Life Cycle Assessment Evaluation Research Articles

Immobilization of Pb2+ and Cd2+ in water by sodium alginate magnet-biochar composite and LCA evaluation

Heavy metal pollution in water is one of the most pressing global environmental problems. In this research, two kinds of phosphorus-modified walnut shell biochar gel beads (P@WSBGB) and ferromagnetic gel beads (P@FWSBGB) were prepared by an environmentally friendly method to solve this problem. The maximum adsorption capacities for Pb2+ were 197 mg g−1 for P@WSBGB and 180 mg g−1 for P@FWSBGB, and for Cd2+, they were 125 mg g−1 and 108 mg g−1, respectively. Although Fe3O4 loading reduced adsorption capacity by approximately 10 %, life cycle assessment(LCA) showed that P@FWSBGB had a lower environmental impact than P@WSBGB when adsorbing the same amount of 1 mg of Pb2+. This indicates that a reasonable load of Fe3O4 can reduce the environmental impact. Conversely, when adsorbing Cd2+, the result was the opposite, demonstrating that unreasonable loading increased the environmental impact. To ensure that Fe3O4 loading did not lead to increased environmental impacts, we further analyzed the data to determine the optimal Fe3O4 loading level. The optimal Fe3O4 loading was determined to be 12.5 % for Pb2+ adsorption and <12.5 % for Cd2+. The main adsorption mechanism is that the -COOH and -OH groups on the surface of biochar form complexes with Pb2+ and Cd2+. Ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, co-precipitation of phosphate, and physical adsorption also contribute to the removal of Pb2+ and Cd2+. In summary, this research solved the challenge of difficult recycling of biochar powder and provides new insights for the synthesis and condition optimization of magnetic adsorbents.

Analyzing sustainability in bread production: a life cycle assessment approach to energy, exergy and environmental footprint.

Bread production is a pivotal component of global nutrition. However, its extensive production imposes significant strain on resources and energy, resulting in substantial environmental consequences. This study focuses on a multidimensional assessment of the environmental sustainability of the bread life cycle as a case study in Iran. By integrating four life cycle assessment (LCA) methods, this research demonstrates a comprehensive analysis of environmental effects, energy consumption, and exergy demand in bread production. It also identifies the hotspot stages and inputs within the bread production chain. Eventually, it proposes strategies for mitigating the environmental impacts in line with sustainable development goals. Data collection involved questionnaires by face-to-face interviews. The LCA evaluation was conducted using SimaPro software. Sustainability analysis was assessed using four different methods: CML, ReCiPe, cumulative energy demand (CED), and cumulative exergy demand (CExD) method, from cradle to bakery gate. The CML method results indicate that the highest environmental impacts are associated with marine aquatic ecotoxicity (157.04 to 193.36 kg 1,4-DB eq), fossil fuel depletion (11.05 to 12.73 MJ), eutrophication (4.20 × 10-3 to 4.70 × 10-3 kg PO4-3eq), acidification (8.09 × 10-3 to 9.16 × 10-3 kg SO2 eq), and global warming (0.61 to 0.69 kg CO2 eq). The ReCiPe method highlights wheat production stages and gas consumption as the most significant contributors to damage in terms of human health, ecosystems, and resource consumption indicators. The CED method reveals that fossil energy accounts for over 97% of the energy consumed during the bread life cycle. Energy consumption per kilogram of bread ranges from 12.07 to 13.93 MJ. The CExD method for producing 1 kg of traditional bread falls between 32.25 and 35.88 MJ. More than 60% of this value is attributed to renewable resources of water used in irrigation during the wheat farming stage, while over 35% is linked to non-renewable fossil resources, primarily due to the consumption of natural gas in bakery operations. To assess the potential decrease in environmental emissions, a sensitivity analysis was performed, considering the effects of substituting natural gas with biogas and grid electricity with photovoltaic electricity in the bakery. Then, three improved scenarios were developed, each demonstrating effective reductions in environmental impacts, with the most remarkable decreases observed in marine aquatic ecotoxicity (55%) and fossil fuel depletion (44%). Overall, the findings demonstrate that Sangak bread production exhibits a more environmentally friendly profile than other types of bread. These results can guide decision-makers in the bread production industry towards implementing sustainable practices that prioritize resource efficiency and environmental conservation. Also, stakeholders can develop strategies to reduce the environmental impacts and work towards a more sustainable future.

Recovery of Materials from Refrigerator: A Study Focused on Product Distribution, Recyclability and LCA Evaluation

This study outlines a recycling initiative conducted at Rekular GmbH, focusing on the recycling of 100 refrigerators. The recycling process employed a combination of manual dismantling, depollution, and mechanical processing techniques. Manual dismantling followed a predefined protocol to extract various materials, while the mechanical and physical processes involved shredding, zigzag, magnetic, and eddy current separation (ECS) to liberate and separate different materials. The resulting ferrous, non-ferrous and polymer product fractions were analyzed and categorized, providing valuable insights into the quality of interim products in the refrigerator recycling process. Simulations were then performed using FactSageTM version 8.2 and HSC Chemistry 10 version 10.3.7.1 software to simulate the recovery of metals from the ferrous and non-ferrous fractions using pyro metallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods. An electric arc furnace (EAF) was utilized for iron (Fe), while a re-smelter process for aluminium (Al), and the black copper route was simulated for copper (Cu) recovery. The recovery rates including metallurgical, mechanical, and physical processes are as follows: Fe (78%), Al (68.4%), and Cu (52.4%). In contrast, the recovery rates through metallurgical processes are as follows: Al (99%), Fe (79%), and Cu (88%). This discrepancy is attributed to losses of these elements resulting from incomplete liberation in mechanical processing. Additionally, a product/centric approach was applied and the recycling index reached 76% for recovery the Al, Cu, and Fe metals in a refrigerator recycling process. Turning to the environmental impact evaluation within the life cycle assessment (LCA), the process unit with the highest emissions per refrigerator in the recycling process was the use of nitrogen during the shredding process, accounting for 3.7 kg CO2 eq/refrigerator. Subsequently, the consumption of medium voltage electricity from the German grid during mechanical and physical separations contributed to 0.6 kg CO2 eq/refrigerator. The EAF, and electrolytic refining stages in the metallurgical recovery process also had a notable impact, generating 10.7 kg CO2 eq/refrigerator.

ESCAPE simplified approach designed to evaluate materials sustainability: The case of new adsorbent materials for activated carbon substitution

This paper discusses a novel simplified approach for assessing the sustainability of new material, specifically focusing on the synthesis technology used. The material can be obtained through emerging technologies, even if they are in the early laboratory development stage. The evaluation is conducted by comparing it to a reference material, which could be a natural resource, for instance. This approach can be applied in situations where complete life cycle assessment (LCA) data is unavailable or a comprehensive LCA evaluation is not required. ESCAPE (standing for Evaluation of Sustainability of material substitution using CArbon footPrint by a simplifiEd approach) involves the calculation of two parameters, the embodied energy, and the CO2 footprint, for all steps of the material synthesis procedure. The manuscript discusses in detail for the first time the approach's applicability and potentialities with some examples, devoted to new proposed adsorbents, derived from wastes. For this aim, 50 literature papers are considered and analysed. Surprisingly, the results show that only 28% of the 50 selected materials are in accord with the introduced sustainability index, showing that most of the new proposed adsorbents appear to be not environmentally sustainable.This study's findings highlight the ESCAPE approach's potential in facilitating materials eco-design by identifying the most resource-intensive steps in synthesis procedures. Notably, this approach provides the flexibility to incorporate the energy mixes of different Countries where the new processes may be deployed, enabling sustainability evaluations based on specific locations. This capability opens possibilities for a more comprehensive and context-specific assessment of sustainability in materials development. In essence, ESCAPE serves as a preliminary screening method before conducting an LCA, enabling rapid evaluations. It serves as a valuable tool for researchers and industries aiming to develop sustainable materials, thereby expediting the transition toward a circular economy.

Economic Evaluation of Small Public Office Buildings with Class 1 of Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in Korea by Reflecting Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

This study summarizes the technology level and economic feasibility of two small 500 m2 public office buildings that achieved a first-class Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) certification for the first time in Korea. In addition, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reflecting the ZEB performance in the operation stage was analyzed, and the LCA factors considering the characteristics of small buildings were reviewed. Moreover, an economic analysis was performed through a Net Present Value (NPV) by reflecting the ZEB and LCA, and the results showed little economic feasibility. However, adding the environmental costs calculated through the LCA to the existing energy-saving costs could offset an additional 11.6–11.7%. Therefore, including the environmental impact and cost through these LCA evaluation techniques could be a positive step toward increasing the effectiveness of ZEB applications. This study is significant in that it conducted a comprehensive analysis through ZEB and LCA in terms of carbon reduction for small buildings that achieved a first-class ZEB certification, but it is limited to only two cases.

Eco-Environmental Analysis of Different Routes for the Synthesis of MIL-53(Fe): An Integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Approaches

MIL-53(Fe) is a highly efficient nanomaterial with considerable application in environmental engineering. Numerous research studies have been conducted on the synthesis methods, characteristics, and applications of MIL-53(Fe); however, the environmental impact and economics of its synthesis routes have not yet been investigated. In this study, to assess the potential and unintended environmental impacts of MIL-53(Fe) production, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to the five synthesis routes of MIL-53(Fe) production. The LCA-ReCiPe2016 model was adopted in SimaPro, and in a joint manner, an analysis of the life cycle costing (LCC) was carried out in the same program to evaluate the internal and external costs for the economic aspects. The interpretation of results at the midpoint level with 18 indicators illustrated that the biggest impacts (more than 70%) come from dimethylformamide (DMF) and ethanol (EtOH) usage, respectively, for the synthesis and washing stages, and a higher solvent requirement illustrated more considerable environmental impacts. The endpoint-based LCA evaluation also shows that the usage of DMF and EtOH is connected to the highest damage to human health (80.3–88.2%). Materials costs (∼98.5%) are the largest contributor to the LCC, while external environmental costs (∼1.5%) are the lowest contributor. Therefore, it can be concluded that the production scenarios using environmentally friendly reagents/solvents like water help to reduce both the adverse effects on the environment and the internal and external costs. In this case, route 5 would be the most suitable method for producing MIL-53(Fe) owing to its simplicity and the lowest environmental impact and cost. The integrated method of LCA and LCC developed in this study paves a way for the eco-design of MIL-53(Fe). The model framework can be expanded further to test greener solvents and reuse them in production processes.

Urban mining for low-noise urban roads towards more sustainability in the urban environment

The urban environment faces two challenges: waste and noise. The work presented here shows that the use of certain waste and marginal materials for semi-dense asphalt low-noise pavements is a sustainable option. To this end, mechanical, acoustic and life-cycle assessment evaluations were performed, comparing different scenarios. The results show that these alternative materials can, for the most part, reach the mechanical and acoustic performance required for low-noise pavements both at the binder scale and the mixture scale. Depending on the waste material, mix design adjustments might be necessary such as increasing binder content and the selection of substitution fraction. The results showed that the mechanical performance reached 80% of that of all virgin materials in most cases and the acoustic performance was similar. However, the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) for their use varies and depends strongly on the geographic region. To determine if using alternative materials makes sense in addition to mechanical performance, environmental and economic performance should be considered.

Life cycle assessment of auto-tropically cultivated economic microalgae for final products such as food, total fatty acids, and bio-oil

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a powerful tool to evaluate environmentally sustainable production or consumption of various goods or services. Microalgae are single-celled green factories and good resources of biofuels, bioactive products, food ingredients, and degradable biomaterials. Currently, microalgae are also valuable for mitigating elevated greenhouse gases like CO2 levels and treatment of wastewater. LCA evaluation was limited and separated, majorly in microalgal biofuels and heterotrophic cultivation. Comparative LCA for different final algal products such as algal powder, bio-oil, total fatty acid, and residue recycling is still limited, especially autotrophic algal cultivation for products other than bio-oils and biofuels. Thus, we chose several autotrophic cultivated microalgae and made a comparative LCA among these selected species and a detailed step-by-step production in Chlorella sp. Results indicated that we could significantly reduce the production cost and lower environmental impacts by selecting algal species and final products, optimizing methods for algal cultivation, biomass separation, and drying process, and land selection plus electricity renewable energy, together with thermal power plants nearby for CO2 or flu gas. It shed light on the insight of microalgal consumption selection under current international requirements and challenges for carbon sequestration.

Life Cycle Assessment of a Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Unit Made of Cylindrical Cells

Saving energy is a fundamental topic considering the growing energy requirements with respect to energy availability. Many studies have been devoted to this question, and life cycle assessment (LCA) is increasingly acquiring importance in several fields as an effective way to evaluate the energy demand and the emissions associated with products’ life cycles. In this work, an LCA analysis of an existent lithium-ion battery pack (BP) unit is presented with the aim to increase awareness about its consumption and offering alternative production solutions that are less energy intensive. Exploiting the literature data about cradle-to-grave and cradle-to-gate investigations, and after establishing reasonable approximations, the main BP sub-elements were considered for this study, such as the plastic cells support, the Li-ion cells brick, the PCBs for a battery management system (BMS), the liquid-based battery thermal management system (BTMS) and the BP container. For each of these components, the impacts of the extraction, processing, assembly, and transportation of raw materials are estimated and the partial and total values of the energy demand (ED) and global warming potential (GWP) are determined. The final interpretation of the results allows one to understand the important role played by LCA evaluations and presents other possible ways of reducing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

A Content Review of Life Cycle Assessment of Nanomaterials: Current Practices, Challenges, and Future Prospects.

This paper provides a comprehensive review of 71 previous studies on the life cycle assessment (LCA) of nanomaterials (NMs) from 2001 to 2020 (19 years). Although various studies have been carried out to assess the efficiency and potential of wastes for nanotechnology, little attention has been paid to conducting a comprehensive analysis related to the environmental performance and hotspot of NMs, based on LCA methodology. Therefore, this paper highlights and discusses LCA methodology’s basis (goal and scope definition, system boundary, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment, and interpretation) to insights into current practices, limitations, progress, and challenges of LCA application NMs. We found that there is still a lack of comprehensive LCA study on the environmental impacts of NMs until end-of-life stages, thereby potentially supporting misleading conclusions, in most of the previous studies reviewed. For a comprehensive evaluation of LCA of NMs, we recommend that future studies should: (1) report more detailed and transparent LCI data within NMs LCA studies; (2) consider the environmental impacts and potential risks of NMs within their whole life cycle; (3) adopt a transparent and prudent characterization model; and (4) include toxicity, uncertainty, and sensitivity assessments to analyze the exposure pathways of NMs further. Future recommendations towards improvement and harmonization of methodological for future research directions were discussed and provided. This study’s findings redound to future research in the field of LCA NMs specifically, considering that the release of NMs into the environment is yet to be explored due to limited understanding of the mechanisms and pathways involved.

Holistic LCA evaluation of the carbon footprint of prefabricated concrete stairs

The construction industry accounts for a large proportion of the direct and indirect carbon emissions in China. The traditional cast-in-place method, still rather common, can no longer meet contemporary green buildings requirements. Prefabricated concrete components can reduce carbon footprint, especially the materialization stage that generates the bulk of the carbon emissions. A computational method to assess carbon footprint could inform emission reduction strategy. This study investigated prefabricated concrete (PC) stairs products and their carbon footprint at the materialization stage, divided into the production, transportation, and construction substages. Based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, the carbon emission calculation model was established and applied to compute carbon emissions of five representative case studies in Fuzhou City in China. The results indicated that: (1) the carbon emissions of PC stairs were mainly generated by raw-material consumption in the production stage; (2) the carbon emission intensity per unit height fluctuated around 811.40 kgCO2/m, per unit cost around 1670.89 kgCO2/10,000 Yuan, and per unit cubic quantity around 857.48 kgCO2/m3; and (3) A strong and significant linear relationship existed between total carbon emissions and three key attributes of project building height, cubic quantity of prefabricated stairs, and cost of prefabricated stairs. This study has developed a standard method to calculate the carbon footprint of a key prefabricated component in buildings. The findings have a reference value for assessing carbon emissions of other prefabricated components and developing sustainable strategies to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption to align with green construction.

LCA evaluation and Energy performance of a housing building in different technological scenarios

Reaching nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards through retrofit can be achieved by adopting controlled procedures and assessment tools. The main issue of operational energy consumption before and after refurbishment should be calculated with reliable predictive models to support investment payback time evaluations. For that purpose, dynamic simulation can reduce the performance gap between simulated and actual performance, however, multiple issues are involved. In the EU Directives, the nZEB framework addresses the operational consumption, which traditionally was the main portion in the building life cycle. However, where nZEB is concerned, the running energy is strongly reduced and embedded energy and disposal assume a higher contribution to the energy life cycle cost. It is worthy to note that LC-ZEBs (Life Cycle Zero Energy Buildings) have been conceptualized more than 10 years ago and the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) approach is now integrated into the most advanced CVEs (Calculation Virtual Environments) to enable a broader evaluation of building energy during the lifespan. The paper presents LCA scenarios for a housing case study located in Italy and Norway where energy saving is regulated and suitable solutions are strongly connected to materials and energy supply contexts.

NEGRAFICKÁ DATA A JEJICH STRUKTURA PRO VYUŽITÍ LCA V BIM

The article deals with the data structure for the purpose of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings using the Building Information Model (BIM). LCA is a method that can be used to demonstrate the suitability of proposed materials, structures, or buildings in terms of their whole life cycle and its environmental impact. For the LCA evaluation it is crucial to obtain life cycle inventory (LCI) input data. The aim of the article is to define a BIM data structure for LCI purposes. The new methodology is based on standardization of non-graphic information model data structure called SNIM. Advantages of the proposed methodology have been demonstrated on the case study. These results are useful for expanding the BIM model with new data necessary for further LCA calculations.

Study of Alternatives for the Design of Sustainable Low-Income Housing in Brazil

Despite insufficient housing facilities, particularly in developing countries, construction systems are generally selected intuitively or based on conventional solutions sanctioned by practice. The present study aims to evaluate different options for the design of low-income housing in Brazil by integrating the life cycle assessment (LCA) into the decision-making process. To achieve this objective, three single-family projects with different construction systems were selected and analyzed. The most sustainable design was selected through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The considered parameters, which were obtained through a survey with professionals and customers, included cost, environmental impact, thermal comfort, construction time, and cultural acceptance. LCA and life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) were performed with the frontier’s system considering the cradle-to-gate cycle, which included the extraction of raw materials, manufacture of building materials, and housing construction. The projects were modelled using Autodesk Revit software with the Tally application for LCA evaluation. The results indicated that light steel frame houses present a better behavior than other conventional alternatives, and the integration of building information modelling with LCA and LCCA in the design phase can lead to the development of more sustainable houses.

Effect of LCA Data Sources on GBRS Reference Values: The Envelope of an Italian Passive House

Scientific literature provides evidence that mitigating the effects of a building’s operation does not in itself ensure an overall improvement in its environmental performance. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) plays a key role in gauging the overall environmental performance of a building although several authors argue that the lack of LCA threshold values makes it difficult to compare design options or measure whether reduced impact targets are achieved. This has led the Green Building Rating Systems (GBRS) to include the LCA within their evaluation criteria and, in like Active House (AH), establish threshold values of the main impact categories to quantify the level of performance achieved. Since the reliability of the data sources is a crucial issue for applying the LCA method, the effectiveness of their implementation within the GBRS also strictly depends on the origin of the impact values. To quantify the extent to which the source affects the impacts calculated by the LCA threshold value in AH, the present study compared the outcomes of two assessments carried out in parallel using two different data sources: AH–LCA evaluation tool v.1.6 and the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). A Passive House (PH)-compliant, small residential building was selected as a case study, as this is a standard that excels in ultra-low-energy performance. Moreover, given the crucial role that the envelope plays in the PH standard, the analysis was undertaken on the envelope of a PH-compliant building located in Northern Italy. To stress the influence of embedded effects in a Passive House, the assessment focused on the production and end-of-life stages of building materials. The comparison showed a relevant difference between the two scenarios for all the environmental indicators: e.g., deviations of 10% for Global Warming Potential, 20% for Acidification Potential and Eutrophication Potential, and 40–50% for Renewable Primary Energy.

LCA and Exergo-Environmental Evaluation of a Combined Heat and Power Double-Flash Geothermal Power Plant

This study deals with the life cycle assessment (LCA) and an exergo-environmental analysis (EEvA) of the geothermal Power Plant of Hellisheiði (Iceland), a combined heat and power double flash plant, with an installed power of 303.3 MW for electricity and 133 MW for hot water. LCA approach is used to evaluate and analyse the environmental performance at the power plant global level. A more in-depth study is developed, at the power plant components level, through EEvA. The analysis employs existing published data with a realignment of the inventory to the latest data resource and compares the life cycle impacts of three methods (ILCD 2011 Midpoint, ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint-Endpoint, and CML-IA Baseline) for two different scenarios. In scenario 1, any emission abatement system is considered. In scenario 2, re-injection of CO2 and H2S is accounted for. The analysis identifies some major hot spots for the environmental power plant impacts, like acidification, particulate matter formation, ecosystem, and human toxicity, mainly caused by some specific sources. Finally, an exergo-environmental analysis allows indicating the wells as significant contributors of the environmental impact rate associated with the construction, Operation &amp; Maintenance, and end of life stages and the HP condenser as the component with the highest environmental cost rate.

Life cycle-based evaluation of environmental impacts and external costs of treated wastewater reuse for irrigation: A case study in southern Italy

Treated wastewater (TWW) reuse is a practice involving a series of life cycle environmental and socio-economic benefits and trade-offs. This raises a fundamental question: Is this practice sustainable from the life cycle perspective? In a first of its kind study, using physical and monetized life cycle assessment (LCA) we assessed environmental impacts and external costs of reuse of TWW for irrigation in Trinitapoli, Southern Italy. The release of secondary effluent in the sea and water supply from groundwater was modeled as a baseline scenario. The life cycle impact (LCIA)-model ReCiPe 2016 was applied for analysis. The results at the midpoint level revealed the immanent trade-off between the benefits of reduced water consumption and nutrient pollution and additional impacts for energy and infrastructure for tertiary treatment. The endpoint-based LCA evaluation shows that TWW reuse can bring environmental benefits to human health and ecosystems, even though it is connected to higher damage to resources. Finally, both the physical and economic weighting of LCA results indicated that TWW reuse delivers a lower total environmental impact and total external cost as benefits of reduced water consumption and marine eutrophication counterbalance the reclamation detrimental impacts. A sensitivity analysis using three life cycle methods (IMPACT World+, Environmental prices, and Environmental footprint) provided essentially similar conclusions by portraying TWW as a more advantageous option in a water-scarce region like Trinitapoli. Renewable-based energy mix and energy efficiency can drive the net benefit higher. Overall this analysis delivered two main research thrusts: one detailed environmentally extended LCA profile and the other integrating a financial axis in the LCA-based impacts allowing for a new sustainability-oriented perspective of the TWW reuse in the Mediterranean environment. The model framework can be expanded further to include microbial and chemical risk assessment and impacts of substituted products for more robust, comparative assessments.

Non-graphical data structure for the purpose of BIM-based Life Cycle Assessment: Methodology for the Czech environment

The article deals with the data structure required for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings using the Building Information Model (BIM) for implementation in the Czech construction industry. The construction industry produces a significant amount of waste while the capacity of landfills is being limited. The effective management of previously used materials that have the potential to be reused can significantly help to decrease consumption and save natural resources. LCA is a method that can be used to demonstrate the suitability of proposed materials, structures or buildings in terms of their whole life cycle and its environmental impact. For an LCA evaluation, it is crucial to obtain life cycle inventory (LCI) input data, though the structure of this data has not yet been clearly defined for the Czech environment. BIM includes, in addition to geometry, an information component which is applicable to this assessment. The aim of the article is to analyze previous approaches and define a BIM data structure for a particular material for LCI purposes. The new methodology is based on the standardization of a non-graphical information model data structure (SNIM) which was developed for the Czech construction industry. “Markup syntaxes” have been taken from the SNIM database and used to further identify the data for LCI base structure purposes. The MatLab matrix solver was used to classify these data. The advantages of the proposed methodology have been demonstrated via a case study of a monolithic concrete slab structure in which three types of concrete were evaluated. The results indicated the percentage of impact categories for each concrete type. These results are useful for expanding the BIM model with new data necessary for further LCA calculations. The extension of the BIM model via LCA calculations will lead to a reduction in the extraction of natural resources as well as a positive impact on the environment.

Ecotoxicity of Plastics from Informal Waste Electric and Electronic Treatment and Recycling.

Plastic materials account for about 20% of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The recycling of this plastic fraction is a complex issue, heavily conditioned by the content of harmful additives, such as brominated flame retardants. Thus, the management and reprocessing of WEEE plastics pose environmental and human health concerns, mainly in developing countries, where informal recycling and disposal are practiced. The objective of this study was twofold. Firstly, it aimed to investigate some of the available options described in the literature for the re-use of WEEE plastic scraps in construction materials, a promising recycling route in the developing countries. Moreover, it presents an evaluation of the impact of these available end-of-life scenarios on the environment by means of the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. In order to consider worker health and human and ecological risks, the LCA analysis focuses on ecotoxicity more than on climate change. The LCA evaluation confirmed that the plastic re-use in the construction sector has a lower toxicity impact on the environment and human health than common landfilling and incineration practices. It also shows that the unregulated handling and dismantling activities, as well as the re-use practices, contribute significantly to the impact of WEEE plastic treatments.

Computational screening-LCA tools for early design stages

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been widely adopted to identify the Global Warming Potential (GWP) in the construction industry and determine its high environmental impact through Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, energy and resource consumptions. The consideration of LCA in the early stages of design is becoming increasingly important as a means to avoid costly changes at later stages of the project. However, typical LCA-based tools demand very detailed information about structural and material systems and thus become too laborious for designers in the conceptual stages, where such specifications are still loosely defined. In response, this paper presents a workflow for LCA-based evaluation where the selection of the construction system and material is kept open to compare the impacts of alternative design variants. We achieve this through a strict division into support and infill systems and a simplified visualization of a schematic floor layout using a shoebox approach, inspired from the energy modelling domain. The shoeboxes in our case are repeatable modules within a schematic floor plan layout, whose enclosures are defined by parametric 2D surfaces representing total ratios of permanent supports versus infill components. Thus, the assembly of modular surface enclosures simplifies the LCA evaluation process by avoiding the need to accurately specify the physical properties of each building component across the floor plan. The presented workflow facilitates the selection of alternative structural systems and materials for their comparison, and outputs the Global Warming Potential (GWP) in the form of an intuitive visualization output. The workflow for simplified evaluation is illustrated through a case study that compares the GWP for selected combinations of material choice and construction systems.