Alternative end scenarios for the LCA analysis of a steel-framed residential building

Abstract

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is currently being widely used within the construction sector as the most accurate and effective methodology to quantify the environmental impact associated with construction projects. Taking into account project stages such as raw material acquisition, construction, operation and the handling of the materials at the demolition stage, it constitutes a valuable tool to optimize the sustainability of technical structures. The purpose of the current research is to investigate the last stage of a project considered in LCA analysis, namely the end scenario. A steel-framed residential building is used as the basis for the definition of a set of alternative end scenarios which cover the complete range of handling options for the construction materials retrieved after the service life of the building. These scenarios are used to complement a corresponding set of alternative life cycles, for which environmental impact assessment calculations are executed. The results are used to draw conclusions regarding the influence of end scenarios and material handling at the end of a construction project on the minimization of its environmental impact and the subsequent optimization of its sustainability.