Automated and continuous BIM-based life cycle carbon assessment for infrastructure design projects

BIM-LCA integration facilitates sustainability indicators in infrastructure projects; however, BIM-LCA integration poses interoperability and information exchange issues. This study develops a parametric-life-cycle-carbonassessment (PLCCA) model for automating data-integration, dynamic-computations, and online-visualization of carbon emissions. Emission factors (EFs) are systematically integrated as additional design parameters in the BIM-model. Carbon emissions are dynamically calculated using parameterized inputs. Rhino-Grasshopper plugins generate real-time bar charts and color codes inside BIM-environments. Multi-objective optimization (MOO) incorporates carbon emissions, materials, energy, and cost to optimize design parameters and facilitate early decisions. The performance and applicability of PLCCA are evaluated using a tunnel in Yunnan, China. Production and operational stages account for 30% and 65% of carbon emissions. Tunnel is then remodeled with optimized parameters; carbon emissions are recalculated to reduce environmental effects. Carbon emissions in the production and operational phases are reduced by 32.94% and 28.40%. This research educates project stakeholders on low-carbon techniques to attain carbon neutrality.

Automated summary

BIM-LCA integration facilitates sustainability indicators in infrastructure projects, but poses interoperability and information exchange issues. This study develops a parametric-life-cycle-carbon assessment (PLCCA) model for automating data-integration, dynamic-computations, and online-visualization of carbon emissions. The model incorporates emission factors as additional design parameters in the BIM-model and uses parameterized inputs to dynamically calculate carbon emissions. Multi-objective optimization is used to optimize design parameters and facilitate early decisions, reducing carbon emissions by 32.94% and 28.40% in the production and operational phases of a tunnel in Yunnan, China.