Sustainability Life Cycle Inventory for Residential Buildings: A Cradle to Grave Approach

Abstract

Residential buildings play a pivotal role in shaping sustainable development, yet they significantly contribute to environmental degradation throughout their life cycles. With the rapid growth of the global urban population, the need for environmentally responsible housing intensifies, demanding comprehensive tools for evaluating environmental performance. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) serves as a scientifically robust methodology to quantify environmental impacts across all stages of a building's life span. This study presents a detailed Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) for three residential building case studies located in diverse climatic and socio-economic contexts in India, assessed using a cradle-to-grave system boundary. The inventory includes data collection and quantification for raw material extraction and processing, construction, operational use and maintenance, and end-of-life phases, including demolition and disposal. It also accounts for upstream and downstream transportation and secondary material flows. The analysis utilizes both primary and secondary data, supported by regional databases and construction standards specific to Indian conditions. It emphasizes the variability in construction practices, material selection, and maintenance patterns across the case studies. The paper also addresses methodological challenges such as data availability, quality uncertainty, and regional variability. The results lay a strong foundation for environmental impact assessment and inform strategies to reduce the ecological footprint of residential buildings in emerging economies.