Adequate BIM level of detail for LCA energy simulation

<p>This research tested the new LCAQuick Residential, a computer-based analysis tool developed by BRANZ (available from www.branz.co.nz). This tool is designed to allow the ready preparation of a LCA at an early point in the design process for a residential house. The research problem was created by the infancy of the program and its unknown ability to produce results to support decision making to include Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for designers and developers seeking a more sustainable design outcome. The method of testing was to take a real house design and model it using Autodesk Revit™ to create a virtual model. The virtual model was then used to input material quantities into LCAQuick Residential, which in turn generated a full set of Life-Cycle Energy (LCE) data. To test this approach, the data from a Quantity Surveyor (Schedule of Quantities) was also used as input to LCAQuick Residential, and the results compared. For this research on the energy component of LCA was examined – the LCE. It was found that the material quantities generated by each of the approaches differed, and it was necessary to critically compare them to ensure material volumes, density and quantity were appropriately matched and entered into the tool. Considerable care was also required to ensure materials were correctly identified and allocated to the appropriate LCAQuick library material.</p>