Building Sustainability Assessment Research Articles

Study on Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Buildings: A Review

Study on Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Buildings: A Review

Building sustainability assessment: A comparison between ITACA, DGNB, HQE and SBTool alignment with the European Green Deal

The environmental impact of the construction industry is very heavy. Therefore, the global community is further developing green building assessment tools in order to enhance their efficiency in matching sustainability goals and being more environmentally friendly. An analysis approach by means of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) was carried out to examine the degree of response of different green building tools utilized in Europe, namely (Innovazione e Trasparenza degli Appalti e la Compatibilità Ambientale ITACA, Deutsches Guetsiegel Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB), Haute Qualité Environnementale (HQE) and Sustainable Building Tool (SBTool), to the eight criteria of the European Green Deal (EGD), a roadmap elaborated by the European Commission to enhance sustainability deployment in the region. The first phase of the analysis consisted of a Boolean MCDM aiming to define to which criterion of the EGD each indicator in the tools checklists is linked. These data obtained were later examined by means of Fuzzy Logic to obtain comparable results showing how much each tool helps more following the European roadmap towards sustainability. This work intends to compare the efficiency of the most used tools in Europe for building sustainability evaluation while being based on a particular specified reference and not only the sustainable goals in general. This work also shows the efficiency of combining two MCDCM techniques to obtain better analyzing output. The result of this study shows that the DGNB is the most effective method for connecting all EGD criteria in a balanced manner. The HQE tool demonstrated a strong ability to effectively integrate the objectives of the EGD, except for the energy evaluation aspect. For the ITACA tool, it closely aligned DGNB in its response to the EGD, although it had an absent focus on the smart and sustainable shift of mobility. SBTool demonstrated average performance when compared to other protocols. This was expected since SBTool was the basis on which ITACA, DGNB, and HQE were constructed.

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF RETROFITTING ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE MULTI-STOREY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS: A CASE STUDY OF CHINA

The construction industry is one of the primary sources of carbon emissions. In the context of the global response to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of climate change,China implements the Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutralisation policy. The policy vigorously promotes energy conservation and emission reduction in the construction industry, particularly housing. Due to the large stock of existing old multi-storey residential buildings in China, most of which are not energy-saving, and the lack of a sustainable assessment framework to retrofit such buildings, it is deemed essential to analyse the shortcomings of the current assessment standards and frameworks and formulate a better alternative. Therefore, this paper aims to provide the rationale for proposing a sustainability assessment framework for retrofitting old multi-storey residential buildings in China. It first explains the concepts of sustainable development and housing, then combs the current Chinese government’s commitments to sustainable housing agenda. The unsustainable state of this housing type is then reviewed, followed by the issues and gaps in the existing sustainable building assessment standards in China and overseas to justify the necessity of developing a sustainability assessment framework for retrofitting multistorey residential buildings in China. This framework would assist the retrofit of old multistorey residential buildings in reducing energy consumption, improving efficiency and achieving sustainable development. It also contributes to the body of knowledge in sustainable building assessments and helps in the planning and design processes within the public and private sectors related to the construction industry.

Challenges in life cycle assessment implementation for construction environmental product declaration development: A mixed approach and global perspective

Environmental product declaration (EPD) is a valuable data source for building sustainability assessment. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a critical element of EPD development, and it strongly impacts the reliability of the overall EPD environmental data. The increasing number of published EPDs necessitates a thorough examination of the challenges associated with LCA for EPD development to improve the quality assurance of EPDs. This study applied a mixed research approach, including a systematic literature review, focus group discussion and questionnaire survey to evaluate the challenges in LCA implementation for EPD development. The questionnaire administered to experts from 43 countries globally was analysed using qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques. The analysis showed that 73 % of the respondents are highly concerned about the data quality of LCA in EPD development. The study further revealed twenty-seven (27) significant challenges classified using exploratory factor analysis into seven groups ([1] Data Paucity, [2] Resource-intensive, [3] Data and Research, [4] Knowledge, [5] Methodological Limitations and People, [6] Technology, and [7] Data Integrity). The highly ranked challenges based on mean ranking include “Problems with data availability and quality for LCA”, “Lack of transparency in some of the existing LCA database and tools”, “Lack of country-specific inventory for LCA”, “The complexity and lack of knowledge about the uncertainty of data used in LCA” and “Lack of in-depth understanding and awareness of LCA”. The study also proposed strategies to resolve the challenges and holds vital implications for stakeholders within EPD development. In conclusion, it is observed that LCA for EPD development still faces significant challenges that require a tailored approach to improve the quality of LCA in EPD development.

A comparative life cycle assessment of building sustainability across typical European building geometries

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the sustainability assessment of building materials and buildings. The introduction of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), the development of Level(s), and the release of relevant series of standards have helped to improve the sustainability of buildings. However, a research question that remains unresolved is the lack of information related to the comparison of the sustainability performance of building units across Europe and the significance of conducting such research. This study addressed this question by implementing a comparative whole-building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) across buildings in Europe. The study emphasizes the necessity of considering typical building geometries and thermal performance of buildings across Europe and introduces six typical building geometries for three different European clusters (northern-western, central-eastern, southern cluster). The results of this study revealed that the sustainability performance of buildings is not similar across the EU and that cost-optimal minimum thermal performance requirements for building structures have a significant impact on their environmental performance. Particularly, single-family houses in Central and Eastern Europe are responsible for 324.42 kgCO2e/m2. Contrary to this, Northern and Western European single-family buildings have the lowest environmental impact with 268.97 kgCO2e/m2. Multifamily houses in Southern Europe are responsible for 321.82 kgCO2e/m2, in Northern and Western Europe the environmental impact is 275.37 kgCO2e/m2. The outcome of this study is significant for the scientific community involved in assessing the sustainability of buildings in Europe, as it provides valuable insights into their environmental performance, considering the energy efficiency and sustainability aspects of buildings. The study's findings should be considered when setting minimum LCA-related requirements, in view of the provisions of the new EU policies expressed in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast for defining the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of new buildings.

Always with the Best Intentions? Interrogating the Use of Sustainable Building Assessment Systems in Developing Countries: Kenya

Assessment methodologies such as BREEAM and LEED allocate points based on prescribed interventions that promote design features or strategies considered to be more sustainable than others. A focus on accumulating numerical scores, however, often fails to address pertinent contextual issues, particularly within developing countries. This paper examines the use of four assessment systems in Kenya—two international systems, LEED-US and Green Star SA-Kenya; and two locally developed systems, Green Mark Kenya and the Safari Green Building Index. The paper compares the relative weighting of different categories under each system, and assesses their appropriateness to a Kenyan context, with reference to the suitability of active technology versus passive design approaches. The paper examines selected examples of ‘green’ buildings in Nairobi, reflecting on the influence of different methods of assessment on the adopted design approaches. The paper argues that international rating systems, such as LEED, often focus on a Western construct of sustainability featuring a systematic bias towards global rather than local perspectives, with an emphasis on physical environmental factors. In pursuit of objectivity, the measurement of non-contextual parameters untailored to local circumstances (e.g., energy performance) is prioritised at the expense of those contingent on local conditions or climate.

Identifying the criteria for community-centred Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of estate regeneration schemes

Identifying the overall environmental, and socioeconomic impacts of different estate regeneration scenarios can contribute to the overall sustainability of such schemes. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is an appropriate tool for assessing holistic sustainability. To achieve resilient societies, the interests of communities should be considered in decision making. This paper proposes a method for incorporating community needs in identifying sustainability metrics for the sustainability assessment of estate regeneration schemes. A literature review in the field of sustainability assessment of buildings is conducted followed by a mixed methods empirical research. Collection of data has been through surveys, an interview, and an evaluation questionnaire. Data has been analysed through statistical and thematic analysis and triangulation of the results. The findings have consistently yielded the limitations of the scope of the current sustainability assessment methodologies, especially for lack of attention to societal impacts of regeneration. The results have justified the need for this research to employ participatory approaches for identifying a relevant set of sustainability indicators and criteria for assessing the lifetime impacts of estate regeneration schemes. Issues related to community involvement in decision making, maintenance and management, community facilities, refurbishment, and disruption have been identified as the stakeholders’ top priorities. Mental Health and Socioeconomic Values have been introduced as new criteria. The findings confirm the need for an in-depth approach towards identifying the regeneration priorities of the communities for the scope of LCSA studies. The identified list of criteria can apply to other studies of this context for an equitable approach for selecting the indicators across different criteria and for communicating the LCSA results with different stakeholders.

The suitability of the MOSTADAM system with the global systems of sustainability in the desert city, Case study ( North Narjes project in KSA)

Sustainable building practices are becoming increasingly important today, especially in desert areas with more severe environmental challenges. Numerous sustainable building assessment systems are available globally and locally, but their effectiveness and applicability in desert areas are poorly understood[1]. The world’s desert regions are facing unique environmental challenges, and sustainable building practices are becoming more important than ever. By comparing various assessment systems, we hope to identify the most effective and applicable methods for sustainable building in these areas. This research aims to compare global and local sustainable building assessment systems in desert areas to identify the most effective and suitable systems.Applying this to a sustainable program, which is one of the programs offered by the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing (MOMRAH) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)[1], where the research will mean studying its suitability within desert Areas.

Building sustainability assessment model based on life cycle cost analysis and BIM technology

Building sustainability assessment model based on life cycle cost analysis and BIM technology

A General Framework for Sustainability Assessment of Buildings: A Life-Cycle Thinking Approach

Construction is a manufacturing industry that consumes substantial amounts of natural resources, human resources, and social capital. Activities that occur during building construction and utilization negatively impact the environment and have direct and indirect impacts on the surrounding community and society. Properly assessing the sustainability of buildings is critical to the pursuit and achievement of sustainable development goals. Also, construction project decision-makers and stakeholders currently lack an effective tool for comparing the relative sustainability of different materials, design approaches, construction methods, and building operation alternatives. Thus, an integrated framework for assessing building sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social aspects is developed and proposed in this paper based on life cycle thinking. This framework is applicable to different building types and life-cycle assessment scopes and provides a practical tool for construction investment project stakeholders to reference, implement, and use to guide the decision-making process. This framework may also provide a reference for other researchers in the construction field to develop sustainability assessment models optimized for different types of construction projects.

Automating building sustainability assessment using building information modelling: A case study

Facing the increasing pursuit of sustainable buildings, the construction industry has been adopting new project technologies. Building Sustainability Assessment (BSA) methods are a key tool to evaluate building sustainability, but their use is hindered by the time-consuming assessment process and required data. With the emergence of Building Information Modelling (BIM), new potentialities have been found, such as continuous data storage and integrated building design. Facing the opportunity to integrate BSA into BIM, this research aims to automate the assessment of a BSA scheme by creating a BIM-based application for the project's early stages. Visual Programming Language (VPL) was used to translate SBToolPT-H criteria requirements into computable rules and create the SBToolBIM application. Results show the feasibility of automating BSA with BIM, by integrating 19 criteria into SBToolBIM and identifying BIM connections for the remaining 6 criteria. The applied procedure has established a novel framework to carry out BSA within the BIM environment in a faster and more reliable way using fewer resources. It offers a decision support tool for the design process able to provide valuable contributions to enhance building sustainability and meet decarbonisation and climate goals.

Methodology to Identify and Prioritise the Sustainability Aspects to Be Considered in the Design of Brazilian Healthcare Buildings

The evidence of climate change has increased the necessity for actions to avoid severe consequences for future generations. Recognising the benefits of sustainable and energy-efficient buildings has led to the development of several methods to estimate and rate the performance of building. Healthcare buildings are functional and dynamic structures that support their occupants’ healing processes and comfort. They have a significant role in society and specific goals in merging their strategic planning requirements (cost reduction, regulatory compliance, social responsibility, and performance improvement) with Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this paper addresses critical issues regarding the sustainability of the Brazilian healthcare sector by analysing the suitability of the most common international healthcare building sustainability assessment methods to the specific social, economic, and environmental contexts of the Brazilian healthcare sector. The paper analyses the HBSAtool-PT, a sustainability assessment method developed for this type of building, and identifies the possibilities for adapting to the Brazilian context. As a result, this research proposes a framework to assess the sustainability of healthcare buildings in Brazil. In the framework’s definition, a survey was conducted to determine the opinion of building stakeholders regarding the importance of indicators. A weighing system for the proposed sustainability indicators was developed using the AHP method.

Evaluation platform for sustainable operation of stadiums integrating multidimensional data: Based on a multifunctional perspective

The sustainable construction and operation of large stadiums has been widely recognized as an important goal. Existing building sustainability evaluation criteria mainly focused on the energy-saving dimension. However, more dimensions (such as economy, intelligence level, conversion difficulty, etc.) that are quite important for multifunctional buildings’ sustainable operation have earned only limited attention. This research aimed to develop a sustainability evaluation system that integrates multidimensional parameters by taking Chinese stadiums as a precursor to influence the assessment criteria for the sustainable operation of local multifunctional buildings. Based on an extensive review of sustainable building assessment methods in the published literature and expert interviews, this research constructed a stadium sustainability performance database as an initial pool of criteria to comprehensively reflect the environmental, social, and economic attributes of stadiums. The indicators and data gathered were evaluated through regression analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) to clarify the impact and weight of indicators in the evaluation system. In addition, the study developed an online visual evaluation platform based on the evaluation system combined with Building Information Modeling (BIM) to assist architects to complete the performance evaluation of the stadium and the prediction of future design. 3 cases of different types of stadiums in China were evaluated to demonstrate the platform interface. The findings of current research will help architects, administrators, and researchers accomplish sustainability in the design, management, and operation of stadiums.

Selection of the Most Appropriate Sustainable Buildings Assessment Categories and Criteria for Developing Countries: Case of Ethiopia

Sustainable buildings can save 36% of total energy use, 65% of electricity consumption, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 30% of raw materials use, 30% of waste output, and 12% of potable water consumption. Several sustainable building assessment tools were used by both developed and developing countries. However, Ethiopia’s buildings were not critically assessed and evaluated from a sustainability point of view because there was no such type of study conducted so far. This paper aims to explore the most significant and widely used tools as well as the basis for other sustainable building assessment tools, such as Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE), Sustainable Building Tool (SBTool), Comprehensive Environmental Performance Assessment Scheme (CEPAS), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB), and Green Mark and Green Star. The methodology employed is the selection of the 10 most commonly and widely utilized sustainable building assessment tools (SBATs) from the 57 SBATs based on desk review and document analysis. The results of the study identified that all 10 SBATs have their own assessment categories and criteria based on many factors, such as climatic conditions and availability of resources, plus methods employing demographic dynamics and legal aspects of the sector for assessing the sustainable/green buildings. It distinguishes the most commonly and repeatedly used assessment categories and criteria and uses a consensus-based approach with experts in the building sectors, a four-quadrant model, and a circular and helical flow model, to develop a new sustainable building assessment tool suitable for Ethiopia.

A REVIEW ON LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS OF BUILDINGS BASED ON BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING

Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) plays an essential role in the economic sustainability assessment of buildings, and building information modeling (BIM) offers a potentially valuable approach to fulfilling its requirement. However, the state of LCCA based on BIM is unclear despite previously published works. Therefore, this paper aims to address this gap by reviewing 45 relevant peer-reviewed articles through a systematic literature search, selection, and assessment. The results show that three data exchange methods integrate BIM and LCCA through data input, calculation, and output. Precision management, optimization measures, and parameter analysis through BIM significantly improve the value of buildings. Also, a methodological framework is summarized that combines LCC with other indicators based on BIM to consider economic, environmental, and social impacts, which can be monetized to assess life cycle sustainability costs. These findings provide insights for scholars and practitioners.

A critical analysis of LEED, BREEAM and DGNB as sustainability assessment methods for retail buildings

(1) Background: Retail stores are among the building typologies with the highest consumption of natural resources. Hence, understanding how retail stores can integrate sustainability principles within a life cycle perspective and how Building Sustainability Assessment (BSA) methods can contribute for such is of great importance. Yet, studies comparing the applicability of BSA methods to retail buildings are missing, which is a gap in knowledge this study intends to address. (2) Methods: A state-of-the-art review was carried out regarding the most common BSA methods and their applicability to retail buildings. LEED, BREEAM and DGNB were chosen to be compared in terms of certification ranking, categories, indicators, weights, and usage-specific guidelines for retail buildings. (3) Results: In general, LEED and BREEAM are more focused on the environmental aspects of sustainability (namely in energy) while DGNB integrates the environmental, social, and economic dimensions equally. DGNB is the most adapted method for retail buildings, providing performance metrics for retail buildings, namely regarding operational costs and energy demand values. (4) Conclusions: While DGNB is the most robust BSA method for retail buildings, more attention could be given to performance metrics such as water and energy consumption benchmarks, carbon and material footprint, life cycle cost, or economic value to facilitate comparison amongst different methods. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each method, this study supports informed decision making when choosing a BSA method and informs the development of regional BSA methods for retail buildings, considering the limitations of existing tools.

Timber Buildings Deconstruction as a Design Solution toward Near Zero CO2e Emissions

The overall reduction in the environmental impacts of the construction industry is a complex process that requires methodological and applicative studies on the evaluation of the sustainability of the life cycle, related to both individual product and of the building system as a whole. In this context, with reference to the end-of-life phase of the building, the management of the disassembly and selective demolition plan of the building, allowing the reuse or recycling of the materials as well as of the building components and prefabricated elements used is fundamental. This research aimed to develop a methodology, applied to timber building systems, to mitigate CO2e emissions during the decommissioning and disposal of the building. The quantitative model developed considers the rates of the CO2e emissions involved in C (end-of-life) and D (benefits and loads beyond the system boundary) phases of building sustainability assessment. The model was applied to two wooden buildings: one with an XLAM structure and another one with a framed structure. In both cases, from the perspective of reusing the wood components for a subsequent life cycle, C and D phases of the process achieved an overall negative CO2e emission rate thanks to the offsetting from the carbon storage property of wood. This research has thus demonstrated the possibility of making the wood construction process circular through a zero-emission approach.

Ensuring the projects’ environmental safety based on a risk-based approach

The modern construction pay attention to fundamentally new requirements, the quality of products and service and improve the quality management system of green building and environmental safety facilities. The integration of new energy efficient technologies and energy efficient buildings is one of the priority options in the development of modern cities. The article use the methods of comparative analysis of the various international standards of green buildings and eco-certification of greening systems were applied, based on a risk-based approach. Risks are calculated using complex methods. The assessment of green building sustainability was considered as is a key factor of reducing technogenic risks and be the guarantee that the green building is environmentally friendly. The analysis showed the main regulatory and technical documents used in the construction of buildings with the use of greening systems, considered the basic safety requirements when working at height, and also evaluated the application of standards in the field of environmental certification of materials of new technologies used, developed by authors.The ecological certificate allows to increase the competitiveness of products in the market, which is economically beneficial.The principles of green building are aimed at creating a healthy and comfortable environment due to a large amount of daylight and fresh air.

Environmental labeling of building sustainability: Focus on international certifications

The environmental labelling of sustainable buildings has become a major concern for the architectural design. Numerous building sustainability assessment methods were developed in various countries, namely the British BREEAM, the American LEED, the German DGNB, the French HQE and the United Arab Emirates ESTIDAMA. The present study aims to find the most appropriate approach that suits the Algerian context. A comparative study is conducted using an analytical procedure. The study focuses on the objectives, the evaluation procedures, the assets, and the qualitative assessment indicators for the environmental performance of the buildings. As a result, HQE of France and ESTIDAMA of the United Arab Emirates appeared to be best suited to the Algerian context.

Assessing the Sustainability of Retail Buildings: The Portuguese Method LiderA

Retail stores are among the building typologies with the highest consumption of natural resources. However, studies regarding the development of Building Sustainability Assessment methods for retail buildings are missing, despite their environmental, economic, and social importance. This study intends to address this gap in knowledge by (i) developing the Portuguese method LiderA for retail buildings, (ii) comparing LiderA to other BSA methods, and (iii) assessing results in two case studies. The development of LiderA for retail buildings took under consideration the indicators, weights, and specific guidelines of different BSA methods for retail buildings (namely LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB) and trends in the retail sector expressed in retailers’ sustainability reports and retailers’ associations. The most innovative aspects of the development of LiderA for retail buildings include the definition of benchmarks to assess sustainability performance in terms of Energy Intensity (EI), Carbon Intensity (CI), and Water Intensity (WI). Additionally, sustainable business operation practices were introduced in selected indicators as an alternative way to foster the roots of sustainability further down into the value chain, namely regarding ethical and sustainable product purchases, the protection of human rights, a code of conduct for suppliers, fair trade, product traceability, healthy food, sustainable agriculture, and local and organic products. The LiderA method, developed for retail buildings, can support designers, managers, and users in designing and managing more sustainable stores by providing benchmarks and best-practice thresholds for EI, CI, and WI. Given that global retailers operate hundreds of stores, the results show a key potential to increase the environmental performance of retail stores, supporting decision-making towards maximum energy efficiency and carbon neutrality.