A systematic review of the integration of building information modeling into life cycle assessment

Abstract

Building information modeling (BIM) helps simplify data acquisition and reduce labor-intensive processes in the life cycle assessment (LCA) of buildings. However, there is a lack of systematic understanding of integrating BIM into LCA. This paper aims to develop a framework for systematically reviewing the body of knowledge on BIM-integrated LCA in the concept, methodology, and value dimensions. Following the framework, this paper analyzes case studies involving 82 buildings from selected publications between 2011 and 2021, using scientometric and detailed content analysis techniques. The results evidence that the majority of them were studies of residential, low-rise, and concrete buildings and used Autodesk Revit for establishing BIM models. Three types of methods for BIM-integrated LCA were identified: integrating data into a third-party application or tool (I), importing a bill of quantities report generated from the BIM model into a dedicated LCA tool (II), and using plug-ins with LCA data for BIM software (III). However, interoperability between BIM and LCA remains a serious challenge owing to different terminologies and data structures. Hence, two means have been suggested to improve this: adapting the BIM data to the LCA data structure and developing a simpler BIM tool. This paper provides a theoretical foundation for better understanding “what BIM-integrated LCA is”, “how to integrate BIM with LCA to simplify and automate data input”, and “what applications of BIM-integrated LCA are”. It also serves as an information base for researchers and software developers to identify the contemporary research trends and knowledge gaps in this discipline.