A review of building life cycle assessment software tools: Challenges and future directions

Abstract

Abstract Buildings contribute close to 40% of the global annual energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, all emissions need to halve by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive, holistic, and systemic approach to quantify the environmental impacts of a building. Built environment professionals rely on building LCA software tools (BLCA STs) to simplify the modelling needed to inform decision-making. However, BLCA STs are not widely used by the building industry. This has been attributed to a lack of data, time constraints, compatibility issues and the complexity of conducting LCA studies. In parallel, the variety of stakeholders involved, tools available, and intended use during the building’s life cycle means that the requirements expected from BLCA STs can vary substantially. In a first step towards mainstreaming the use of these tools, this study reviews the scope of existing BLCA STs in terms of their attributes and relevance to the building life cycle workflow. This review identifies hindrances in data availability, consistency, transparency, and global coverage during BLCA STs integration. Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Machine Learning (ML) integration, design optimization features and links to certifications can further streamline the BLCA process. While this review is based on the academic perspectives of BLCA STs, there is a significant gap and need for an in–depth understanding of these tools from the perspective of the stakeholders within the building value chain and how they utilize them.