Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support?
Life-Cycle Assessments (LCA) have become a common tool of decision support in the built environment regarding environmental impacts. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of different LCA approaches and system boundaries on decision support regarding circular design strategies. Thre...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Developments in the Built Environment |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165924000796 |
| _version_ | 1797253941875965952 |
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| author | Sarah Cecilie Andersen Alexander Hollberg Xan Browne Holger Wallbaum Harpa Birgisdóttir Olga Popovic Larsen Morten Birkved |
| author_facet | Sarah Cecilie Andersen Alexander Hollberg Xan Browne Holger Wallbaum Harpa Birgisdóttir Olga Popovic Larsen Morten Birkved |
| author_sort | Sarah Cecilie Andersen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Life-Cycle Assessments (LCA) have become a common tool of decision support in the built environment regarding environmental impacts. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of different LCA approaches and system boundaries on decision support regarding circular design strategies. Three different ways of applying attributional LCA (ALCA) and one consequential LCA (CLCA) are assessed using a case study of a wooden beam with either virgin or reclaimed timber. While the conclusions are not readily scalable, the case study's results indicate that using reclaimed material is environmentally beneficial when applying ALCA. However, when applying CLCA the reclaimed material performs worse than the virgin material. This highlights the potential pitfalls of scaling up solutions based on LCA results without considering the broader consequences. While the current ALCA approach is useful for declarations, it may not provide comprehensive decision support for driving a transition in the built environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:42:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e784ec411a0e4853b39ca1e151894971 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-1659 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:42:04Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Developments in the Built Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-e784ec411a0e4853b39ca1e1518949712024-03-21T05:37:41ZengElsevierDevelopments in the Built Environment2666-16592024-04-0118100398Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support?Sarah Cecilie Andersen0Alexander Hollberg1Xan Browne2Holger Wallbaum3Harpa Birgisdóttir4Olga Popovic Larsen5Morten Birkved6SDU Life Cycle Engineering, Department of Green Technology (IGT), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense-M, Denmark; Buildings & Environment, Danish Technological Institute, Gregersensvej, DK-2630, Taastrup, Denmark; Corresponding author. SDU Life Cycle Engineering, Department of Green Technology (IGT), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense-M, Denmark.Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SwedenInstitute of Architecture and Technology, Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design and Conservation, Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, A. C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450, Copenhagen, SV, DenmarkInstitute of Architecture and Technology, Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design and Conservation, Copenhagen, DenmarkSDU Life Cycle Engineering, Department of Green Technology (IGT), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense-M, DenmarkLife-Cycle Assessments (LCA) have become a common tool of decision support in the built environment regarding environmental impacts. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of different LCA approaches and system boundaries on decision support regarding circular design strategies. Three different ways of applying attributional LCA (ALCA) and one consequential LCA (CLCA) are assessed using a case study of a wooden beam with either virgin or reclaimed timber. While the conclusions are not readily scalable, the case study's results indicate that using reclaimed material is environmentally beneficial when applying ALCA. However, when applying CLCA the reclaimed material performs worse than the virgin material. This highlights the potential pitfalls of scaling up solutions based on LCA results without considering the broader consequences. While the current ALCA approach is useful for declarations, it may not provide comprehensive decision support for driving a transition in the built environment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165924000796Life cycle assessmentAttributional LCAConsequential LCASystem boundariesEnvironmental decision supportBuilt environment |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Cecilie Andersen Alexander Hollberg Xan Browne Holger Wallbaum Harpa Birgisdóttir Olga Popovic Larsen Morten Birkved Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support? Developments in the Built Environment Life cycle assessment Attributional LCA Consequential LCA System boundaries Environmental decision support Built environment |
| title | Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support? |
| title_full | Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support? |
| title_fullStr | Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support? |
| title_short | Environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment: How do system boundaries affect decision support? |
| title_sort | environmental impacts of circularity in the built environment how do system boundaries affect decision support |
| topic | Life cycle assessment Attributional LCA Consequential LCA System boundaries Environmental decision support Built environment |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666165924000796 |
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