Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies
The growing focus on operational energy efficiency in the building sector has revealed a critical gap in addressing embodied impacts—carbon emissions and energy demands associated with the production, construction, use, and end-of-life stages of buildings. This research addresses this gap by introdu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/10/1661 |
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| author | Tsvetelina Spasova Bacheva Javier F. Raposo Grau |
| author_facet | Tsvetelina Spasova Bacheva Javier F. Raposo Grau |
| author_sort | Tsvetelina Spasova Bacheva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The growing focus on operational energy efficiency in the building sector has revealed a critical gap in addressing embodied impacts—carbon emissions and energy demands associated with the production, construction, use, and end-of-life stages of buildings. This research addresses this gap by introducing an integrated framework encouraging collaboration across academia, industry, and policymakers. Based on a systematic analysis of current research, the study identifies trends and provides actionable recommendations to enhance embodied impacts assessments. The findings reveal limited representation in key areas like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and policy frameworks, alongside a strong geographical imbalance in research, with 60% of the investigations originating from only five countries. Life cycle stages beyond “cradle-to-gate” remain marginally explored, with only 39% concerning end-of-life or reuse phases. Moreover, 65% of stakeholder engagement is confined to LCA specialists and building designers, highlighting the need for broader participation. This study proposes a comprehensive framework promoting a holistic approach to embodied impacts, advocating their integration into academic curricula and urging industry professionals to adopt collaborative and sustainable practices. By clarifying sectoral gaps and outlining targeted pathways for integration, this study provides a foundation for translating embodied impact research into practical application and regulatory frameworks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7c21a2b3a655417b974df6a61fb8a0ed |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj-art-7c21a2b3a655417b974df6a61fb8a0ed2025-08-20T02:33:42ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-05-011510166110.3390/buildings15101661Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration StrategiesTsvetelina Spasova Bacheva0Javier F. Raposo Grau1Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainUniversidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainThe growing focus on operational energy efficiency in the building sector has revealed a critical gap in addressing embodied impacts—carbon emissions and energy demands associated with the production, construction, use, and end-of-life stages of buildings. This research addresses this gap by introducing an integrated framework encouraging collaboration across academia, industry, and policymakers. Based on a systematic analysis of current research, the study identifies trends and provides actionable recommendations to enhance embodied impacts assessments. The findings reveal limited representation in key areas like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and policy frameworks, alongside a strong geographical imbalance in research, with 60% of the investigations originating from only five countries. Life cycle stages beyond “cradle-to-gate” remain marginally explored, with only 39% concerning end-of-life or reuse phases. Moreover, 65% of stakeholder engagement is confined to LCA specialists and building designers, highlighting the need for broader participation. This study proposes a comprehensive framework promoting a holistic approach to embodied impacts, advocating their integration into academic curricula and urging industry professionals to adopt collaborative and sustainable practices. By clarifying sectoral gaps and outlining targeted pathways for integration, this study provides a foundation for translating embodied impact research into practical application and regulatory frameworks.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/10/1661embodied energyembodied carbonlife cycle analysisbuilding information modeling (BIM)AECO stakeholderssystematic literature review |
| spellingShingle | Tsvetelina Spasova Bacheva Javier F. Raposo Grau Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies Buildings embodied energy embodied carbon life cycle analysis building information modeling (BIM) AECO stakeholders systematic literature review |
| title | Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies |
| title_full | Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies |
| title_fullStr | Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies |
| title_short | Embodied Impacts in Buildings: A Systematic Review of Life Cycle Gaps and Sectoral Integration Strategies |
| title_sort | embodied impacts in buildings a systematic review of life cycle gaps and sectoral integration strategies |
| topic | embodied energy embodied carbon life cycle analysis building information modeling (BIM) AECO stakeholders systematic literature review |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/10/1661 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tsvetelinaspasovabacheva embodiedimpactsinbuildingsasystematicreviewoflifecyclegapsandsectoralintegrationstrategies AT javierfraposograu embodiedimpactsinbuildingsasystematicreviewoflifecyclegapsandsectoralintegrationstrategies |