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Paper issued as part of conference proceedings Purpose: Sustainability analysis tools such as Life Cycle Costing and Life Cycle Assessment address the economic and respectively, the environmental aspects of sustainability. Both methods assist stakeholders to make well-informed decisions during the early design phase of buildings and infrastructure. This paper considers how the real benefits for users and society emerge when life cycle tools are integrated with Building Information Modelling. In this way, it will become easier to compare different solutions in the design phase and select the one that contributes best to user’s well-being and the sustainable aims of society. Design/methodology/approach: Mixed research methods were used: 1) a literature review focused on Building Information Modelling and life cycle sustainability analysis; 2) expert interviews with real estate, facility management and sustainability consultants; 3) an online questionnaire; 4) small case study. Findings: The research highlights first the importance of collaboration and awareness in the development of an integrated Building Information Modelling-Life Cycle Costing-Life Cycle Assessment model. Then, the factors which support or challenge the integration were identified based on which a first integration model is proposed. Using such approach can contribute to sustainable development and subsequently to the wellbeing of people. It is important to consider the long-term implications of design because buildings and infrastructure use a significant amount of energy. However, research shows the environmental impact and lifecycle costs are often not seen as key factors in decision making about best value solutions, yet they have a huge influence over the entire life. The new developed approach can overcome these problems by empowering stakeholders to collect and exchange information critical to life cycle sustainability analysis therefore enabling economic/environmental trade-offs and validating the calculations. Practical applications and value: Life cycle analysis with Building Information Modelling tools will assist decision-making in the early phase of a project by focusing the investment appraisals on life cycle costs and environmental impact. The new approach encourages collaboration between planners, design teams and facility managers and can be applied to support the design, construction and operation of more sustainable assets. The value of the integration model comes from improved and new functionalities such as increased accuracy, collaboration, more design options assessed. A win-win scenario can be achieved to maximize the potential financial benefits, while minimising the environmental impact of the design over the entire life cycle.

Sustainable restoration process is one of the biggest challenges for public and private decision makers in the Cultural Heritage sector. Currently, sustainability assessment methods are well established tools to quantitatively determine their environmental (LCA), economic (LCC) and social (SLCA) impacts from products/service across the entire value chain. Nevertheless, while these life cycle methods are widely applied in many industries and service sectors, they still are at its infancy in the restoration work of Cultural Heritage. The main goal of this paper is to define and build a general framework including all impact indicators related to the restoration work processes to apply experimentally, and for the first time, all the sustainability assessment dimensions together within the Cultural Heritage sector. The ISO 14040 standard under guidelines published by the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative has been used as an assessment tool. Then, a CH-LCM Model framework based on a previous work from the author is applied to the real case concerning the restoration of the fortress of Uncastillo (Spain). The data collected from the real case concerning the restoration of the fortress of Uncastillo (Spain) have allowed us to reach two objectives: firstly, to validate the model empirically and, secondly, to identify successful managerial practices for the decision makers. In this respect, the paper shows that the life cycle approach can be considered an effective method for improving innovative managerial practices towards the sustainability, preservation and restoration of Cultural Heritage by assessing the environmental impact, the financial and economic feasibility and the implementation of an engagement strategy for the stakeholders. Finally, we have pointed out a set of valuable recommendations for future actions.

Aquaponics is receiving a growing interest as an emerging technology that combines recirculating aquaculture practices and hydroponics to produce fish and vegetables. However, a proper eco-design is essential to limit the environmental burdens and to enhance the economic profitability. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) were here combined to estimate the environmental and economic impacts of a designed pilot indoor aquaponic system in Belgium. Results showed that energy consumption, infrastructure and water consumption represent the main critical issues to achieve both the environmental and economic sustainability of this aquaponic system.

The objects of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) case studies are often individual components or individual products. Studies focusing on larger industrial manufacturing systems are relatively rare. The purpose of this case study was to assess environmental and cost-related performance of an updated complex manufacturing system for glass containers (i.e. jars, glass bottles, etc.) compared to the predecessor manufacturing system. The objective was also to identify the most relevant drivers for the environmental and the cost profile of the system solution in application context by the means of Life Cycle Assessment, as well as Life Cycle Costing (LCC). The results were then to be displayed in an Eco-Care-Matrix (ECM) in order to quantitatively visualize the improvements when comparing the updated manufacturing system to the previous one and they were to be discussed in terms of (i) ecodesign levers, (ii) efficiency of the LCA process and (iii) their relevance for the speed and cost of the decision-making process. The LCA results of the production stage of the optimized components showed that the largest contributors to the potential environmental impact of the manufacturing system are the motors due to their material composition, number and mass. The use stage was subsequently recognized as the dominant life cycle stage with Global Warming Potential (GWP) as the leading indicator, due to the long service life (20 years) and the corresponding energy consumption. The analysis of a produced glass bottle's GWP showed that it was reduced by about 40% through optimizing the production system. The LCC showed that the modernization pays off after about five years of service life and that the decision for making an investment should not only be based on the required capital expenditure (CAPEX). Rather, operation expenditure (OPEX) should also be considered in order to reflect the savings gained from lower operating costs, which compensate relatively quickly any higher initial expenditure or initial investment. In order to apply Life Cycle Assessment on larger-scale industrial systems, smart and pragmatic LCA modeling approaches have to be developed and adopted, balancing accuracy of results against efficiency in achieving them. An adequate ecological-and-economic assessment tool would reduce the time and effort when making decisions in this context.

The reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change poses challenges across multiple sectors. Biofuels have been touted as a replacement for petroleum-based fuels, but policy guiding this sector must ensure that biomass is obtained in a sustainably. In this context, Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) tools have been identified as a means to conduct comprehensive impact evaluations of the biofuel sector. The objective of this work is to highlight key environmental, economic, and social indicators currently being assessed using LCSA, and to relate these back to the framework of Principles and Criteria (P&C) developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) to assess the ability of LCSA approaches to effectively inform all Principles within the RSB. 60 LCSA studies, published since 2007, were selected to include a range of biofuel production scenarios, including various technologies and geographic settings. System boundaries and functional units used in these studies were evaluated and compared. The ability of each study to provide quantitative indicators related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability was tabulated. It was found that some RSB Principles can be effectively evaluated using an LCSA approach, including Principle 3 (greenhouse gas emissions) and Principle 10 (air quality). Most other Principles within the RSB P&C framework, however, are only partially addressed, and Principle 11 (technology, inputs, and management of waste) is not informed in any way by existing LCSA. The results suggest that existing LCSA studies, while expanding to consider more economic and social sustainability considerations, are unlikely to cover all aspects of biofuel production systems and are not sufficient to completely inform the full range of RSB Criteria. In the future, LCSA should be further extended to help address critical aspects of sustainability, while the RSB framework should be strengthened to employ a life cycle approach across all Principles.

This report is a summary of a research done on the area of Strategic Cost Management (SCM). This report includes a detailed discussion and application of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) which a company can use to achieve its strategic objects in today's dynamic business environment. Hence, the main focus of this report is on LCC as mentioned

The aim of this paper is to grow the literature on methodological approaches directed to find out the most preferable retrofit design solutions for Energy-Efficient Buildings, sustainable from both an environmental and economic point of view. The paper proposes a methodology based on the integration of two existing approaches and finalized to support designers, constructors, developers, and public authorities in the decision-making process. The first approach is based on a joint application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC). The outputs are proposed as an input to the second approach, the Strategic Choice Approach (SCA), considered as a preliminary “platform” in which information deriving from three specific disciplines (“Materials Science and Technology”, “Environmental Technology” and “Real Estate Market Evaluation”) could be structured, shared and accessed by stakeholders, in order to facilitate the decision-making process. First findings are illustrated through an app...

The building sector is well known to be one of the key energy consumers worldwide. The majority of the current European housing stock was built during 1940-1970s, with low standards especially with regard to energy performance. The challenge now is to act in this stock. In this paper, a multi-criteria methodology is proposed for the comparative analysis of retrofitting solutions. First, environmental impacts and financial costs are evaluated via a life cycle approach. Secondly, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) are combined through the Pareto optimization method. For this, environmental impacts are expressed in monetary values. To illustrate the applicability of our approach, a case study has been selected: the renovation of a representative housing block from the 60s located in Madrid. Three scenarios have been proposed for the analysis of energy saving measures: scenario 1, where typical solutions used in Spain are applied; scenario 2, where strategies to achieve energy requirements fixed by Spanish regulation are assumed; and scenario 3, where Passive House standard is achieved. Energy saving measures are therefore defined for each scenario considering roof, facade and windows. Results show how housing renovation involves important benefits, not only from the environmental point of view but also from the financial perspective. For the building typology analysed, located in Madrid, the current retrofitting strategies are not optimal from an environmental point of view. The necessary extra investment for the improvement of the envelope with a higher insulation thickness (8%) is arguable taking into account the extra environmental and financial savings (45% and 87% respectively). ispartof: pages:328-333 ispartof: Expanding Boundaries: Systems Thinking in the Built Environment pages:328-333 ispartof: Sustainable Built Environment (SBE) Regional Conference location:Zurich date:13 Jun - 17 Jun 2016 status: published

Purpose: The research establishes a Conceptual Process Model (CPM) as shown in Figure 1 which shows how Facility Management (FM) and Asset Management (AM) know-how, 3D laser scanning and Building Information Modelling (BIM) can be combined with virtual design and simulation techniques to help managers make better decisions about feasibility report options and to add value and optimize existing buildings performance and quality. Design methodology and approach: Mixed methods were used including a review of BIM literature and industry best practice. Seven semi-structured interviews were held with stakeholders from different stages in the BIM process. The initial CPM was subsequently refined during the research project based on feedback from the interviews. The 3D laser scanning element of the CPM was tested using two ZHAW university buildings and the findings triangulated with a feedback mechanism to further improve the model. Originality and findings: The findings helped to develop a model which can be used by key stakeholders as a guide when considering the integration of FM and AM know-how, with 3D scanning in the creation of a BIM model for existing buildings, which constitute approximately 98% of the building stock. The focus is on combining existing know-how with the BIM process and simulation techniques to identify, simulate and evaluate the best building improvement options for feasibility reports prior to a decision to proceed. The CPM meets the need to develop a workflow with a focus on digitalisation of the existing built environment and creation of appropriate BIM model(s). The models can then be used for simulation purposes looking at cost benefit optimisation, energy efficiency, life cycle costing (LCC) etc. as well as creating virtual walk through models that can be viewed by end users, Facility Managers (FMs) and Asset Managers (AMs) to improve workplace environments and FM and AM operation.

Goal, Scope and Background. CML has contributed to the development of life cycle decision support tools, particularly Substance/Material Flow Analysis (SFA respectively MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Ever since these tools emerged there have been discussions on how these tools relate to each other, and how they relate to more traditional tools. Remarkably little, however, has been published on these relationships from an empirical side: which combinations of tools have actually been used, and what is the added value of combining tools in practical case studies. In this paper, we report on CML's experience in this field by presenting a number of case studies with their related research questions, for which different tools were deployed. Methods. Three case studies are discussed: 1) Waste water treatment: various options for waste water treatment have been assessed on their eco-efficiency, using SFA to comment on the influence of these options on the flows of certain substances in the water system of a geographical area and a combination of LCA and life cycle costing (LCC) to assess the life-cycle impacts and costs of these options; 2) Prioritization of environmental policy measures: A methodology has been developed to prioritize environmental policy measures and investments within companies based on both the environmental impacts and the costs of these measures; and 3) Environmental weighting of materials: to add an environmental dimension to standard MFA accounts, materials were weighted with cradle-to-grave impact factors based on LCA data and impact assessment factors. Results and Discussion. For each of these cases, the research questions at stake, the tools applied, the results and the added value, limitations and problems of combining the tools are reported. Conclusions and Perspective. Based on these experiences, it is concluded that using several tools to address a complicated problem is not only a theoretical proposal, but also something that has been applied successfully in a variety of practical situations. Furthermore, using several tools in combination does not necessarily lead to an increased information supply to decision-makers. Instead, it may contribute to the comprehensibility and ease of interpretation of the information that would have been provided by using a single tool. Finally, it is concluded that there is not one generally valid protocol for which tools to use for which question. The essential idea of using a combination of tools is exactly the fact that research questions are not simple by nature and cannot be generalized into protocols.

Goal, Scope and Background. CML has contributed to the development of life cycle decision support tools, particularly Substance/Material Flow Analysis (SFA respectively MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Ever since these tools emerged there have been discussions on how these tools relate to each other, and how they relate to more traditional tools. Remarkably little, however, has been published on these relationships from an empirical side: which combinations of tools have actually been used, and what is the added value of combining tools in practical case studies. In this paper, we report on CML's experience in this field by presenting a number of case studies with their related research questions, for which different tools were deployed. Methods. Three case studies are discussed: 1) Waste water treatment: various options for waste water treatment have been assessed on their eco-efficiency, using SFA to comment on the influence of these options on the flows of certain substances in the water system of a geographical area and a combination of LCA and life cycle costing (LCC) to assess the life-cycle impacts and costs of these options; 2) Prioritization of environmental policy measures: A methodology has been developed to prioritize environmental policy measures and investments within companies based on both the environmental impacts and the costs of these measures; and 3) Environmental weighting of materials: to add an environmental dimension to standard MFA accounts, materials were weighted with cradle-to-grave impact factors based on LCA data and impact assessment factors. Results and Discussion. For each of these cases, the research questions at stake, the tools applied, the results and the added value, limitations and problems of combining the tools are reported. Conclusions and Perspective. Based on these experiences, it is concluded that using several tools to address a complicated problem is not only a theoretical proposal, but also something that has been applied successfully in a variety of practical situations. Furthermore, using several tools in combination does not necessarily lead to an increased information supply to decision-makers. Instead, it may contribute to the comprehensibility and ease of interpretation of the information that would have been provided by using a single tool. Finally, it is concluded that there is not one generally valid protocol for which tools to use for which question. The essential idea of using a combination of tools is exactly the fact that research questions are not simple by nature and cannot be generalized into protocols.

Purpose – In this paper, of exploratory character, the purpose of this paper is to propose the analysis of the life cycle for assessing the environmental, economic, and social impact in the activity of recovery, restoration, and valorization of Cultural Heritage. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis protocol is applied to the case of recovery and restoration processes and then outlining the salient features of what may become a model of Cultural Heritage Life Cycle Management (CH-LCM). Findings – The authors propose the approach of the life cycle, normally used to assess the impact of materials, processes or products, to the management of cultural heritage as an innovative methodology with great potential. Originality/value – The methodology for this sector is highly innovative, especially in its interdisciplinary approach, through the use of different technical, historical, and economic skills which can provide the tools for the preparation of a management plan according to the logic of the life cycle.

This paper quantifies environmental and economic benefits of the Integrated Product Service Offering (IPSO) in real practice from a life cycle perspective, in comparison with its corresponding product-sales type business as a reference. The paper also discusses the engineering activities contributing to those effects, as well as their enablers. To reach this goal, the paper investigates three IPSOs as real-life business cases in industry. Those cases are selected from different sectors and have different characteristics. In addition, the paper calculates and compares environmental impacts and economic costs of different offerings in each case through the use of Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing, respectively. In all three cases, IPSOs had environmental and economic advantages in comparison with the product-sales type business. The engineering activities contributing to those advantages under IPSOs were recycling, remanufacturing, reuse, maintenance, and holistic planning and operation. The enablers were found to be high flexibility for realizing products and services and close relationships with relevant actors.

MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014 The study was conducted to establish what effect life cycle cost forecasting accuracy has on project valuations with special reference to a global mining organisation’s coal business unit in South Africa. The research stemmed from the fact that the organisation identified through its own research in 2009 that its capital projects rarely met the originally budgeted life cycle cost forecasts estimated during the project development stages. These forecasts were generally found to be underestimated. Overrunning of cost budgets in project management terms results in project failure. The study employed two main empirical research sections. The first section took a case study approach where past implemented project results were collated and analysed. The main aim was to determine how close to reality the original life cycle cost estimates were, and secondly how any variances to the originally budgeted costs impacted on the anticipated project value post implementation. Secondly, the study employed in-depth interviews with seven project specialists within the organisation that were also involved in the development stages of the investigated projects. The study concluded that life cycle cost forecasts are very important project business case inputs and that the necessary time and effort should go into developing them so as to ensure that they are as comprehensive and accurate as possible. The sensitivity analysis that was conducted revealed that a coal mining project business case is the second most sensitive to variations in life cycle costs after variations in commodity price. The results indicated that a 20% increase in life cycle costs can destroy an equivalent project value of up to 100%. Accurate life cycle cost forecasting is therefore essential in order to estimate to a certain degree of accuracy the value of a project which in turn will be used to inform capital investment decision making. Masters

The goal of Master's Thesis is an identification of life cycle costs of vacuum cleaners. Next point is an analysis of these life cycle cost by using value analysis. The theoretical part is focused on definitions of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Value Analysis (VA). The practical part, which is fundamental, contains identification of life cycle cost of selected vacuum cleaners, life cycle costing of selected vacuum cleaners and their value analysis. Result of this Master's Thesis is an interpretation of the results and the suggestion of steps for consumers and producers of vacuum cleaners.