Environmental impacts visualization through open BIM procedures

Abstract

The construction sector, also thanks to digital implementation, can contribute significantly to the control and reduction of the environmental impacts of building products and components. This article presents an open and inclusive workflow to assess environmental sustainability starting from Building Information Modelling in IFC format integrated with data on environmental impacts. By simplifying the readability of the data and exploiting the BIM model to highlight strengths and weaknesses in the life cycle of a window, a prototype software application has been developed, aiming to encourage not only conscious choices by clients but also sustainable innovations by manufacturers of building materials and components.

Keywords

• Open BIM
• IFC
• Environmental sustainability
• LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)
• ECI (Environmental Cost Indicator