Building information modelling life cycle assessment IP 5 15

BRE (Building Research Establishment) is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.

Building information modelling life cycle assessment (IP 5/15) was written by Daniel Doran and published by BRE on 11 May 2015.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a very broad term that describes the process of creating and managing digital information about a built asset such as building, bridge, highway, tunnel and so on. The adoption of BIM in the construction industry signals a readiness for the integration of building-level life cycle assessment (LCA) in design.

This 6-page Information Paper begins by introducing embodied impacts and how they are measured using LCA, followed by a review of the key themes and advantages of building-level LCA, integration in BIM and BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).

It is intended for construction industry professionals who have an interest in assessing embodied impacts and want to know more about IMPACT and automated LCA in BIM. This includes those involved in embodied impact consultancy, BREEAM Assessors and BREEAM Accredited Professionals, environmentally-aware designers and construction product manufacturers.

After reading this information paper, readers will understand how BRE is approaching building-level LCA, and how it is implemented in BIM through IMPACT.

The contents of the information paper are:

• Introduction.
• Embodied impacts.
• Measuring the embodied impacts using LCA.
• Building-level LCA.
• BIM and LCA.
• Conclusion.
• References.

--BRE Group

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