Life Cycle Assessment of Industrial Building Construction and Recovery Potential. Case Studies in Seville

Abstract

In Spain, most businesses are medium to small size enterprises, representing 90% of the total, but there is a lack of studies of the types of building this sector uses. The main objective of this paper is to present a method for the evaluation of small industrial construction projects to facilitate the introduction of eco-efficient solutions. For this, it is necessary to identify the most representative buildings and the aspects of these which have the most environmental impact. A methodology in place for the evaluation of dwelling construction is adapted, for the first time, to evaluate industrial buildings. The construction solutions characterized are those traditionally used in the sector, as identified through 87 surveys. A standardized classification of work units is proposed to enable the use of environmental product information, such as eco-labels and/or EPD, and LCA databases. The carbon footprint (CF) and water footprint (WF) are the indicators selected because of their straightforward message. Finally, a comparative analysis is performed showing the high recycling potential of concrete and cement which, along with metals and aggregates, control the impact in terms of CF. With respect to the WF indicator, plastic substitute aggregates are among the materials with the greatest impact.

Parametric Optimization and Decision Support Model Framework for Life Cycle Cost Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Flexible Industrial Building Structures Integrating Production Planning

“…In line with existing research on environmental performance assessment of industrial buildings [21,38,40], the study results show that more processed materials such as concrete and metal variants contribute to a higher environmental impact, as their processing involves more energy and, therefore, generates more carbon emissions. Due to the large span, corresponding large cross-section dimensions and the high dead load of the investigated concrete structures, the concrete variants have a high impact on the amount of waste and costs.…”

“…The test case demonstrates that the developed framework enables the comparison of different factors affecting the embodied energy and costs of industrial building structures and enclosure systems along the life cycle. Applying the framework in practice can help prevent waste production at an early stage as the framework enables assessment of the buildings recycling potential, as suggested in literature [21,38]. However, it is important to highlight the fact that the results of this study do not include the operational stage or energy efficiency of industrial buildings as it was examined in related research [19,21,22,26] and is a topic for future research.…”

“…The results showed that the building materials are the main contributors to the environmental impact, with a total embodied carbon of 508.57 kgCO 2 eq/m 2 and a total embodied energy of 4908.68 MJ/m 2 . Marrero et al [38] presented a methodology for environmental evaluation of industrial building projects in Spain. They selected carbon footprint and water footprint as environmental indicators and conducted a comparative analysis.…”

Methodology for Improving the Sustainability of Industrial Buildings via Matrix of Combinations Water and Carbon Footprint Assessment

“…Notably, 90% of companies in Spain are medium or small, have less than 20 employees [5], and are located in industrial parks. It is important that they grow sustainably to reduce the direct impact of their exploitation and expansion-mainly due to their production of natural resources-via the emission of pollutants and generation of solid waste, as well as their indirect impacts, such as the construction of infrastructure, on the air, soil, and water [6].…”

“…Recently, the ARDITEC research group began developing a platform for open educational resources intended for university students, professors, researchers, and companies that want to acquire knowledge about the methods of estimating the environmental impact of industrial buildings [6]. These resources use other indicators in addition to CF, such as the water footprint (WF).…”