Integrated life cycle assessment and multicriteria decision making framework for evaluating renewable energy technologies at Istanbul Airport

Abstract

This study presents an integrated decision-support framework for the multidimensional assessment of renewable energy technologies in large-scale airport terminals. We propose a hybrid approach that integrates quantitative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results with Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) to support strategic energy planning. Given their high energy demand and operational complexity, airports are critical hubs for sustainability research. Our framework combines LCA, the CRITIC method, and expert-based AHP to evaluate seven energy technologies across environmental, economic, social, and technical dimensions. Environmental indicators from the LCA were objectively weighted via CRITIC, while other criteria were assessed through AHP. These insights were then integrated using the MULTIMOORA model to determine global sustainability performance. Using Istanbul Airport as a realistic case study, our findings reveal that technologies focused on energy management and electrification offer superior environmental performance due to operational efficiencies. While geothermal systems excel in heating and cooling, PV, wind, and biomass technologies show more pronounced impacts within their supply chains. Ultimately, this research provides a scalable and methodologically robust framework for assessing renewable energy applications at the airport scale.