Why method matters: Temporal, spatial and physical variations in LCA and their impact on choice of structural system

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly used as an early-stage design-decision tool to support choices of structural system. However LCA modellers must first make numerous methodological decisions, and the resultant wide variations in approach are often inadequately described by the modellers. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy and buildings 2018-08, Vol.173, p.389-398
Main Authors: Moncaster, A.M., Pomponi, F., Symons, K.E., Guthrie, P.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Boundaries
Building materials
Case studies
Case study analysis
Cross laminating
Decision support systems
Decisions
Embodied carbon
Embodied energy
Life cycle analysis
Life Cycle Assessment
Life cycle engineering
Life cycles
Load bearing elements
Masonry
Mathematical models
Residential buildings
Spatial data
Steel
Steel frames
Steel structures
Structural material
Timber
Timber (structural)
Transparency
Variation
Wood laminates
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Summary:Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly used as an early-stage design-decision tool to support choices of structural system. However LCA modellers must first make numerous methodological decisions, and the resultant wide variations in approach are often inadequately described by the modellers. This paper identifies, and quantifies, the three major areas of methodological variation. These are: temporal differences in the stages considered; spatial differences in the material boundaries; and physical disparities in the data coefficients. The effects are then demonstrated through a case study of a student residential building in Cambridge. The cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure is compared with concrete frame, steel frame and load-bearing masonry, considering the influence that varying the temporal boundaries, the data coefficients, and the spatial boundaries has on the choice. While for this building CLT is confirmed as the lowest impact material, the paper demonstrates that varying the methodological choices can change the results by an alarming factor of 10 or even more. The findings confirm the need for the utmost clarity and transparency with all LCA calculations. Making wider industry or policy decisions based on LCA results should be undertaken with extreme caution.
ISSN:0378-7788
1872-6178
DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.05.039