Comparative study on Life Cycle Assessment of buildings in developed countries and Sri Lanka

Abstract

PurposeLife cycle assessment (LCA) has considerably contributed to increasing the environmental friendliness of buildings in developed countries. However, it is hard to find evidence on the application of LCA for buildings in developing countries; particularly, Sri Lanka. There is a lack of research to compare the status of LCA of buildings in developed countries vs developing countries. In this context, the purpose of this study aims to examine the status of LCA implementation for buildings between developed countries and Sri Lanka, a developing country.Design/methodology/approachThe exploratory research was adapted, and in-depth interviews were held with LCA professionals from Sri Lanka and developed countries, respectively.FindingsRelatively less attention has been paid to the implementation of LCA for buildings in Sri Lanka compared to the developed countries due to the time and effort required to collect life cycle inventory data and limited stakeholder understanding of the LCA. Hence, this study proposed improvements, including the development of LCA databases containing region-specific data and conducting programmes to raise stakeholders' awareness to address the gaps in Sri Lanka.Research limitations/implicationsThe identified LCA implementation process for buildings could be used as a guide for first-time LCA users, and it equally makes a valued reference for experienced practitioners.Originality/valueA limited number of the studies formulate a comparison between the LCA for building in developed countries and developing countries. This research attempts to address this knowledge gap.

Building Information Modelling Implementation Model for Sustainable Building Projects in Developing Countries: A PLS-SEM Approach

“…This visual feedback loop allows for early detection of potential design errors, facilitating modification to meet the client's expectations [25,59]. The work of Amarasinghe and Soorige [69] showcased the utilization of BIM in building Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and offered recommendations for improving BIM-LCA measurements. The social factor was ranked third in the factor analysis, with an outer loading score of 0.831.…”

“…As per [67,68], BIM has become an essential tool for advancing sustainable buildings, which strives to decrease the environmental influence of construction processes. The BIM-Building Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) application was evaluated by Amarasinghe and Soorige [69], who also provided concepts for accelerating BIM-LCA evaluations. The inherent envisioning capabilities of BIM, which allow customers to preview their intended projects before beginning construction, are another significant factor in the popularity of this technology.…”

Modelling the Impact of Building Information Modelling (BIM) Implementation Drivers and Awareness on Project Lifecycle

“…BIM has also been considered as a crucial tool in promoting sustainable construction/buildings through the term "Green BIM" which aims to reduce the impact of construction activities on the environment [69,70]. Amarasinghe and Soorige [71] demonstrated the use of BIM for building Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and made recommendations on how to improve BIM-LCA assessments. The innate visualization capability of BIM is another critical driver for its adoption as it enables the client to virtually preview their proposed structure before construction commences.…”