BIM-LCA Integration for Comparative Analysis of Building Materials and External Walls

The building industry is responsible for producing more than one-third of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are one of the leading causes of climate change, and one of the most important consequences of these changes is global warming. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evaluates the environmental impacts of materials and processes throughout their life cycle. Integrating LCA with Building Information Modelling (BIM) offers a powerful approach to enhancing sustainability in construction by leveraging BIM’s detailed modeling capabilities and precise data management. The BIM-LCA integration is an innovative approach to sustainable design. This integration improves the ability to assess and reduce the environmental impacts of construction materials and processes throughout the project’s life cycle, from design and construction to operation and demolition. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the functionalities and limitations of the BIM-LCA integration by performing LCA evaluation on single building materials to compare different design solutions for external walls. The LCA scopes, stages, and impact assessment categories are based on EN standards. The results highlight the potential of BIM-LCA in optimizing material selection, reducing environmental impact, and supporting informed decision-making during the design phase. However, challenges remain, including limitations in database availability and inconsistencies between software datasets, which can affect the accuracy of sustainability assessments. By embedding LCA within the BIM workflow, this research demonstrates how sustainability considerations can be integrated into early-stage design processes, promoting greener construction practices. Despite existing challenges, BIM-LCA is an innovative and effective way for advancing sustainable building solutions and facilitating the transition toward more environmentally responsible construction methods.