BIM-based life cycle assessment: A systematic review on automation and decision-making during design
Sara Parece, Ricardo Resende, Vasco Rato
Abstract
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is essential to achieve a Net-Zero Carbon Built Environment and inform effective mitigation strategies for environmental impacts throughout a building's life cycle. However, collecting Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data and the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) processes are complex and time-consuming. BIM-LCA integration enables automated quantity-take-off, supporting faster evaluation of different design options and decision-making. Consequently, research on BIM-LCA has grown significantly since 2013. However, previous literature reviews on BIM-LCA automation do not cover the developments from the past three years, nor do they assess how BIM-LCA supports decision-making or how decision-making methods can enhance its adoption, particularly among non-LCA experts. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol to address this gap, analysing 115 research articles (2019-2024) based on design phases, BIM object LOD, LCA application, data exchange and extraction methods, and decision-making capabilities, including Multi-Criteria Decision, Multi-Objective Optimisation, and Sensitivity/Uncertainty analyses. The findings highlight advancements in LCI automation. However, several challenges remain, including manual BIM-LCA data mapping during LCIA, limited research on BIM-LCA for renovation projects, dynamic BIM-LCA approaches supporting OpenBIM, standardised LOD for different LCA applications, and local databases for budget-based targets. Furthermore, few studies integrate LCA with economic and social indicators, and decision-making methods are mainly absent from BIM-LCA tools. This study outlines research prospects to help academics and practitioners address limitations and improve BIM-LCA automation and decision-making. Future efforts will focus on gathering insights from industry stakeholders to identify practical challenges and establish priorities for user-centred BIM-LCA development.