Rapid Environmental Assessment of Buildings: Linking Environmental and Cost Estimating Databases

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become an important part of building design optimization. Design studios need tools that make the LCA buildings faster and simple, provide results allow comparison between variants. The objective this study was to show possibility data integration into existing tool, DEK Building Library, which is already widely used in Czech Republic, by connecting it 1200 items largest cost-estimating database, application connection information modeling (BIM) tools. This process also included large-scale adaptation 160 relevant data. main result obtained using EnviBIM, a freely accessible BIM plugin, as well web interface allows users receive cradle-to-gate environmental impacts Library elements. Additionally, semi-automated algorithms system for different groups materials elements named EnviDataGenerator developed MS Excel, enables consistent linking database items. EnviBIM extensions upgrades. module validated case studies three modeled ArchiCAD REVIT. difference compared manual calculation 3.1% 10.9%, considered success.