Facilitating the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) workflow in the architectural design process in Sweden

Abstract: In 2018 Sweden emitted approximately 56.2 million tons (Mt) CO2e. The building sector alone stands for 11.8 Mt of these emissions, 21% of the total amount. The Swedish government is now aiming for a net-zero carbon economy by 2045. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method developed to create awareness of the total environmental load of a product's life cycle. Today, LCA calculations are time-consuming, expensive, and are not used in the early design phase where it is most beneficial for the environment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how LCA is implemented in the AEC industry in Sweden and what requirements there are for BIM workflow and LCA integration in the early architectural design process. A mixed-method approach was applied, using the four research methods literature review, expert interviews, survey, and document analysis. This paper contributes with recommendations regarding the LCA workflow in the design process of the AEC industry in Sweden. Unlike previous research investigating LCA in the industry, the scope will improve the implementation in earlier stages of design for sustainable decision making and more accurate calculations in the later stages.