Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Using Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing in Circular Building Design: A Case Study for Wall Partitioning Systems in the Circular Retrofit Lab

Neethi Rajagopalan, Stijn Brancart, Sofie De Regel, Anne Paduart, Niels De Temmerman and Wim Debacker
Additional contact information
Neethi Rajagopalan: Smart Energy and Built Environment, Flemish Institute for Technical Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
Stijn Brancart: VUB Architectural Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Sofie De Regel: Smart Energy and Built Environment, Flemish Institute for Technical Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
Anne Paduart: Brussels Environment, Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port 86C/3000, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Niels De Temmerman: VUB Architectural Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Wim Debacker: Vito Transition Platform, Flemish Institute for Technical Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: The Circular Economy (CE) paradigm has been gaining momentum. However, the tools and methods used to design, measure and implement circularity are not immediately suitable for decision making and practice by key stakeholders. This article details a qualitative and a quantitative method to evaluate characteristics such as circularity, adaptability and reuse of building elements amongst others in order to provide decision-makers, such as building clients, architects, investors and policy makers, an objective way to assess the benefits and constraints of circular buildings and elements. The study implements the method in the case study, the Circular Retrofit Lab in Belgium, and uses a multi-criteria decision approach to evaluate qualitative parameters and life cycle assessment and life cycle costing to quantitatively evaluate the circular solutions proposed in this study. As such, the paper shows how a multi-criteria decision approach can be applied to evaluate circular building solutions in the context of practical architectural projects, in this case assessing the suitability of three interior wall systems for applications with different turnover rates. The study shows that the overall performance of the evaluated wall systems varies largely from one expected user scenario to the other.

Keywords: circular building design; reversibility; multi-criteria decision analysis; LCA; LCC; circular retrofit lab; decision-making; PEF; cumulative graphs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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