It is All About the Details - A Life Cycle Assessment on a Building Project in Sweden with Focus on the Level of Details in the Inventory Data
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Structural engineering and building technology (MPSEB), MSc
Publicerad
2019
Författare
Henriksson, Johanna
Ulander, Elina
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The use of life cycle assessments within the building industry has increased rapidly
during the last decade. In Sweden, new regulations regarding life cycle assessment
becoming a benchmark for all new production, refurbishment as well as management
of existing buildings has been suggested. However, the effects from a life cycle
assessment based on comprehensive inventory data has not been thoroughly investigated.
Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate in the implication of such
an assessment, both regarding the workload needed as well as effects on the results.
To reach the aim, a case study where a life cycle assessment of the product stage
of a building project has been conducted. The inventory data is based on articles
provided in a highly detailed cost calculation of the project.
When including comprehensive inventory data, several assumptions and calculations
regarding size and content of an article are needed to be able to reach
the information needed to choose a suitable reference material. In this thesis, these
assumptions and calculations are documented in a new tool called Transformation
Index. A low Transformation Index is considered beneficial, both regarding the
workload needed by the analyst and the accuracy of the results. It was concluded
that the transformations require knowledge regarding the building industry in general
as well as specific knowledge regarding the project.
Further, the case study indicated that the benefits of including more details
varies depending on which impact category that is evaluated. It was also concluded
that the workload and results vary significantly when using different environmental
certifications and cut-offs based on Transformation Index. To summarise, it is all
about the details.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
building industry , comprehensive inventory data , full LCA , knowledge , Transformation Index , Transformation Step , workload