Developing an integrated BIM/LCA framework to assess the sustainability of using earthen architecture

Abstract

The construction industry is responsible for one-quarter of the solid waste generated globally, much of which is excavated soil. Repurposing this soil for the use of earthen architecture (EA) will reduce a considerable amount of this waste. However, little research has been conducted on how to assess the use of EA within the architectural, engineering, environmental and economic context, and in comparison with other construction system solutions. This paper presents the development of an integrated building information modelling (BIM) and life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to explore what advantages EA may have, based on the client’s needs and the building’s requirements. The decision-making conditions and criteria for the use of EA are firstly identified in an extensive literature review supported by interviews with decision-makers. A workflow is secondly proposed to apply a LCA evaluating the decision criteria in a BIM tool at the early-design stages. This method allows for the evaluation and comparison of choice criteria as functional requirements of the building and objectives set by the decision-makers. The flexibility of setting input parameters in this tool increases the visibility of the potential benefits of EA over other construction systems. Along with this approach, upcoming applications on case studies will aim to be replicable by designers, based on their practices and design tools, to support clients in their choice of using EA.

Thermal and Humidity Performance Test of Rammed-Earth Dwellings in Northwest Sichuan during Summer and Winter

“…Absorption curve: y = 0.0137ϕ 0.66 + 4.31 × 10 −9 ϕ 3.36 (7) Desorption curve: y = 0.0416ϕ 0.49 + 5.12 × 10 −10 ϕ 3.69 (8) obtained as functions of the relative humidity by fitting a nonlinear curve according to Equation (6).…”

“…Absorption curve: y = 0.0137φ 0.66 + 4.31 × 10 −9 φ 3.36 (7) Desorption curve: y = 0.0416φ 0.49 + 5.12 × 10 −10 φ 3.69 (8)…”

“…Rammed earth is a very old building material, which is very common and often promoted as a sustainable building material [ 7 ]. As a local renewable material, rammed–earth does not require industrial processing and can be produced and reused at or near construction sites with very low energy consumption [ 8 ].…”

Thermal Performance Analysis of Plaster Reinforced with Raffia Vinifera Particles for Use as Insulating Materials in Building

“…Therefore, it is necessary to design an optimal building envelope to reduce energy consumption in buildings that depend on several parameters, by studying the properties of building materials in which solar absorptivity, moisture permeability and insulation type are the most influential thermal variables [1]. Several researches provide an approach to evaluate the most appropriate building system to be selected in the early stages of design, leading to the use of a more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable building material [11] and new application model to regulate energy consumption in building [12]. Faced with these constraints, we have seen in recent years, research efforts in the development of new construction methods using local materials in order to provide an adequate response to this crisis in developing countries.…”