Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methodology for Building Envelope Retrofits Using Photovoltaic Systems in Egypt

Abstract

Egypt is implementing various strategies to lower energy consumption in the building sector, which significantly contributes to negative environmental impacts and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The development of buildings envelope retrofits has been a focus of policy and research agendas for the past decade as part of efforts to decarbonize the building sector. Despite being the most practical and widely adopted renewable energy source, photovoltaic systems (PVs) may face a severe risk to their stability and potentially harm the environment. In this sense, life cycle impact assessment (LCA) is a recognized approach that reduces negative environmental impacts, and effects of the construction industry, and avoids resource depletion. Thus, to assess the integration of photovoltaic systems with building envelope materials with considerable environmental impacts, this research provides a novel methodology combining (LCA) with building information modeling (BIM). The methodology was authenticated by applying it to a campus office building, considering seven building envelope alternatives integrated with different photovoltaic systems. Using One Click LCA™ software, results have compared the impacts of each alternative on the environment based on photovoltaic systems specifications and quantities factors. Finally, the results showed that the proposed approach could help with the retrofitting of buildings' envelopes integrated photovoltaic systems with low environmental impacts in Egypt.