Facilitating the Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) workflow in the architectural
design process in Sweden
Beatrice Besterman and Sofie Lans
MASTER THESIS 2021
Master in Product Development with a specialization
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
This thesis work has been carried out at the School of Engineering in Jönköping in the subject area Product development - Sustainable Building Information Management. The work is a part of the Master of Science with a major Product development, specialization in Sustainable Building Information Management.
The authors take full responsibility for opinions, conclusions and findings presented. Examiner: Ibrahim Yitmen
Supervisor: Annika Moscati Scope: 30 credits (second cycle) Date: 10/06/2021
ADDRESS:School of Engineering, P.O Box 1026, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden
VISIT :Gjuterigatan 5, Campus, Building E
PHONE:+46 (0)36 10 10 00 WEB:www.ju.se
Facilitating the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) workflow in the
architectural design process in Sweden
Beatrice Besterman and Sofie Lans
Jönköping University, Jönköping 553 18, Sweden
bebe16bb@student.ju.se laso1619@student.ju.se
Abstract. In 2018 Sweden emitted approximately 56.2 million tons (Mt) CO2e. The building sector alone
stands for 11.8 Mt of these emissions, 21% of the total amount. The Swedish government is now aiming for a net-zero carbon economy by 2045. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method developed to create awareness of the total environmental load of a product's life cycle. Today, LCA calculations are time-consuming, expensive, and are not used in the early design phase where it is most beneficial for the environment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how LCA is implemented in the AEC industry in Sweden and what requirements there are for BIM workflow and LCA integration in the early architectural design process. A mixed-method approach was applied, using the four research methods literature review, expert interviews, survey, and document analysis. This paper contributes with recommendations regarding the LCA workflow in the design process of the AEC industry in Sweden. Unlike previous research investigating LCA in the industry, the scope will improve the implementation in earlier stages of design for sustainable decision making and more accurate calculations in the later stages.
Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Building Information Modeling (BIM), Early design stage.
1
Introduction
Sweden has been, and is, one of the leading countries when it comes to decarbonization and a low-carbon economy. Today Sweden has the second-lowest CO2 emission both per capita and GDP among countries in the International Energy Agency (IEA) [1]. In 2018 Sweden’s total greenhouse gas emissions were approximately 56.2 million ton (Mt) CO2 equivalencies (CO2e) [2]. The Swedish government in conjunction with the Energy Agreement and Climate Framework, are aiming for a net-zero carbon economy by 2045 [1].
The building sector in Sweden stood for 11.8 Mt CO2e in 2018, which is 21% of the total greenhouse gases in Sweden [2]. To reduce CO2 emissions and the effect that the building sector has on the environment, the buildings Life Cycle needs to be considered early in the design phase. Life Cycle Assessments (LCA’s) were developed due to increased interest and need for environmental protection and product-associated impacts [3]. It is a technique used to create awareness of the environmental load of a product's entire life cycle, including raw materials, energy consumption, emissions, and waste [4]. In LCA, the environmental impact is measured in CO2 equivalences, which is a collective name for different greenhouse gas emissions multiplied by a Global Warming Potential (GWP) to be comparable [5].
LCA calculations are usually done at the end of the design phase or later in the process, when crucial information is available, to reach a certain certification requirement [6, 7, 8]. This negatively affects the flexibility in design that can be important for the environmental impact [6, 8]. To achieve the lowest possible value of CO2e, a building needs to be analyzed early in the design phase when volumes and materials are not set [6]. However, gathering information for LCA in the early design phase is both time-consuming and demanding [9]. At this stage, the calculations should be performed quickly and often to support an iterative design process [10]. Since the increased interest in environmental impacts and resource efficiency, scientific BIM, LCA, and building contributions have also increased [11]. LCA in combination with Building Information Modeling (BIM) reduces part of the effort, but in addition to the information in the information model, environmental impacts and other LCA study information are needed [9]. The LCA methodologies, underlying data, and tools are still continuously developing [12].
The uncertainty, lack of information, and time impede the efficiency of LCA calculations in the design process. Due to this inefficiency, implementing LCA's early in the design process increases the total time by 20%. By creating a more efficient design workflow where LCA is included, the process would be more economically and ecologically sustainable [7]. Better managing BIM models will improve the work process, making it faster to calculate LCA for example [11].
However, the buildings that are built are not only affecting the environment today but also in the future due to operational emissions. To achieve Sweden’s goal of a net-zero carbon economy in 2045 [1] the building's operational stage must be predicted and considered right now [7]. Accordingly, the Swedish government is proposing a new law that requires a climate declaration of all buildings that are constructed after January 1st, 2022 [13]. The climate declaration presents the result of a building's climate impact and can be carried out effectively through LCA [14].
From an information model, the software can extract parameters and calculate the environmental impact through LCA [8]. Besides LCA coupled with BIM, the interest in integrating other digital technologies such as parametric design with LCA has increased. The parametric design integration can increase the possibilities of a parametric approach for an easier applicable LCA [7]. It also enhances the optimization of the environmental performance of buildings by giving constant feedback related to environmental impact and can therefore be used during all phases of a building's lifecycle [15]. The goal with a parametric approach is to increase the flexibility of sustainable design but it still does not encourage easy testing of environmentally beneficial results in the process of early design [8].
There is a gap in research regarding how LCA can be used as a decision-making technique in the design process and how it can help achieve the most environmentally beneficial solution [7]. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how LCA is implemented in the AEC industry in Sweden and what requirements there are for BIM workflow and LCA integration in the early architectural design process. Additionally, the paper also discusses the advantages and limitations of using LCA with BIM and parametric design approach in the early design phase. A mixed-method approach was applied for the investigation. A literature review was conducted to frame the problem and collect data regarding the current stage in the industry. Expert interviews were performed with experts in the fields of LCA and classification. A survey was distributed to employees in the AEC industry to collect data about current LCA implementation. Finally, a document analysis was performed to contribute with empirical data about laws, regulations, and recommendations in the subject area.
2
Methods
To achieve the aim of the paper, a case study on the Swedish AEC industry was conducted. The study consisted of four different research methods: literature review, expert interviews, survey, and document analysis. The literature review was conducted to frame the problem and prepare for the interviews with experts and the survey. The literature review also enabled a comparison between scientific findings and data from the survey and the expert interviews. When conducting the literature review at the database Scopus, the following research strategy was used: TITLE-ABS-KEY ((LCA OR "life cycle assessment" OR "life cycle analysis") AND ("BIM" OR "Building Information" OR "Parametric design" OR "Parametric")). This search resulted in 555 documents. To limit the result further, the scope was limited to the publication years 2020 and 2021 and English literature. When the limitations were applied on top of the search terms, the result was reduced to 151 documents. This literature was filtered based on the relevance of the title, when the title seemed relevant the abstract was read. This analysis resulted in 26 papers.
To gain deeper knowledge about the implementation of LCA in the design process, expert interviews were conducted [16]. In total, interviews were performed with 5 people with expertise in LCA and classification. The expert interviews were semi-structured to enable adjustments to the follow-up question based on the answer the respondent gave [17]. Both authors were present at the interviews, which were carried out through video calls, and they were recorded to avoid misinterpretations [18]. No details about the subject were given to the interviewee in advance to avoid affecting the answers. The interviews lasted approximately one hour. Questions from the interviewee were allowed in the end to encourage a discussion about the subject afterward and obtain additional comments. The summary of the interviews was sent to the interviewees for approval. In Table. 1 the interviewees, their title, years of experience, and the date of the interview are listed. The purpose of the interviews was to investigate how LCA can be implemented and what requirements there are for integration with the BIM workflow.
Table 1. Background of the experts interviewed.
Interviewee Title Experience Date
A Civil engineer, member of the International Steering Committee in BuildingSMART building room, expert in questions regarding information structure and BIM
20-22 years with LCA 25/02/2021
B Civil engineer and sustainability manager
5 years with LCA 07/04/2021
C Architect and digitalization manager 7 years with LCA 09/04/2021
D Environmental consultant, expert regarding environmental certifications
5 years with LCA 10/04/2021
E Head of systematics CoClass 30 years with certifications
21/04/2021
In addition to the expert interviews, a survey was conducted. The survey aimed to investigate how the AEC industry is working with LCA today. To collect data for the survey, an online questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was developed in Swedish and distributed through e-mail, via a link, to approximately 40 companies working with design in the building process. The survey started with demographic questions to describe the study group and continued with questions about how their company/organization works with LCA, the questionnaire is presented in Appendix 1. Terms from the industry and other industrial information were gathered from Boverket such as the construction phases and the LCA tools recommended. In addition to the alternatives, the options “Other..”, “Do not know”, and “Not applicable” were added to ensure the participants were not forced to select an inappropriate answer. To gain a higher degree of validity, the questions were formulated with accurate terminology to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and to assure relevant data [19]. In total, the survey resulted in 46 answers. The distribution of the respondents’ title, experience, and type of company is presented in Table 2. The answers were compiled and translated to English and are presented in section 3. Result.
Table 2. Background of the respondents of the survey.
Title Experience Company
Architect – 14 answers Less than 3 years – 19,6% Architectural – 69.9% BIM coordinator – 4 answers Between 3 and 5 years – 8,7% Construction – 6.5% BIM strategist – 4 answers Between 5 and 10 years – 28,3% Consultant – 21.7% Architectural engineer – 18
answers
More than 10 years – 43,5% Other – 2,2% Building permit designer – 1
answer
Sustainability strategist – 10 answers
Energy engineer – 1 answer Project leader – 2 answers Landscape architect – 2 answers
The research method document analysis was used to collect existing data regarding LCA’s. This method contributed with an empirical background about laws, regulations, and recommendations in the subject area. Documents from Boverket interpret the application of international standards to the Swedish industry and were therefore used to gather information such as LCA in general, phases, climate declarations, certifications, and Boverkets database. For BIM application in projects, BIM Alliance, and SMART Built Environment (SBE) were recommended to be analyzed by the experts.
3
Results
This section is structured on the subject areas of the aim covering both the LCA application today and the requirements for BIM workflow and LCA integration in the early design process.
3.1 LCA today – purpose and application
The most common purpose of LCA is for climate declaration to calculate the environmental result of a design or construction [6, 7, 8]. Interviewee A agrees with the literature about conducting LCA for climate certifications and states that the new law has also improved the implementation of LCA for climate declarations. According to the survey, two common reasons for LCA is as a decision-making basis and for climate declarations. However, the most common reason for LCA at companies today is for environmental certifications (see Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Purpose of LCA, according to the survey.
The Swedish phases in construction are: Förstudie (Pre-design), Programskede (Schematic design), Projekteringsskede (Design development), Produktion (Construction documents) [19]. In Sweden, the building lifecycle phases are divided into three stages: A, B, and C. The first stage “A” is the construction stage and includes the A1-3 product stage and A4-5 construction process stage and is used for climate declarations [20]. Environmental certifications are usually completed during the design development (see Fig. 2) and construction phase [21]. The respondents in the survey are also including LCA in earlier phases as Pre-design and Schematic design (Figure 2). Interviewee B states that for the climate impact, a later LCA performance should be considered already in the detailed development plan, as a part of the decision-making process.
Neither of the interviewees are aware of statistics about how widely applicable the performance of LCA is in the industry. Interviewees A, B, and C agree that only a small part of the industry is performing LCA. The distribution of performance of life cycle analyzes at companies represented from the survey in Fig. 3 does not agree with the interviewees' experiences.
Fig. 3. If companies use LCA or not, according to the survey.
The literature review states that there are barriers to LCA implementation since expertise is requested [7]. Visualized in Fig. 4, the survey indicates that the most common person to perform LCA at the companies asked is the sustainability strategists. Small to medium projects may not have the resources to hire or educate expertise [7]. Interviewee B states that it would be interesting and informative not only for customers who require LCA but for the company to see and learn about the building's performance. Although the architectural companies on their own cannot wish to spend hours doing LCA calculations, the company must have a budget for it.
Fig. 4. Performer of LCA calculations, internally at companies.
According to interviewee A, apart from the economic factor, it is important to include the designer in the implementation since they are invested in the specific project, and it is crucial to make LCA knowledge accessible and included in all designs to reach a net-zero carbon-built environment. The interviewed LCA experts agree that designers or architects should be able to make easy LCA calculations as part of the decision-making process, but interviewee C states that for careful calculations as climate declarations experts still will be needed. Today several methods can be used to perform an LCA calculation [9]. According to Obrecht et al [9], LCA and BIM integration is unique in projects and can be specified by five types:
“
1. The integration of the tools by exporting the Bill of Quantities (BoQ) from the BIM environment into other tools. According to their observation, this approach is the most commonly adopted in current practice.
2. Import of surfaces using the IFC format, which are then aligned, by an LCA practitioner, with predefined LCA profiles.
3. The approach where information from a BIM tool is further processed in a BIM viewer tool, and is then transferred into dedicated LCA software.
4. The use of specially developed plug-ins that enable LCA analysis within the BIM tool.
5. The approach where the LCA information is included in the BIM objects that are used in the BIM model, instead of them being attributed to the building components in a later stage and in separate tools. A great advantage of the last approach is that the information regarding the environmental impacts can be analyzed along with the project development.”
Though there are several techniques tested and implemented, technical, organizational, and informational issues are hindering the automated use of BIM in combination with LCA workflow that could streamline the process of an automatic LCA [9]. 60.9% of the respondents in the survey said they perform LCA internally, while 8.7% are performing them externally, 17.4% do not know and 13.0% do not perform LCA. This data is presented in Fig. 5 below.
Fig. 5. Companies' internal or external usage of LCA, according to the survey.
Of those performing LCA internally, the most used applications, methods, or software are shown in Fig. 6. Boverket is recommending four tools for LCA calculations: Anavitor, BM-verktyget, OneClick, and Bidcon klimatmodul [22]. 14/46 used one of recommended (30%). Other tools used were Rhino/Grasshopper methodology, own tool, or a combination of tools depending on e.g., purpose or scope (4/46, 8.9%). Most of the respondents did not know what tool is used for LCA calculations.
3.2 Requirements for BIM workflow and LCA integration
Level of Detail. The construction phases, presented in section 3.1, are strongly related to the LOD (Level of
Detail) of the information model. The LOD defines the complexity of the model, for instance, how many parameters the volumes include [9]. Though BIM Alliance, a sector-driven non-profitable organization working for BIM implementation in the AEC industry [23], recommend using the term LOD to describe only the geometry in the object. In addition to LOD, Degree of Determination/Degree of Description (DOD) can be used to describe the information regarding the object [24]. BIM Alliance is working on a Swedish interpretation of the international standard: prEN 17412-1 Building Information Modeling – Level of Information Need – Concepts and
principles. The suggestion is to name the Swedish interpretation “informationsbeskrivning” which should contain
the same information about the object as ‘Level of Information Need’: geometric information, alphanumeric information, and documentation [25].
A more complex model in a later phase with a higher LOD (more geometric information and parameters), will result in a more accurate LCA. In an early design phase, the information model has a low LOD, few parameters [6] and according to interviewee C and the literature, the early design phase is therefore challenged by the lack of information [15]. Interviewee A argues that the LCA calculation should still be performed, despite the lack of information, to compare different alternatives as a part of the decision-making process. When required information are missing, due to a low LOD, information must be applied manually or through datasets [9].
Information Requirements: BIM Execution Plan (BEP). The plug-ins and software that are used in the industry
can efficiently work automatically, therefore the information in the model is crucial when creating an LCA calculation. To describe the goal of a project, object definitions, labeling objects (classifications), modeling techniques, LOD in each phase, and file formats, a BIM manual and strategy are used [26]. The BIM manual and BIM strategy are a part of the BIM Execution Plan (BEP), used project-specific to implement BIM successfully, based on ISO standards [27]. The BEP can be described in the Level of Information Need as documentation [25]. Messner et al., states:
“A well-documented BIM Project Execution Plan will ensure that all parties are clearly aware of the
opportunities and responsibilities associated with the incorporation of BIM into the project workflow.... Once the plan is created, the team can follow and monitor their progress against this plan to gain the maximum
benefits from BIM implementation” [27].
Handling data and databases. Interviewee A describes that the entire LCA calculation is based on the
information about what kind of object is used, what material it is made of, and which properties the material has. When it comes to data, generic datasets are average data of building material or products [28]. The generic data are values based on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) [29] used in the early stages of design when product-specific data are not available for LCA calculations. The more specific data about the building products, the better the result reflects the building's specific environmental impact [28].
Some countries as Germany have national databases (Ökobau.dat) with building material LCA data. The databases should be maintained, and the data developed continuously to stay accurate and try to keep up with innovative solutions [15]. According to interviewee A, there are a few companies in the Swedish AEC industry that have established their own databases and are using them in projects. The interviewee also mentions that there should be a common database with environmental data. Boverket is testing a database since the new law proposal about climate declarations [29]. This database is currently storing generic data [30]. Interviewee A, mentions that SMART Built Environment (SBE) is currently developing a database with product-specific and generic datasets, aiming to be a common database where everyone should gather data. The EPDs are product-specific, but there are differences in the quality of EPDs, and the intention of SBE is to assure quality in the data.
Classification and Naming objects. The LCA calculation is, according to interviewee A, based on the
information about the object: the objects’ material, and what properties the material has. A classification system could cover different information about the object, such as function, material, orientation, form, or its domain [31]. The information can be specified in the Level of Information Need, as alphanumeric information [25]. Interviewee A mentions that when the BIM object does not contain a lot of information, like in the earlier design phases, classifications can be coupled with generic data about objects and enable automatic calculations. The BSAB classification system, which is handled by Svensk Byggtjänst, was developed to make sure that everybody in the building industry uses the same terminology. It can be used for numbering drawings, calculations, and product information. The BSAB system is also used in AMA (Allmän Material- och Arbetsbeskrivning) which is used as a basis for technical specifications in Sweden [32].
BSAB was developed primarily for use in AMA. To enhance the possibilities of BIM, Svensk Byggtjänst has developed a new system called CoClass, aimed at structuring information in models and other means of digital information management. CoClass can classify all built environments, not only buildings, and can provide a digital language that can be read by both the computer and the user. The system is based on international classification standards [33]. Interviewee E states that early design phase BIM objects, that do not contain information, can be connected to information through classification. CoClass describes construction elements at different levels of complexity, which enables the user to start describing constructions at a general level, and subsequently, it can be more specific. Despite a low information content in the model, quantity take-offs can then be done automatically in software using the classification. The bulk of the content in AMA consists of classes of production results, specifying materials, activities, and qualities. This table is also a part of CoClass. In the coming updates of AMA, the BSAB classes for construction elements will be replaced by the equivalent CoClass class.
Interviewee E continues with that currently, both BSAB and CoClass can be used in digital information management. Thus, companies need to decide which classification system to use. CoClass handles the same objects as BSAB but is wider applicable and is more adapted to the digitalization of the industry. In an early design phase, interviewee A describes how CoClass can be used to identify the materials in the building and be combined with environmental information. As decisions are made in the process, products should be chosen from the classified objects. Calculations could be performed from the classifications by working generic from early stages into working more in detail and lifelike by handling information and making decisions about the products. Working with classifications and identifications in combination with the building information model will make LCA a part of the process instead of a separate time-consuming and costly part. Using CoClass or another classification system as a part of the process makes the LCA workflow more efficient.
A complement to CoClass is Building Information Properties (BIP) code according to interviewee E. Unlike CoClass and BSAB, BIP codes do not classify the objects but are a classification to describe which terms should be used for the object's properties when exporting to IFC (Information Foundation Classes). BIP is especially useful when different disciplines use different software in design [34]. Interviewee E mentions that the BIP codes can be used for more detailed information by designations. The designations are called Type-ID and vary depending on the discipline and the usage [34].
4
Discussion
The result and findings are discussed in this section.
4.1 LCA implementation and potential in the industry
There are various purposes for LCA calculations, therefore the accuracy will be different. Even though the main reason for LCA is for sustainability certification, a significant proportion of the respondents answered that LCA is performed as a basis for decisions. This does not align with the interviewees that state that only a few projects include LCA. The reason for this discrepancy could be because the respondents are involved in the projects where LCA is implemented and that in the few projects where it is implemented it is done early to achieve reliable results due to demands from the client.
There are a lot of advantages with designers working with LCA, instead of experts, since they are invested in the specific project. Currently, LCA is performed mostly by sustainability strategists or other experts. However, if the project is modeled properly with BIM, the person who performs the calculation is not as important since it can be computerized. The calculations could then easier be done by designers who are already integrated into the process. LCA calculations would benefit from project knowledge especially in the early phases and when it is done continuously in design. Although, an expert will still be needed when calculating for climate declaration, certification, or to analyze the result of an early design decision. When the calculation is automated and expertise is no longer required to the same extent, the time, and the cost for LCA will be less as a result of fewer hours spent, and it then could be implemented in more projects. To make this implementation efficient, the workflow must be structured to enhance the advantage of the digitalization of the industry. LCA would also be more efficiently implemented throughout the entire design process, from the pre-study stage or earlier when making tender calculations, as a natural part of the design.
4.2 Requirements for BIM workflow and LCA integration
By classifying objects in the information model, objects can contain information without the model becoming too complex. The model itself can be simple with generic objects if it is classified with the information that it would contain if it were modeled with a higher LOD or Level of Information Need.
Working with classifications from the initial stages and specify more later in the design phase, will together with coupled data from a database enable an automated workflow where LCA calculations can be a part of the decision-making process. If, or when, classification is used by the majority, it will also be more usefully applicable and read by the industry. Designations are a good complement that make sure that all properties are named the same although different disciplines work in different software. This enables combining multiple IFC exported models to one combined containing useful information, as if all disciplines modeled together from the beginning, helpful for both LCA and other analyses.
Despite structured information, correct data is also required. In all phases of design, accurate environmental data are required and needs to be continuously updated to assure high quality of the calculated results. There are different kinds of databases used to gather data: common databases and company-specific databases. These consist of both product-specific- and/or generic data. To enable better results, using the same database in the Swedish industry would make each project comparable. This is especially important when creating climate declarations since those should reflect the reality. The requirements for BIM workflow and LCA integration is gathered and explained in table 3.
Table.3 Requirements for BIM workflow and LCA integration.
Requirements Description Example Benefit/Use
Database Database with
environmental data about materials
National database Data used for calculating the environmental impact
Alphanumeric information
Classification of objects CoClass Identification of objects. Coupled with data enabling LCA calculations Documentation Information about how
to model and name objects
Building Execution Plan (BEP)
Describing a common approach of modeling
Geometric information Information about the geometric objects
LOD, dimension, and visualization
States the level of detail modeled
Information model 3D model with information
IFC model Modeling buildings with
information that can be read by humans and computers
5
Conclusions
There are a lot of aspects to consider when finding the perfect method of how to reduce low carbon emissions by using LCA. The most important aspect is to find a method that is applicable in all phases of design and is adapted to keep up with developments. To be able to structure all the information it will be necessary to have a BIM execution plan (BEP) that assure projects are handled in a systematic way. Each project is unique with its information, but the system of handling projects is usually similar. All the possibilities with structuring the designers' workflow will improve and efficiate the LCA calculations.
We found that parametric design is not as interesting as systematic modeling and common sources of information to achieve accurate and project-specific LCA results in the early design process. Regardless method for LCA calculations and tools used for the calculation, the results will be more comparable and an LCA easier to apply. Therefore, further research should focus on coupling classifications, databases, and BIM models. The Swedish AEC industry must apply a common language and system to digitalize the process combined with a common database to enable calculations in all phases of design.
LCA implementation in earlier phases than the pre-design phase could also be researched. The detailed development plan is setting limitations in space of the building volume, such as height and width. A sustainable solution of a building's framework can be limited by this since the framework volumes are depending on the materials which are decided in later phases.
This paper has been limited to the AEC industry in Sweden with the implementation of LCA in the architectural design process and therefore other disciplines have not been investigated. However, other disciplines than architecture are also important when decreasing the environmental impact of the construction industry in Sweden and should therefore be researched more. Since the case of the study was the Swedish industry, the result could have been different if the study was applied in another country or a combination of different countries. Further research with a global approach focusing on a common language could enable more developed cooperation between countries.
Even though the LCA with its environmental aspect was the focus of this research, work can be minimized by preparing the information model correctly. This will also benefit the project in other aspects such as other kinds of analyzes. By making time for careful modeling at the beginning of the project, an automated workflow can be enabled later.
This paper contributes with recommendations regarding the LCA workflow in the design process of the AEC industry. Unlike previous research investigating LCA in the industry, the scope will improve the implementation in earlier stages of design for sustainable decision making and more accurate calculations in the later stages.
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Appendix 1.
Questionnaire
This survey is part of a final thesis on master level in product development, specialization in Sustainable Building Information Management. The survey is anonymous.
□ Multiple alternatives can be chosen. o One alternative can be chosen.
1. What is the title of your current position? □ Architect
□ BIM coordinator □ BIM strategist □ Architectural engineer □ Building permit designer □ Structural engineer □ Sustainability strategist □ Energy engineer
□ Other:
2. How many years of experience do you have in the AEC industry? o Less than 3
o Between 3 and 5 o Between 5 and 10 o More than 10
3. What type of company/organization do you work for? o Architectural o Structural o Construction o Municipality o Consultant o Energy o Other:
4. Do your company perform or order Life Cycle Analyses (LCA)? o Yes
o No
o Do not know
5. If your company perform or order LCA calculations, how are they performed? o Internally
o Externally o Do not know o Not applicable
6. If LCA calculations are performed internally, what is the title of the one performing the LCA? (Select all that apply)
□ Architect □ BIM coordinator □ BIM strategist □ Architectural engineer □ Building permit designer □ Structural engineer □ Sustainability strategist □ Energy engineer □ Do not know □ Not applicable □ Other:
7. If LCAcalculations are performed externally, what kind of company are performing the LCA calculations?
o The company behind the tool that is used to perform the LCA o Other consultant company
o Do not know o Not applicable
o Other:
8. If LCA calculations are performed, in what phase/phases are they performed? (Select all that apply) □ Pre-design □ Schematic design □ Design development □ Construction documents □ Do not know □ Not applicable □ Other:
9. If you company perform LCA, what is the purpose of the analyses (select all that apply)? □ Climate declaration
□ Environmental certification
□ As part of the decision-making process □ Do not know
□ Not applicable
□ Other:
10. Who requiresthe LCA? (Select all that apply) □ Client □ Developer □ Municipality □ Government □ Do not know □ Not applicable □ Other:
11. If your company/organization perform LCA internally, what tool do you use? o Anavitor
o Bidcon Klimatmodul
o BM-verktyget (Byggsektorns miljöberäkningsverktyg) o OneClick LCA (tidigare Optimi 360)
o Do not know o Not applicable
o Other:
12. Please use this space for additional comments.
