A new life cycle impact assessment approach for buildings

This study examines factors resulting in an environment burden (local EB) in the region where a building is located, and suggests a method for assessing it. The environmental burden (attached EB) caused by the expansion of infrastructures, such as, roads and parking lots for supporting buildings is also considered. An integrated life cycle impact assessment approach is proposed for buildings based on social cost account, called a region-type life cycle impact assessment (R-LCIA) here, which can give not only the total environment burden on a global scale but also the environment burden in a region scale and the attached EB. Furthermore, as an example of the R-LCIA, the environmental impact of a store building is assessed, and the effects of its location, structural type, and energy system are discussed.