Environmental trade-offs in recycled aggregate concrete: a BIM-LCA model

Abstract

The construction industry is one of the major contributors to global environmental degradation due to its high carbon emissions, excessive resource consumption, and large volumes of construction and demolition waste. In response to this issue, this study explores the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental performance of green concrete incorporating recycled coarse aggregate (RCA). A systematic literature review was conducted to explore the convergence of BIM, LCA, circular economy (CE) principles, and green concrete technologies. Based on the identified research gaps, a BIM-integrated LCA framework was developed to assess environmental indicators—such as global warming potential, water footprint, and resource depletion—under different RCA alternative scenarios. The model was applied to a real administrative building project in Vietnam, where concrete mixes with different RCA contents (0, 30, 60, and 100%) were evaluated using the Tally plugin and the Ecoinvent v3.8 database. The results showed that while the use of RCA can reduce water consumption and some toxicity indicators, it can increase carbon emissions due to the higher cement demand required to maintain compressive strength. These trade-offs highlight the need for cement reduction and material optimization strategies to be incorporated early in the design phase. By embedding environmental indicators into the BIM environment, the approach supports scenario-based, data-driven decision-making in line with CE objectives. These findings demonstrate the potential of accessible and low-cost BIM-LCA tools to increase transparency, enable circular material tracking, and inform sustainable design practices. The model provides a replicable approach to integrating digital workflows and green material choices in construction, contributing to broader carbon reduction and zero waste goals.