METHODOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY IMPLEMENTATION FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECTS

The construction industry is among the most environmentally impactful human activities, with the building sector driving substantial raw material extraction and waste generation. Adaptive reuse—large-scale retrofits integrating multiple functions—will increase in importance over the coming decades. While past efforts have primarily focused on reducing operational carbon, an urgent challenge now is to minimize embodied carbon by fostering circular economy (CE), a strategy that emphasizes disassembly and reuse. Adaptive reuse naturally aligns with CE principles, yet quantifying its sustainability benefits remains a challenge. The standard method for assessing sustainability, embodied carbon accounting through life cycle assessment (LCA), is commonly implemented via building information modeling (BIM) to evaluate lifetime impacts. However, conventional LCA approaches do not adequately capture adaptive reuse scenarios. This thesis introduces a framework to assess the embodied impacts of adaptive reuse projects compared to new construction. By incorporating BIM incrementally throughout project development, the framework more accurately reflects real-world decision-making. Additionally, the framework facilitates the adoption of circular economic strategies, offering a more holistic perspective on life cycle sustainability across a building’s entire lifespan.<p></p>