Design-Integrated Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Design-Integrated LCA equips future architects and engineers with essential skills to assess and minimise the environmental impact of buildings over their life cycle. In this project-based course, students will perform a building LCA using digital parametric LCA tools. Working in groups, students will gain hands-on experience in strategies and material choices to enhance building sustainability.

Objective

By the end of this course, students should be able to: - Perform Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Students will learn to evaluate the environmental impact of buildings, including embodied and operational impacts, using industry-relevant databases, tools, and benchmarks. - Make LCA-Informed Design Decisions: Students will interpret LCA results to identify key environmental impacts and make data-driven design choices that improve a building’s sustainability. - Utilize Digital LCA Tools: Students will gain hands-on experience with parametric LCA tools, integrating LCA into the design process and preparing them for real-world decision-making.

Content

This is a project-based course where lectures run parallel to the project work, providing students with the necessary input for each project stage. In the first phase of the course, students will learn how to perform LCA of buildings, based on a given building description for the project work. The lectures and the practical work on the building model will cover the following content: 1. Introduction to LCA and its relevance for buildings 2. Fundamental LCA concepts - Goal and scope definition - Product system modelling - System boundaries and life cycle stages - Life cycle inventory data collection and modelling - Life cycle impact assessment categories and methods - Interpretation of LCA results 3. Relevant environmental performance benchmarks for buildings (e.g., carbon budgets) 4. Digital tools to integrate LCA and design - LCA databases (e.g., KBOB, Ecoinvent) - Parametric digital LCA tools (e.g., Bombyx, Hive) At the end of the first stage, students will present the results of their LCA in an intermediate review session (not graded) to receive feedback from lecturers and peers and ensure the correct application of concepts and tools. In the second phase of the course, students are expected to propose solutions to minimize the environmental impacts of the building analysed in the project work. Lectures and practical work will cover the following topics: 5. Material and energy efficiency 6. Low-carbon/low-impact materials and energy sources 7. Dematerialisation and sufficiency measures At the end of the second stage, students will present the final results of their project work, which will be graded (see detailed requirements in performance assessment).

Resources