A BIM-Based Framework for Life Cycle, Cost, and Circularity Data Integration in Environmental Impact Assessment

Abstract

The AEC’s resource consumption and environmental impact necessitate a shift towards sustainable, circular practices. Building information modeling, powered by information technology, serves as a key enabler in this transition, offering life cycle data management capabilities from design to deconstruction. However, current BIM models lack embedded life cycle and circularity data, limiting their effectiveness for sustainability integration. This study addresses this gap by proposing a BIM object library framework that embeds life cycle, cost, and circularity data into objects and aims at enabling informed, sustainability-driven decision making. Through a proof of concept, this research demonstrates how embedding LCA and CE metrics into BIM objects enhances environmental and circular impact assessments. The framework aligns with standards such as ISO 14040 and EN 15804, EU Level(s), and United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Limitations such as manual data integration and the need for specialized expertise occurred. However, this framework provides a scalable foundation for future research, including automating data integration, enhancing metric calculations, and developing interactive circularity dashboards to improve as a decision-support tool. This study advances circular BIM adoption, integrating sustainability principles into digital design workflows from the object level, while serving as a centralized repository for sustainability-driven decision making.