An integrated approach to the assessment of construction life cycles using software packages at the design stage

Abstract

Introduction. The article focuses on the relevance of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, used to quantify the environmental impact of a construction project at the design stage. LCA must be addressed in the process of designing buildings that will apply for green building certificates. The use of LCA software is an essential factor for obtaining LCA scores required for the majority of green building certificates. Materials and methods. The authors take advantage of various software packages, that make calculations and assess carbon emissions at each project stage. One of the software packages used by the authors is One Click LCA (2015). Results. The results of carbon emission calculations, made using One Click LCA (2015), are presented graphically in the form of carbon emission charts broken down by the life cycle stages (LCS); structural elements presented as comparative charts depending on different characteristics. The software allows assigning categories to buildings depending on their carbon emissions and impact parameters such as the Global warming potential (GWP), the Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), the Acidification Potential (AP), the Eutrophication Potential (EP), depletion of non-renewable energy sources, etc. Conclusions. Software packages, used to assess life cycles of buildings, accelerate the calculation of carbon emissions, which can, in turn, streamline the selection of optimal engineering solutions for construction projects and minimize environmental impacts of buildings. It’s been found that accurate LCA calculations require comprehensive information about construction projects, including data on construction materials, energy and water consumption, as well as construction site operations. In the context of Russia, calculations are more problematic, since most manufacturers do not have construction materials databases, that contain information on carbon emissions. If manufacturers invest in the issuance of environmental product declarations (EPD), calculations of carbon emissions will be trustworthy.