Life cycle assessment

A life cycle assessment for a construction project is a tool used to evaluate the environmental impact of all aspects of the project from inception through to demolition, in effect from cradle to grave. This tool can be used to compare the demands placed on the environment by various design options, for example the choice of materials. Taken further, this can lead to the design of a building with selective deconstruction at the end of the life cycle planned in. Although, selective deconstruction is more cost intensive than simple demolition, the subsequent sale of reusable elements provides some compensation for the more laborious procedure. The applied materials should ideally be from renewable resources and each have a suitable life span.

The following animated diagram shows the life cycle of a building with the relevant flows of material and energy.

Animation: Building life cycle (click to start animation)

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