BIM-integrated LCA - model analysis and implementation for practice

Abstract Ecological impacts of buildings can be quantified using the method of Lifecycle Assessment (LCA). With the help of digital methods and semantic building models (BIM), those impacts can be reduced by investigation of variants and their LCA comparison. However, there is a large deviation in the results due to inaccuracies in the modeling and the calculation tools. This paper proposes an improved workflow of BIM-integrated LCA avoiding those inaccuracies. As a first step, various sources of error are identified using a model analysis, which is examined with 25 models focusing on geometry and materiality. Thereby different workflows are investigated, modeling recommendations are derived based on the error analysis, and the findings are implemented in a prototype. Through an optimized calculation process, the semi-automatic calculation of life cycle assessments becomes faster, more consistent and more accurate due to the improved integration in BIM.