Marta Fąfara

This article examines the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to support sustainable revitalization of post-industrial areas, using the “Pralfa” Factory in Tarnów, Poland, as a case study. Under increasing environmental and investment pressures, demolition decisions require comprehensive assessment of their environmental consequences. BIM enables the generation and comparison of design scenarios at the conceptual stage, supporting informed decision-making. LCA of the “Pralfa” Factory showed that demolition would generate approximately 195,100 kg CO₂e. Two revitalization scenarios were evaluated: (1) construction using reclaimed materials recovered from demolished buildings and (2) construction using only new materials. The results demonstrated that demolition and the production of new materials substantially increase environmental impacts, while material reuse significantly reduces embodied emissions. The study confirms that BIM–LCA integration effectively supports sustainable design decisions and circular economy strategies. Its scientific contribution lies in extending BIM–LCA analysis to the end-of-life stages (C1–C4) of non-listed post-industrial buildings, addressing a gap in previous research focused mainly on new construction and stages A1–B7. The proposed workflow provides a transferable decision-support framework for circular revitalization and selective demolition planning.

The evolution of the word " elevation " reflects the changing understanding of the context and the external function of the building structure in architectural discourse. Initially treated as a protective and aesthetic surface, it has acquired three-dimensional characteristics, becoming an independent entity that influences social and spatial relationships within the building. The article emphasizes the need for a more precise understanding and classification of the concept of elevation. A new nomenclature has been proposed: packing box, foil and ribbon, most characterized by attributes such as two-sidedness, autonomy and in-betweenness. The author's new division is expected to encourage a multidimensional discussion and reflection on the new placement of the facade: less in the building and more in relation to the environment.

The quality of the housing environment is equally reflected in the availability of non-residential buildings and public spaces. Today's developing cities include not only residential development, but also public institutions that are designed to enhance the value of the residential environment and integrate the area. Healthcare facilities are particularly noteworthy here as they play a crucial role for the community. Contemporary urban trends and experience indicate that these facilities should not be enclosed and cut off from the functioning of the town, and special attention should be paid to their social and ecological character. In this respect, health care buildings should be integrated into the life of cities and represent a design challenge for architects, urban planners and local authorities. The primary purpose of the article is to show the potential of introducing modern healthcare facilities into the housing environment, thereby integrating the area and allowing the public easy access to an attractive social space. The research was carried out at the Faculty of Architecture of Cracow University of Technology and in cooperation with the Town and Municipality of Wieliczka, on the basis of students' studies on the architectural proposal of the “Geriatric Care Centre” at the site of the health centre indicated by the municipal authority. The goal was to obtain and compare specific layouts of solid spatial organization, with their characteristic parameters, strengths and weaknesses in terms of creating attractive, urbanizing spaces with a wide field of influence.

Occurrences associated with the phenomena of climate change are increasingly visible. Effects of progressive environmental pollution are monitored with growing concern. Still, in the construction sector, the choice of sustainable materials and the knowledge concerning them is insignificant. Studies have shown that single-family residential buildings form the largest share of new buildings in Central European countries. It should be assumed that it is the improvement of this particular section of the construction sector to be the goal of further development of societies. This paper presents a case study of the construction of a house using straw - a material that, on the one hand, is a product associated with local tradition, while significantly reducing carbon footprint of its production and use, on the other. The construction of a prototypical house with the application of composite technology, i.e. timber framing with straw bale infill, was compared with a conventional method (ceramic masonry units) which is currently the most popular choice for building single-family houses in Poland. The study is based on the building’s life cycle assessment (LCA) over its consecutive phases as a tested and reliable method of the verification of a material’s impact on the environment.