification and report ESG conformity (European Commission, 2021). Schumacher et al pointed out that Building Information Modeling (BIM) has significant potential for a lossless data exchange, as well as for understandable and user-friendly communication of LCA results (Schumacher et al, 2022). Recent BIM-based approaches partially automate the LCA calculation process and reduce the assessment effort using different strategies (Wastiels and Decuypere, 2019).…”