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BIM-LCA Integration for the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Urbanization Process

Author

Listed:
  • Madelyn Marrero

    (ArDiTec Research Group, Department of Architectural Constructions II, Higher Technical School of Building Engineering, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain)

  • Maciej Wojtasiewicz

    (Datacomp, 30-532 Kraków, Poland)

  • Alejandro Martínez-Rocamora

    (ArDiTec Research Group, Department of Architectural Constructions II, Higher Technical School of Building Engineering, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain)

  • Jaime Solís-Guzmán

    (ArDiTec Research Group, Department of Architectural Constructions II, Higher Technical School of Building Engineering, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain)

  • M. Desirée Alba-Rodríguez

    (ArDiTec Research Group, Department of Architectural Constructions II, Higher Technical School of Building Engineering, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain)

Abstract

The construction sector is one of the most polluting industries, generating between 30% and 40% of the worldwide environmental burden in terms of raw materials, direct and indirect energy consumption, waste, and CO 2 emissions. Recent advances in computer science and data management have facilitated the evaluation of present and future impacts, thus improving the sustainability of architectural designs. Powerful software tools, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), allow environmental indicators to be incorporated into the construction elements that make up the project to evaluate it during the design stage. In this work, the state of the art of ecological indicator application through BIM platforms is studied. Barriers and uncertainties are also identified. Subsequently, a model is proposed to evaluate the environmental impact of an urbanization process or a project through several ecological indicators (carbon footprint, water footprint, and embodied energy). To perform this analysis, the most important aspect is to determine the quantities of each construction element and their clear decomposition into subelements, since both aspects add certainty to the analysis. For this purpose, construction cost databases are a good instrument for introducing environmental awareness. The reliability of LCA data, which can be obtained from generic databases or ecolabels such as environmental product declarations, becomes crucial.

Suggested Citation

  • Madelyn Marrero & Maciej Wojtasiewicz & Alejandro Martínez-Rocamora & Jaime Solís-Guzmán & M. Desirée Alba-Rodríguez, 2020. "BIM-LCA Integration for the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Urbanization Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-24, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4196-:d:360714
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cabeza, Luisa F. & Rincón, Lídia & Vilariño, Virginia & Pérez, Gabriel & Castell, Albert, 2014. "Life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) of buildings and the building sector: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 394-416.
    2. Madelyn Marrero & Antonio Ramirez-De-Arellano, 2010. "The building cost system in Andalusia: application to construction and demolition waste management," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(5), pages 495-507.
    3. María Rocío Ruiz-Pérez & Mª Desirée Alba-Rodríguez & Raúl Castaño-Rosa & Jaime Solís-Guzmán & Madelyn Marrero, 2019. "HEREVEA Tool for Economic and Environmental Impact Evaluation for Sustainable Planning Policy in Housing Renovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Eleftheriadis, Stathis & Mumovic, Dejan & Greening, Paul, 2017. "Life cycle energy efficiency in building structures: A review of current developments and future outlooks based on BIM capabilities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 811-825.
    5. Ruíz-Pérez, María Rocío & Alba-Rodríguez, M. Desirée & Marrero, Madelyn, 2020. "The water footprint of city naturalisation. Evaluation of the water balance of city gardens," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 424(C).
    6. Geng, Shengnan & Wang, Yuan & Zuo, Jian & Zhou, Zhihua & Du, Huibin & Mao, Guozhu, 2017. "Building life cycle assessment research: A review by bibliometric analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 176-184.
    7. Jaime Solís-Guzmán & Cristina Rivero-Camacho & Desirée Alba-Rodríguez & Alejandro Martínez-Rocamora, 2018. "Carbon Footprint Estimation Tool for Residential Buildings for Non-Specialized Users: OERCO2 Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dongchen Han & Mohsen Kalantari & Abbas Rajabifard, 2021. "Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Australia: A Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-22, November.

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