Integration of life cycle assessment tools in design process of low-carbon bldgs

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Session 17 Paper 2, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, 14-15 April 2016

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Given that more than 50% of the total UK carbon emissions are attributed to buildings, prognosticating, comprehensive, actively applicable tools are required to promptly commission a step-change in building design and construction performance. Integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools such as BREEAM and BIM assists in designing and developing low-energy, sustainable buildings by providing a holistic perspective and approach. This study performs a critical review of the energy and carbon LCA research in the building sector in the UK since 2000. It proceeds with a comparative evaluation of three current Embodied Carbon LCA tools: Two BRE tools and SimaPro Software, and discusses the importance of the futuristic modes of LCA using BIM. Further, this research establishes the influence of used tools on embodied carbon performance of main building elements of a case study building that is procured and is under construction on Heriot-Watt University Campus using BREEAM and BIM.