Building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is gaining relevance as a regulatory and design-integrated sustainability metric guiding the AEC sector towards sustainability [1]. While integration with BIM promises streamlined workflows [2], [3], practical application remains limited by tool fragmentation, intransparent data handling, and high user effort [1].
This study evaluates current LCA capabilities of leading BIM-systems through a structured test using a shared building model and comparison to dedicated LCA tools. The analysis reveals significant discrepancies in methodology, data management, and user configurability, along with errors such as deprecated datasets and incorrect reference units.
Based on these results, concrete development requirements and a user- and system-oriented development strategy for next-generation BIM-integrated LCA software are proposed. Key features include: (1) transparent mapping between BIM objects and EPD datasets, (2) structured integration of uncertainty ranges and EPD quality scores, (3) probabilistic default value systems for missing inputs, and (4) standardized exchange formats aligned with IFC. Implementation approaches should emphasize user modifiability and visual feedback mechanisms to communicate environmental performance intuitively.
The paper concludes that effective tool development must address both technical standardization and practical usability. Without these advances, building LCA remains inaccessible for early-phase design decisions and complex for certification, undermining its transformative potential. The proposed development strategy aligns digital sustainability workflows with international climate goals and helps close the gap between research, policy, and practice. As part of an ongoing research project on AI-centred, sustainability-focused BIM-system development, this paper provides the foundation for LCA implementation in practice.
[1] Hollberg et al. (2020), “A data-driven parametric tool for under-specified LCA in the design phase”, IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci., 588 (5), 052018, doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/588/5/052018.
[2] Horn et al. (2020), “The BIM2LCA approach”, Sustainability, 12 (16), doi: 10.3390/su12166558.
[3] Forth et al. (2023), “BIM4EarlyLCA”, Developments in the Built Environment, 16, 100263, doi: 10.1016/j.dibe.2023.100263.