Search Results (201)

The evaluation of intervention strategies for the existing building stock, within the context of energy transition and increasing attention being given to sustainability, requires approaches capable of systematically integrating economic and environmental dimensions over the entire building life cycle. From this perspective, the present study develops and applies an integrated Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model aimed at comparing two alternative intervention strategies for traditional residential buildings: conservative retrofit of the existing structure and demolition with reconstruction according to Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) criteria. The methodological framework, compliant with ISO 15686-5 and based on a simplified LCA-oriented approach inspired by EN 15978 principles, is applied to a representative case study of Swedish vernacular wooden architecture (röd stuga) located in the municipality of Falun. The assessments are carried out over 50- and 100-year time horizons, adopting Net Present Value (NPV) as the primary economic indicator and Global Warming Potential over 100 years (GWP100) and Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) as environmental indicators. The results show that the NZEB scenario, despite higher initial investment costs, achieves a significant reduction in life-cycle environmental impacts, with a decrease of approximately 20–25% in terms of GWP100 and about 45–50% in terms of CED compared to the retrofit scenario. The analysis also highlights a differentiated behavior of environmental indicators—while operational energy use remains dominant in cumulative energy demand, embodied impacts become increasingly significant in the GWP balance, particularly in high-performance scenarios. From an economic perspective, conservative retrofit results in lower global costs over the considered time horizons, although the economic gap tends to narrow in the long term. The integrated LCC–environmental assessment approach highlights the economic–environmental trade-offs and provides a replicable decision-support framework for sustainable regeneration policies targeting the existing residential building stock. Full article

This study evaluates the economic feasibility of retrofitting split-type air-conditioning systems in a university administrative building in a hot-humid tropical climate in Colombia, addressing the need for cost-effective energy-efficiency strategies in such contexts. A measurement-calibrated building energy model was developed using DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus, and a baseline scenario with low-efficiency fixed-speed split units was compared against three retrofit scenarios with higher-efficiency units defined by market-available COP levels. A 10-year life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis was conducted using a discounted cash flow approach, incorporating investment costs, operation and maintenance expenses, electricity tariff escalation, and equipment performance degradation, complemented by a parametric sensitivity analysis. The results show that air-conditioning systems account for the majority of total building electricity consumption, and that retrofit scenarios reduce cooling energy use by approximately 45–53% relative to the baseline. All retrofit options yield lower life-cycle costs despite higher initial investments, achieving total LCC reductions of up to 30%. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the economic ranking of alternatives remains stable under significant variations in electricity prices. Overall, the proposed framework provides a robust and transferable approach for assessing HVAC retrofit strategies, supporting informed decision-making for energy and cost optimization in buildings located in tropical climates. Full article

The decarbonization of multimodal transport systems requires assessment approaches that simultaneously address environmental impacts and economic performance at dynamic operational conditions. Conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), including Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), are widely used for this purpose; however, they often rely on static assumptions and averaged data, limiting their ability to capture real-world variability. This study proposes an AI-enhanced LCA–LCC/TCO framework for the integrated evaluation of decarbonised multimodal Door-to-Port transport systems. Artificial intelligence is embedded directly into the life cycle inventory and cost inventory stages to generate scenario-specific estimates of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and operational costs. The framework is demonstrated through a case study of a multimodal Door-to-Port transport chain comprising road pre-haulage, rail line-haul, and port terminal operations. Three scenarios are analysed: conventional, partially decarbonised, and fully decarbonised configurations. The results indicate that partial decarbonization reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% compared to the baseline while achieving the lowest total cost of ownership. Full decarbonization achieves emission reductions exceeding 95% but is associated with slightly higher costs under current assumptions. Sensitivity analysis verifies the robustness of the relative scenario ranking under different energy prices, carbon pricing, and electricity carbon intensity. The proposed framework provides a structured decision-support framework for logistics operators, port authorities, and policymakers seeking cost-effective pathways to low-emission multimodal transport systems. Full article

In the Industry 4.0 era, effective maintenance management is paramount to ensuring production continuity, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Modern industrial systems operate under inherent uncertainty and limited observability, necessitating the development of sophisticated decision-support frameworks. This study introduces a comprehensive approach to optimizing maintenance control for industrial assets under stochastic degradation and partial observability. The framework integrates stochastic processes for degradation modeling with Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis for multi-dimensional performance assessment. Maintenance interventions are governed by threshold-based strategies, where optimal service limits ($\theta *$) are determined through extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, both local and global sensitivity analyses are employed to identify critical drivers of decision-making, such as failure penalties, process volatility, and maintenance efficacy. The model is extended to incorporate Digital Twin concepts, enhancing state estimation under noisy sensor data, and addresses multi-machine scenarios with resource constraints to reflect real-world operational complexities. Results indicate that failure costs and process uncertainty are the primary determinants of maintenance timing. Notably, Digital Twin integration significantly bolsters decision accuracy in the presence of measurement noise, providing a robust and scalable solution for modern manufacturing environments. Full article

The European woodworking and furniture sector faces increasing sustainability challenges, including dependence on virgin raw materials and low recycling rates of furniture waste, highlighting the need for integrated environmental and economic assessments to support circular solutions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the environmental and economic performance of boards produced with different proportions of Polyethylene Recycling Waste (PRW) sourced from a Portuguese plastic recycling company, using an integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing approach. The environmental performance was assessed following ISO standards using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method, while the economic analysis included internal and external costs. First, the environmental and economic performance of PRW was assessed per 1 kg of material. Subsequently, four board formulations produced at pre-industrial scale, in a Portuguese company, were compared per 1 m³ of board: 100PRW; 80PRW20FW (with 20% furniture waste, FW); 80PRW20PE (with 20% virgin polyethylene, PE); and 80PRW20PU (with 20% virgin polyurethane, PU). Results show that waste-based boards (100PRW and 80PRW20FW) consistently present lower environmental impacts and improved cost-efficiency compared to formulations incorporating virgin polymers, particularly PU. Global warming and terrestrial ozone formation were the main contributing impact categories, largely driven by energy consumption. The dominant impact stage varied by formulation, with pressing prevailing in waste-based options and raw material production in virgin-polymer-based boards. These findings demonstrate that increasing the share of waste materials can significantly improve both environmental and economic performance, supporting the transition towards circular material solutions in the furniture sector. This study provides a novel contribution by integrating LCA and LCC in the assessment of pre-industrial PRW boards, offering practical insights for industry decision-making and sustainable material design. Full article

Vertical greenery systems (VGS), including vertical gardens (VG) and green façades (GF), are increasingly promoted as nature-based solutions for sustainable urban development. Despite their environmental benefits, economic evaluation remains fragmented, particularly within a life-cycle cost (LCC) perspective. This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the structural configuration of cost-related research on VGS within an LCC framework. Following the PRISMA protocol, 136 peer-reviewed articles published between 2021 and 2025 were identified through a structured search of the ScienceDirect database and retained as the analytical dataset. Bibliometric mapping, thematic classification, and co-occurrence analysis were applied to assess publication patterns, the distribution of cost components, and reporting structures. Five principal cost categories were identified: Installation and Operation, Maintenance, Consumables, Materials and Manufacturing, and Design. The results reveal a pronounced concentration on installation and maintenance costs, while design-phase economics and comprehensive LCC integration remain marginal. Most studies address only one or two cost categories, indicating structural fragmentation. In addition, heterogeneous reporting units and inconsistent contextual descriptors constrain cross-study comparability and cumulative synthesis. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that although cost research on VGS is expanding, it has not yet achieved methodological maturity within a standardized LCC framework. Advancing harmonized cost-reporting protocols and integrated life-cycle modeling is therefore essential to support robust economic evaluation and informed implementation of VGS in sustainable built environments. Full article

Living Wall Systems (LWS) are vertical vegetated building façade systems that offer environmental and social benefits; however, their adoption in South Africa, particularly within the Western Cape (WC), remains limited due to high capital and maintenance costs and the absence of regionally adapted design and cost models. This study investigates the viability and design development of LWS in the WC from a Quantity Surveying (QS) perspective, with the aim of developing a context-specific system utilising indigenous plant species and assessing its economic feasibility over the building life cycle. This study employed a mixed method research approach comprising a literature review, semi-structured interviews with industry professionals, thematic analysis, cost modelling, and the preparation of a detailed Bill of Quantities (BOQ). Life cycle costing (LCC) techniques were applied to evaluate long-term cost implications. The study resulted in the development of a criteria-led, context-adapted LWS model, termed Viridis 5045, which satisfies environmental, technical, and contextual requirements for the WC. The BOQ and LCC analyses provide projected capital and operational cost benchmarks for the proposed system. This study demonstrates that the Viridis 5045 model is technically feasible and contextually appropriate for application within the WC, supporting its consideration in sustainable construction practice when evaluated beyond conventional life cycle financial indicators. Future research should focus on the monetisation of long-term benefits, greywater integration, and Whole Life Costing. Full article

Rapid urbanisation in arid regions has increased reliance on energy-intensive desalinated water, intensifying environmental and financial pressures on the built environment. Although non-potable water (NPW) reuse is promoted within regional water strategies, empirical validation of decentralised systems at asset scale remains limited. This study applies a greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity metric (kgCO₂e/m³) to multi-year operational data from a large healthcare facility in Abu Dhabi. The analysis integrates calibrated water balance records, onsite pumping energy (Scope 2), embedded desalination emissions (Scope 3), and a 20-year discounted cash flow framework. Three configurations are evaluated: a fully desalinated baseline, the observed mixed-supply system, and an optimised NPW configuration. The baseline exhibits an emission intensity of 19.53 kgCO₂e/m³. The observed configuration reduces desalinated supply but achieves only marginal decarbonisation (0.40 kgCO₂e/m³) due to continued dependence on desalinated make-up water. The optimised configuration reduces outdoor water demand by 36.7% and achieves 10.94 kgCO₂e/m³ net decarbonisation while improving life-cycle cost (LCC) performance. The results show that GHG intensity is primarily driven by water source substitution and system configuration rather than volumetric reuse alone, providing asset-level evidence for evaluating decentralised NPW systems in arid-climate buildings. Full article

Hydropower refurbishment is increasingly recognized as a key strategy for maintaining renewable electricity generation and minimizing the environmental and social impacts of developing new infrastructure. With much of the global hydropower fleet approaching or exceeding its original design life, refurbishment decisions must strike complex trade-offs between technical performance, environmental impacts, economic viability, and social acceptability. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the scientific and policy literature on sustainable hydropower refurbishment, with a particular focus on the integration of life cycle assessment (LCA) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) from a circular economy perspective. The study systematically reviews the latest results in the fields of environmental LCA, life cycle costing (LCC), social LCA (S-LCA), and integrated life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), highlighting their application in the refurbishment and modernization of hydropower plants. The results show that construction-related impacts, particularly those associated with concrete and steel, dominate the environmental load over the life cycle, making refurbishment and component recycling highly effective strategies for reducing embodied emissions. The integration of LCA and MCDA allows for the transparent prioritization of refurbishment alternatives by explicitly considering stakeholder preferences and trade-offs between environmental, economic, social, and technical criteria. Overall, the results support the use of integrated, multi-criteria life cycle frameworks as reliable decision-making tools for managing sustainable hydropower refurbishment and long-term energy system resilience. Full article

Nowadays, the building sector is responsible for 30% of the global final energy demand and 37% of global energy and process emissions. In this context, industrial buildings account for 33% of global final energy consumption, representing one of the most energy-intensive sectors. The challenging European goal of achieving a carbon-free economy by 2050 is not reachable without intervening on the existing building stock. This research study aims to propose several retrofitting measures implemented in existing Italian industrial facilities to ameliorate energy and environmental performance, as well as to guarantee better indoor thermal conditions for workers. These interventions deal with both external envelope interventions and conditioning system improvements, along with their possible combination, to identify the most cost-effective solutions. A life cycle cost (LCC) analysis is performed to assess and compare the different redevelopment measures to identify the advisable ones considering the initial investment expenditure and operational and maintenance costs during a life span of 20 years. To define the cost-effective solution, different synthetic indexes are considered in the analysis. A sensitivity analysis is conducted on the discount rate and the operational life of the building (20 years). Redevelopment measures concerning conditioning systems seem to be the most advantageous ones in terms of operational energy savings and payback period evaluation if renewables are installed. The latter possibly makes industrial buildings carbon-neutral. The interventions on the external envelope allow buildings to meet the current Italian regulations in terms of thermodynamic properties, even if they affect the operational cost to a lesser extent. Full article

This study evaluated the cooling performance of an electric vehicle heat sink manufactured using additive manufacturing (AM) with a topology-optimized design, compared with a conventionally manufactured pin-fin heat sink. The experimental results showed that the topology-optimized heat sink improved the cell cooling coefficient by up to 42.6% compared to the conventional heat sink, leading to an estimated 7.6% extension in battery lifetime. This study also assessed the environmental and life cycle cost (LCC) implications of this extended battery life, revealing that battery production emits approximately seven tons of CO₂-equivalent (CO₂-eq) greenhouse gases per pack; however, longer battery life reduces the frequency of battery replacement and the overall demand for battery production. Under a scenario where the topology-optimized heat sink achieves a 15% market penetration by 2040, the cumulative reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions is projected to reach 2.4 MtCO₂-eq. LCC analysis further indicated that despite the higher manufacturing cost of the AM heat sink, the increased battery longevity lowers total operating cost by approximately 5.3%. These findings show that enhanced functionality of optimized components can simultaneously improve performance and reduce LCC. This study’s evaluation framework for assessing environmental impacts and costs across the product life cycle provides a transparent and consistent basis for selecting appropriate manufacturing technologies for component production. Full article

Greenhouse aquaculture is an increasingly advanced practice in shrimp farming. This study employs Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to systematically evaluate the economic and environmental performance of greenhouse shrimp farming. Research data were collected from field surveys and enterprise production records to analyze the construction and farming processes of the aquaculture facilities. LCC analysis revealed that the life cycle cost was 3.56 USD kg⁻¹ shrimp. The construction cost of the greenhouse was 4.58 USD m⁻², with steel pipes and film materials being the dominant cost components. The total farming cost per cultivation cycle reached USD 3510.76 per greenhouse, of which feed (30.54%) and land rent (15.86%) were the primary expenses. This model achieved a net profit of USD 5.31 per m² per cycle and a cost-profit ratio of 60.47%, values which are significantly higher than those reported for the Indoor Super-Intensive Culture (ISIC) model. LCA results demonstrated that the environmental impact per kilogram of shrimp produced via greenhouse aquaculture was characterized by a global warming potential (GWP) of 3.279 kg CO₂ eq, an acidification potential (AP) of 0.369 kg SO₂ eq, and a eutrophication potential (EP) of 0.212 kg PO₄ equation Furthermore, the abiotic depletion potential (ADP) and human toxicity potential (HTP) were relatively low, at 0.002 kg Sb eq and 0.093 kg 1,4-DCB eq per kilogram of shrimp, respectively. The construction phase had the highest greenhouse gas emissions (GWP 1940.00 kg CO₂ eq), mainly due to the consumption of steel (steel pipes accounting for 71.6% of CO₂ emissions) and polymer materials. During the farming phase, the primary emissions per kilogram of shrimp produced were GWP (3.23 kg CO₂ eq), AP (0.27 kg SO₂ eq), and EP (0.212 kg PO₄ eq). The findings indicate that this greenhouse model possesses considerable advantages in balancing economic output and risk management, rendering it suitable for promotion in appropriate regions. Further reductions in cost and environmental impact can be achieved by optimizing building material selection, implementing precision feeding strategies, and improving the energy utilization structure. These measures will enhance the economic and environmental benefits of greenhouse shrimp farming and promote the green development of the entire aquaculture industry. Full article

The textile industry is facing increasing pressure to improve its sustainability performance across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. A substantial share of textile production relies on polymer-based fibers, such as polyester, polyamide, and acrylics, whose production, use, and end-of-life management raise significant sustainability challenges. In this context, life cycle-based assessment tools have become essential for supporting informed decision-making and guiding the transition toward more circular textile systems. This review critically examines the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) within the textile sector, with a specific focus on polymeric textile materials and circular economy strategies. The analysis highlights the strengths and limitations of each methodology, emphasizing persistent challenges related to system boundary definition, data availability and quality, methodological heterogeneity, and limited comparability across studies. Particular attention is given to how methodological choices influence the robustness and interpretability of sustainability outcomes, especially when assessing circular solutions for polymer-based textiles. The review reveals that, despite their conceptual complementarity, LCA, LCC, and S-LCA are often applied in a fragmented manner, limiting their integration into holistic sustainability assessments. Overall, this work underscores the need for greater methodological alignment and integrated frameworks to enhance the decision-making relevance of life cycle-based tools and to effectively support sustainable and circular transitions in the textile industry. Full article

Improving the thermal performance of building envelopes is an effective approach for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in cold and heating-dominated regions. This study presents an experimentally calibrated thermal–economic optimization of external wall insulation systems for residential buildings in Northwest China, using Xi’an as a representative cold–dry continental climate. A guarded hot-box apparatus was employed to measure the steady-state thermal transmittance (U-value) of multilayer wall assemblies incorporating expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), and rock wool at different insulation thicknesses. The measured U-values were integrated into a dynamic building energy simulation model (DeST-h), and the simulated energy demand was subsequently evaluated through life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis to identify cost-optimal insulation configurations. The results indicate a nonlinear reduction in heating energy demand with increasing insulation thickness, with diminishing marginal returns beyond approximately 50 mm. Among the investigated materials, XPS exhibits the most favorable thermal–economic performance. For the climatic and economic conditions of Xi’an, a 50 mm XPS insulation layer minimizes total life-cycle cost while reducing annual building energy consumption by approximately 23–24% compared with the uninsulated reference case. This experimentally calibrated framework provides practical and policy-relevant guidance for insulation design and retrofit strategies in cold and dry regions. Full article

The design of aircraft components is a complex process that must simultaneously account for environmental impact, manufacturability, cost and structural performance to meet modern regulatory requirements and sustainability objectives. When these factors are integrated from the early design stages, the approach transcends traditional eco-design and becomes a genuinely sustainability-oriented design methodology. This study proposes a sustainability-driven design framework for aircraft components and demonstrates its application to a fuselage panel consisting of a curved skin, four frames, seven stringers, and twenty-four clips. The design variables investigated include the material selection, joining methods, and subcomponent thicknesses. The design space is constructed through a combinatorial generation process coupled with compatibility and feasibility constraints. Sustainability criteria are evaluated using a combination of parametric Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) regression models, parametric Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and Random Forest surrogate modeling trained on a stratified set of simulation results. Two methodological pathways are introduced: 1. Cluster-based optimization, involving customized clustering followed by multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) within each cluster. 2. Global optimization, performed across the full decision matrix using Pareto front analysis and MCDM techniques. A stability analysis of five objective-weighting methods and four normalization techniques is conducted to identify the most robust methodological configuration. The results—based on a full cradle-to-grave assessment that includes the use phase over a 30-year A319 aircraft operational lifetime—show that the thermoplastic CFRP panel joined by welding emerges as the most sustainable design alternative. Full article