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BIM-based life-cycle environmental assessment of prefabricated buildings

Yingbo Ji (School of Civil Engineering, North China University of Technology, Beijing, China)
Kai Qi (China Construction First Group Construction and Development Co., Ltd., Beijing, China)
Yuan Qi (School of Civil Engineering, North China University of Technology, Beijing, China)
Yan Li (School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia)
Hong Xian Li (School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia)
Zhen Lei (Department of Civil Engineering, Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC), University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada)
Yan Liu (School of Civil Engineering, North China University of Technology, Beijing, China)

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

ISSN: 0969-9988

Article publication date: 29 May 2020

Issue publication date: 21 September 2020

1274

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to propose a comparative environmental analysis of conventional and prefabricated construction techniques utilizing a building information modelling (BIM) technique.

Design/methodology/approach

A set of indicators are selected to assess the environmental emissions throughout the construction life cycle, based on BIM platform. An existing project involving ten apartment buildings in Shanghai is selected as a case study.

Findings

The results reveal that prefabricated construction demonstrates environment-friendly performance with some exceptions of acidification and mineral resource consumption. Environmental impacts can also be further reduced by increasing the projected area ratio and percentage of project prefabrication.

Originality/value

Overall, the proposed method can be used to identify relevant environmental merits and for decision-making of appropriate construction techniques in building construction projects.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful for the support from the National Key R&D Programme of China (2016YFC0701810 in 2016YFC0701800), North China University of Technology High-level Featured Disciplines Development Project (2020–2025), North China University of Technology Science and Technology Innovation Project and North China University of Technology Yu Jie Talent Development Programme. This work was also partially supported by key grants from Basic Research Fund of NCUT.

Citation

Ji, Y., Qi, K., Qi, Y., Li, Y., Li, H.X., Lei, Z. and Liu, Y. (2020), "BIM-based life-cycle environmental assessment of prefabricated buildings", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 27 No. 8, pp. 1703-1725. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-01-2020-0017

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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