A design-based LCA framework for Adaptive Building Skins - Planning for short-term reaction with long-term sustainability

With the aim to address the sustainability of life cycle aspects in adaptive building skins a mapping of the main parameters and variables characterising the Life cycle assessment of Adaptive Building Skins (henceforth ABS) is proposed. At present, Life Cycle Assessments of building skins are mainly carried out in a later design stage and especially after construction, although stakeholders surveys have highlighted the need for providing tools for the assessment of the environmental impacts during the early design phase which are not a limit to the design creativity. . This mapping outlines a method to optimize ABS component ’s design by combining LCA parameters. indicated the steps of an LCA process that includes identifying the goal and scopes, the system boundaries and the processes that are expected to produce an impact. By analogy, the mapping includes these steps. A systematic approach allowed to conceive ABS as a system characterized by Quantitative and qualitative LCA parameters are listed, and the e ffective LCA inputs needed for quantitative calculations are arranged by Life cycle phases with a hierarchical list of building’s products composing the building skins. A connection scheme between processes of operational sustainable categories and functions. A systematic scheme links the sustainable requirements to supporting functions. A systematic review of the state of the art of ABS illustrates what an adaptive building skin is, where it is located in the adaptive feature, how and when it functions and why these are built. Among the LCA parameters investigated in the Production phase it can be highlighted the Scale of adaptation and the type of System’s family. In the Construction stage the transport of envelope’s super-components to the building site is energy consuming, considering the need of special means of an ABS so there is no doubt that operational parameters must be considered such as Service life and Adaptability.