Pamela Del Rosario

The construction sector significantly contributes to environmental issues and often relies on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the quantification and optimization of its environmental impacts. One of the most time- and labour-intensive tasks in LCA is matching real elements (e.g., construction elements and materials) to suitable environmental datasets to get an idea of the element’s sustainability performance (emissions). In this regard, this study presents an open-access software tool that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to support the matching process between construction elements in Building Information Modelling (BIM) with corresponding environmental datasets in a semi-automatic manner. Developed in Python and using the GPT-4o mini model from OpenAI for its matching mechanism, the tool demonstrates how AI-driven digital innovation can improve efficiency, reduce manual effort, and enhance early-stage environmental assessment in construction planning, while integrating sustainability data into BIM workflows. Through a series of use cases, the software’s ability to address key challenges in the integration of BIM and LCA tools is demonstrated, showcasing a high degree of automation and interoperability. Moreover, the accessible design of the tool allows use without extensive technical knowledge. The conducted validation tests confirmed the tool’s potential for accurate LCA matching, highlighting opportunities for AI to enhance sustainability workflows while offering BIM experts a better understanding of the challenges in sustainability assessment.

Cement production significantly contributes to global CO₂ emissions. Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC³)—a mixture of limestone, calcined clay, cement clinker, and gypsum—offers a promising alternative by significantly reducing clinker contents without compromising mechanical performance. This study assesses the environmental and social hotspots of various LC³ mortars produced in Germany, a context not yet explored in previous research. While prior studies have mostly focused on LC³ in concrete applications and in low- to middle-income countries, this is the first to evaluate LC³-based mortar in a high-income, highly industrialized context using both Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Social Risk Assessment (SRA) to determine the main environmental and social drivers of this material. The LCA revealed that LC³ mixtures achieve substantial reductions in key impact categories compared to conventional Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) mixes, including Climate Change (up to 42.6% reduction) and Particulate Matter (up to 15.8% reduction). The SRA highlights significant social risks related to corruption, fair competition, and workers’ rights, including fair wages, discrimination, and safe working conditions. This study underscores LC³ as a promising sustainable solution in cement applications while emphasizing the importance of region-specific assessments to address unique environmental and social considerations.

With the advancement of digital technologies, the creation of a digital twin of the road has moved from a theoretical concept to a tangible reality. Digital twins enable rapid simulations and robust data management, thereby ostensibly empowering policymakers and engineers to make expeditious and well-informed decisions. This paper examines the potential applications, benefits, and implications of deploying the digital twin of a road, a real-time virtual replica of physical road infrastructure, from four critical perspectives: physical modelling and numerical simulations, data management, law, and sustainability assessment. This paper explores the potential of digital twins to offer advancements in the efficiency and sustainability of road infrastructure. By enabling comprehensive monitoring and optimisation, the digital twin of a road facilitates applications in sustainable design, predictive maintenance, and efficient operation. Real-time data collection and analysis could allow for proactive maintenance and better resource management, while the integration of advanced materials and sensor technologies can enhance road durability and performance. Additionally, the digital twin of a road could support a holistic life cycle approach, facilitating better decision-making and planning for future infrastructure projects, with the potential to contribute to smarter and more sustainable transportation networks. The implementation of digital twins of roads, however, faces several challenges and raises numerous concerns. Key issues include the integration of diverse data sources, ensuring data accuracy and reliability, and addressing data protection and security concerns, requiring robust legal and regulatory frameworks to manage and protect personal data.

This review summarizes the methods and approaches for quantifying the sustainability performance of roads based on the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concept. Furthermore, research gaps and challenges in the sustainability assessment of roads are identified. While prior studies explored the environmental and economic dimensions, no comprehensive overview of holistic sustainability assessment of roads exists. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to identify relevant studies. Two assessment approaches were identified: (1) life-cycle-based approaches and (2) sustainability rating systems (SRS). Most of the reviewed studies applied life-cycle-based methods, such as Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment or a combination of Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, and selected social indicators. Heterogeneity in functional units was observed, with most studies opting for a dimension-based instead of a function-based reference. There was high variability regarding the life cycle stages, indicators, and impact assessment methods. Concerning the interpretation methods, most studies calculated a sustainability index or applied Multi-Criteria Decision-Making methods. The SRS presented a similar structure with different levels of aggregation. Furthermore, aspects such as planning, leadership, innovation, and construction activities were addressed. The results of this SLR contribute to expanding the knowledge regarding road sustainability and provide insight into common frameworks, guidelines, and best practices for the sustainability assessment of roads and pavements.

Due to climate change and current efforts to reduce emissions in the construction sector, this study evaluates and discusses the results of a comparative cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), with a main focus on Global Warming Potential for functionally equivalent carbon-reinforced concrete (CRC) and steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) façade panels for the first time. The novelty of this study is the focus on construction waste and, in particular, the worst-case application of non-recycled construction waste. The use of CRC requires a lower concrete thickness than SRC because the carbon fiber reinforcement does not corrode, in contrast to steel reinforcement. Façade panels of the same geometrical dimensions and structural performance were defined as functional units (FU). Assuming an End-of-Life (EoL) scenario of 50% landfill and 50% recycling, the Global Warming Potential (GWP, given in CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e)) of the CRC façade (411–496 kg CO₂e) is shown to perform better than or equal to the SRC façade (492 kg CO₂e). Changing the assumption of CRC to a worst-case scenario, going fully to landfill and not being recycled (single life cycle), turns the GWP results in favor of the SRC façade. Assuming a 50-year service life for the SRC façade panel and relativizing the emissions to the years, the more durable CRC façade performs much better. Finally, depending on the system boundary, the assumed EoL and lifetime, CRC can represent a lower-emission alternative to a functionally equivalent component made of SRC. The most important and “novel” result in this study, which also leads to future research opportunities, is that delicate adjustments (especially concerning EoL scenarios and expected service life) can lead to completely different recommendations for decision-makers. Only by combining the knowledge of LCA experts, structural engineers, and builders optimal decisions can be made regarding sustainable materials and building components.

The construction industry significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of raw materials, and is thus under intense pressure to become more sustainable. Despite the ever-increasing availability of sustainable solutions, they do not seem to be widely adopted. As key decision makers in the early planning stage of a construction project, end consumers strongly impact sustainable development. However, their knowledge of sustainability-related criteria and their influence on purchasing decisions within the German construction industry is not yet sufficiently well established. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effects of sustainability-related aspects on the purchasing behavior of private individuals, as end consumers in the German construction industry. A quantitative online survey involving 306 participants was utilized to determine their understanding of the term “sustainability” and how they identify and measure the sustainability of a building product. Our results indicate that consumers have a fundamental interest in sustainable building products; however, they lack a holistic view of the concept of sustainability. With the focus on environmental aspects, social and economic aspects tend to be neglected. Since private individuals rarely make purchasing decisions in the building product sector, it is the task of the entire construction industry to establish a system in which consumers can quickly and easily obtain understandable information about sustainable products. Consumers need support from experts to understand and drive sustainable development in the construction industry.

This study assesses the environmental performance in the end-of-life (EoL) of double walls made of carbon-reinforced concrete (CRC) and steel-reinforced concrete (SRC). The most feasible CRC EoL scenarios are evaluated using life cycle assessment and their environmental performances are then compared to those of SRC. The results showed that mechanical recycling is the best CRC EoL scenario, with a global warming potential (GWP) of 7.0 kg CO₂ eq., while the use of renewable energy can save over 50% of GWP. For SRC, the best scenario was obtained using a mobile recycling plant (GWP of 8.8 kg CO₂ eq.). In general, the further life of the reinforcements is hardly comparable. Steel can be recycled nearly without losses or downcycling, while a closed cycle of carbon fibers is not yet possible. Therefore, carbon fiber properties or EoL processes need to be improved for a closed loop with an optimized environmental performance.

Carbon-reinforced concrete (CRC) has the potential to play a pivotal role in optimizing the built environment and has therefore been experiencing a wave of research and development in the construction industry in recent years. The production of carbon fibers for CRC is energy-intensive, prompting the need to explore circular economy approaches (e.g., recycling at the End-of-Life (EoL)) to optimize the environmental performance of this material. Underdeveloped processes and a resulting lack of primary data regarding the recycling of CRC have hampered a comprehensive sustainability assessment of the novel composite building material. The novelty of this article is the detailed presentation of possible EoL scenarios for CRC and the detailed determination of the respective environmental impacts. This study aims to model EoL options within a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), focusing on the EoL stage based on ISO 14040/44 using the GaBi ts 10.5.1.124 software and the CML2001 (2016) methodology. The practical relevance of the study lies in the early consideration of the entire life cycle of new materials, such as CRC, already in the design phase. Furthermore, the EoL can have relevant impacts on the environment, and due to an increasing significance of sustainability aspects, this LCA clarifies first approaches for the future of the construction sector in quantitative statements (e.g., CO₂ emissions). All data are literature-based and are explained in detail and calculated for our case study with the functional unit of one kilogram of re-usable material (reusable and fully usable “raw” material for further use/ development) from a double wall. The impact assessment was calculated for 11 midpoint categories and related indicators, although the main focus was on Global Warming Potential (GWP). It was found that the highest-quality recycled options for CRC arise when the individual fractions (concrete matrix and carbon fibers) are first broken up, separated and then individually processed. This study focused mainly on the processing of the carbon fibers contained in CRC, for which pyrolysis and mechanical recycling have the strongest potential for industrial application. For the demolition and separation of both the concrete and the carbon fiber fractions, the conventional transport from the demolition site to the stationary processing plant proved to be the main driver of the GWP (1.4 × 10⁻³ kg CO₂e). In the subsequent processing of the carbon fibers, pyrolysis showed a higher GWP (9.7 × 10⁻³ kg CO₂e) than mechanical recycling (3.1 × 10⁻⁴ kg CO₂e). In addition, the production of one m³ of concrete (C30/37) was compared to a primary raw material concrete fraction. Concrete can be successfully used as a substitute material for the gravel present in the C30/37 concrete. The use of recycled parts in concrete (originating from the concrete used in carbon-reinforced concrete) as a substitute for primary gravel showed a savings of 6.9 kg CO₂e per m³ of primary concrete, corresponding to a reduction of 22.5%. The results show that the mechanical recycling of carbon fibers is overall the route with the lowest energy input and emissions. However, compared to pyrolysis, the recycled carbon fibers from mechanical recycling have a lower quality. Therefore, despite the higher energy input, pyrolysis is a more promising approach to close the material cycle. Furthermore, recycled aggregate concrete can reduce emissions by a quarter compared to primary concrete. Finally, this work aimed to provide a basis for further life cycle optimization in the construction sector. In subsequent studies, the EoL must be combined with the production and use stages to depict the entire life cycle, identify possible trade-offs and compare the results with conventional construction methods or materials such as steel-reinforced concrete.

Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, alle Akteure des Bausektors für Level(s) als robustes Instrument zur Quantifizierung der Nachhaltigkeitsleistung von Gebäuden zu sensibilisieren. Nachhaltigkeit spielt für den Bausektor eine immer größere Rolle. Gebäude haben erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt, die Wirtschaft und die Gesellschaft (drei Säulen der Nachhaltigkeit). In dieser Hinsicht hat die EU Maßnahmen ergriffen, um die negativen Auswirkungen des Bausektors auf die ökologische Nachhaltigkeit zu mildern. Heutzutage gibt es eine große Vielfalt an Zertifizierungssystemen, die die Nachhaltigkeitsleistung von Gebäuden bewerten sollen. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde Level(s) von der Europäischen Kommission entwickelt, um eine gemeinsame Sprache für die Nachhaltigkeit von Gebäuden zu schaffen, indem einheitliche Metriken und Indikatoren für die Bewertung festgelegt werden. Obwohl Level(s) die Erreichung der europäischen Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung unterstützt, müssen weiterhin Herausforderungen des Rahmenwerks betrachtet werden, wie etwa die Optimierung seiner Anwendung sowie die Bewertung der sozialen Auswirkungen hinsichtlich aller Stakeholder, nicht nur der Gebäudenutzer, im Lebenszyklus.