Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainability Characteristics of Built Environment Systems

Abstract

The sustainable built environment concept has recently gained enormous attention from academic and industrial organizations. The growth in climate-related disasters and pandemics, continuing difficulties in the energy sector, and consumer awareness regarding resources’ conservation and sustainability are considered the driving factors influencing participants toward supporting sustainable engineering applications. Furthermore, numerous professional standards and requirements for implementing and rating sustainable practices have been generated, such as life cycle assessment (LCA), cost analysis, project development (i.e., from planning through construction up to demolition), recycling, material preservation, and utilizing reusable materials. The LCA is a great method for examining and integrating a wide variety of environmental elements to provide a comprehensive picture of system sustainability. The research presented in this study covered significant environmental elements that are essential to deciding between two or more choices and improving the system. This research compared the OPC and AABC based on CO2 emissions. The results showed that the AABC produces positive sustainability outcomes in terms of CO2 emissions. The AABC emits substantially less CO2 than the OPC, indicating that it is preferable for greenhouse buildings.