Optimising LCA in complex buildings with MLCAQ: A BIM-based methodology for automated multi-criteria materials selection

Abstract

Recent scientific studies have highlighted the importance of integrating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the construction industry to achieve the future sustainable plans. At the moment, most of existing LCA methodologies have failed to automate the calculation process, causing delays in the decision-making and design phases. Moreover, the complexity of buildings poses significant challenges to the calculation. To address this, the authors developed the MLCAQ, a streamlined methodology designed to compare different material alternatives based on the environmental and economic cost impact and guide the early design stages. To implement the methodology, the study presents the development of a BIM-based software and validates its application in a high-rise building. The research compares multi-dimensions of two sets of construction materials, analysing the total economic cost, CO2 emissions, embodied energy and waste mass. The results demonstrate the effectiveness, replicability, consistency and viability of the tool. The data generated from the system indicates that using circular materials results in a significant reduction in embodied energy (26.40%), CO2 emissions (24.55%) and waste mass (49.19%), as well as a net reduction of €7.6 million in total economic cost. The research contributes to the integration of multi-dimensional real-time assessment into the building design process.