A Streamlined method to integrate LCA in early-stages design employing a parametric framework

This research intends to incorporate LCA into initial design stages employing a parametric approach, developing a workflow to investigate the impact of buildings morphology and attributes, material selection, and surrounding urban context on carbon performance. It examines the trade-offs between embodied and operational carbon. The study uses a parametric workflow, defined in Grasshopper, and examines 54 building morphologies across four cardinal directions, with dimensions derived from a statistical analysis of 154 residential apartment buildings in Tallinn. While the roof, floors, internal walls, and windows have fixed specifications, the external walls offer three material variations. Results indicate that a courtyard building oriented towards the North, with a WWR of 30%, CLT external wall, Env/Vol of 0.19 which was 7 floors high, exhibited the lowest CF of 820 kgCO2e/m2 with EC and OC contribution proportions of 21% and 79% respectively. The highest CF of 1,411 kgCO2e/m2 with EC and OC percentages of 29% and 71% respectively, was observed in a rectangular building with East orientation, WWR of 70% AAC external wall, 5 floors, and Env/Vol of 0.33. Moreover, optimal building shapes vary with orientation, reduced window-to-wall ratio (WWR) improves carbon performance, and more compact buildings with lower envelope-to-volume ratios enhance carbon efficiency.