Germany's public building sector accounts for approximately 40% of national energy use and represents a key opportunity in achieving the country's 2045 climate neutrality goals. Despite its potential, adoption of life cycle-based sustainability approaches remains limited. Fragmented policies, high initial costs, and limited technical capabilities hinder the widespread implementation of life cycle costing (LCC) in public infrastructure. This study aims to evaluate how LCC is integrated into sustainable public building practices in Germany. It investigates regulatory frameworks, optimisation techniques, and digital tools such as building information modelling (BIM) and artificial intelligence (AI). A systematic literature review of 25 peer-reviewed articles was conducted following the PRISMA protocol. Studies were selected based on thematic relevance, methodological rigor, and German context. The analysis explored LCC-LCA synergies, cost-benefit trade-offs, and digital adoption. Findings reveal LCC integration can reduce lifecycle costs by 30% and energy consumption by 35%-40%. Successful cases involve passive design, BIM-based cost monitoring, and early-stage optimisation. This research supports policy clarity and capacity-building for municipalities. It also highlights the importance of AI-driven LCC tools and national knowledge-sharing platforms to accelerate implementation and position Germany as a leader in sustainable public construction.
Behailu Temesgen Habe (Wed,) studied this question.