Comparative BIM-based Life Cycle Assessment of Uruguayan timber and concrete-masonry single-family houses in design stage

Abstract

The use of wood and engineered wood products is today considered an opportunity for the mitigation of negative building environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions. However, the literature provides evidence that the quantification and generalization of the environmental benefits of wood during the whole building life cycle can be difficult. This paper presents a quantitative method based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to compare, during their design stages, the environmental impacts produced by a timber-frame single-family house versus those of a concrete-masonry-based house built in Uruguay. The method, conceived as a decision-oriented tool, integrates Building Information Modelling (BIM) and LCA to quantify and compare the environmental impacts of one of the most common dwelling typologies in Uruguay. The results of the cradle-to-grave assessment show that the timber-frame building produced the lowest impacts in Global Warming Potential, Human Toxicity, Acidification Potential, Ozone Depletion Potential, and Freshwater Ecotoxicity, but yielded the highest impacts in Eutrophication Potential. The findings also show that the method developed herein facilitated the comparison and contrast between the pros and cons of both design options during their design stages.