Design-integrated Life Cycle Assessment using BIM (BIM-LCA): Final report

Abstract

The project aims to develop BIM-based method for design integrated life cycle assessment during the planning phase, starting in the crucial early design phases. The research provides a critical review and understanding of the current BIM, LCA and code of practice for architects and engineers. In doing so it presents possible workflows (some developed as part of this research and some from the existing research in the field of BIM LCA) for each phase of design that allow for ease of application and adoption in the design practice. Furthermore, approaches to handle uncertainty in early design phases and visualisation categories and their influence in decision-making process has been discussed. The key outcomes of the project are outlined as below: 1) A description of the current situation on design needs and tools used by designers (architects and engineers) in Switzerland as well as an understanding of the LCA data used. 2) A method for BIM-based LCA in early design stages including methods to visualize the results in an intuitive way that allows designers to use the information to optimize the building. Furthermore, approaches to deal with uncertainty in early design stages have been provided. 3) Guidelines on BIM-based LCA in early design stages directed to architects and engineers, but also software developers and national organizations (SIA, ecobau, Minergie, etc.).