Life cycle assessment for construction materials of an industrial building using web-based software “OneClick LCA”
Abstract Life cycle assessment (LCA) is crucial for evaluating the environmental impacts of construction buildings and materials throughout their lifespan. The present study seeks to bridge the gap between assessing the LCA and quantifying their environmental impacts through using an existing web-ba...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Discover Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01466-5 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Life cycle assessment (LCA) is crucial for evaluating the environmental impacts of construction buildings and materials throughout their lifespan. The present study seeks to bridge the gap between assessing the LCA and quantifying their environmental impacts through using an existing web-based environmental software. Specifically, the research identifies a gap in the availability of environmental data for Egyptian construction materials, the absence of a standardized LCA framework, and the limited adoption of LCA software in early design decision-making. As a practical example, this study aims to assess the environmental impacts of an industrial building in Cairo, Egypt, with an emphasis on determining the social carbon cost, and identifying opportunities for emission reductions. Additionally, this study involves preparing the required data for compatibility with OneClick software and proposing a procedure for entering these data to the web-based software to assess the environmental impact of the industrial building. The findings reveal that concrete and steel in the baseline scenario have significant environmental impacts, with high embodied carbon (29,122 tons CO2e; 132.98 kg CO2e per m2 per year) and substantial effects on global warming, ozone depletion, and other environmental aspects (a social carbon cost of 1,456,090 €). The study recommends using alternative materials with a detailed comparative analysis to reduce the embodied carbon footprint and social cost of carbon of the industrial building by approximately 16%. Implementing these alternatives can significantly mitigate environmental impacts and promote more sustainable building practices. These findings underscore the importance of integrating LCA using software into the early design and material selection phases for more environmentally responsible construction decision-making. |
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| ISSN: | 2662-9984 |