Building Information Model (BIM) and Life Cycle Analysis tools: A comparative study with specialized software for environmental performance of buildings

Life cycle analysis (LCA) has become an essential tool in the construction sector, aligning with the principles of sustainable development goals. LCA enables construction managers to make informed decisions about building materials by comparing costs and environmental impacts at every stage of a product’s life cycle, from cradle to grave. Construction professionals use specialized software tools for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), which requires pre-processed building data and access to external expensive material databases. This complexity necessitates the involvement of specialists to effectively manage both the tools and the theoretical aspects of LCA. These requirements make performing LCA complex and necessitate the involvement of specialized professionals who possess the expertise to manage both the tools and the theoretical aspects of LCA. On the other hand, Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools are being developed to be more accessible and user-friendly across the sector.

Recently, BIM software developers have introduced plugin tools designed to generate LCA reports using the geometry and data available from existing BIM models. This research aims to validate the results produced by these new tools and compare them with those from established specialized LCA assessment tools, aiming to uncover the advantages and challenges of integrating this new BIM workflow.

The suggested work methodology for this research is to use a case study model of a single-family house project, with controlled construction systems and material parameters. The test will be divided into three stages. In the first stage, BIM tools and external software will be analyzed to detect comparable workflows and obtainable results. The second stage involves the case study input and testing in each platform to obtain the same result sets. The final stage consists of analyzing each result set to evaluate the advantages and problems of using each software, contrasting the necessity of specialized knowledge and technical procedures for operating each platform against the quality of the obtained carbon footprint results.

The objective is to establish a framework for evaluating the applicability of carbon footprint results obtained from each platform. These results should equip construction managers with a comprehensive understanding of the utility of the available tools and ascertain whether relying on BIM LCA tools can effectively reduce the time and cost associated with conducting studies using external tools. Based on the intended applications of the LCA results and certification requirements, managers can make informed decisions on whether to utilize BIM tools or invest in specialized software solutions.