A Whole-Life Carbon Assessment of a Single-Family House in North India Using BIM-LCA Integration
As the population increases, the growing demand for residential housing escalates construction activities, significantly impacting global warming by contributing 42% of primary energy use and 39% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study addresses a gap in research on lifecycle assessment...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2195 |
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| Summary: | As the population increases, the growing demand for residential housing escalates construction activities, significantly impacting global warming by contributing 42% of primary energy use and 39% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study addresses a gap in research on lifecycle assessment (LCA) for Indian residential buildings by evaluating the full cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of a typical single-family house in Northern India. A BIM-based LCA framework was applied to a 110 m<sup>2</sup> single-family dwelling over a 60-year life span. Operational use performance and climate analysis was evaluated via cove tool. The total carbon footprint over a 60-year lifespan was approximately 5884 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e, with operational energy use accounting for about 87% and embodied carbon approximately 11%. Additional impacts came from maintenance and replacements. Energy usage was calculated as 71.76 kWh/m<sup>2</sup>/year and water usage as 232.2 m<sup>3</sup>/year. Energy consumption was the biggest driver of emissions, but substantial impacts also stemmed from material production. Cement-based components and steel were the largest embodied carbon contributors. Under the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, the operational emissions reach approximately 668,000 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e with HVAC and 482,000 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e without HVAC. The findings highlight the necessity of integrating embodied carbon considerations alongside operational energy efficiency in India’s building codes, emphasizing reductions in energy consumption and the adoption of low-carbon materials to mitigate the environmental impact of residential buildings. Future work should focus on the dynamic modeling of electricity decarbonization, improved regional datasets, and scenario-based LCA to better support India’s transition to net-zero emissions by 2070. |
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| ISSN: | 2075-5309 |