Integrating circularity in LCA-based modelling frameworks for renovation of buildings (Built4People Partnership)

Expected outcome

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Demonstration of measurable reductions in material flows, life cycle energy use and GHG emissions in building renovations that integrate circularity strategies to contribute to achieving net-zero whole life carbon buildings;
• More robust approach to current modelling frameworks to comprehensively reflect the complexity of circularity strategies in life cycle assessments at building scale.

Scope

European buildings are increasingly adopting circularity strategies in renovations to reduce life cycle environmental impacts and improve resource efficiency in response to the requirements based on current frameworks, such as Level(s) and WLC models used by Member States based and EN 15978 standard. The complexity of these circularity strategies, such as material reuse and recycling, and addressing the changing nature of assessed systems with long life cycles are critical for achieving more reliable assessment results. Further work is needed to advance and achieve more detailed modelling frameworks that integrate circularity assessment with life cycle assessment, supporting the delivery of net-zero whole-life carbon buildings.

Proposals should address all of the following:

• Develop a comprehensive modelling framework that integrates circularity assessment in life cycle, covering cradle to cradle system boundary;
• Apply the developed modelling framework to at least three real-life buildings in different climatic regions in different Member States or Associated Countries, for which renovation project developers have adopted ambitious circularity strategies to achieve zero whole-life carbon buildings. Circularity strategies should include reuse and/or recycle, as well as at least one of the following: reduce, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, and repurpose;
• Assess the embodied emissions (from materials, products, and construction processes) and operational emissions (from energy use for HVAC, DHW, electrical appliances, lighting) of the real-life buildings subjected to renovations during their entire life cycle, referencing life cycle stages in EN 15978.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to contribute to the objectives of Built4People, transfer knowledge to its network of innovation clusters and report on results in support of the monitoring of the Built4People KPIs.