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The rapid urbanization of North African cities has placed historic neighborhoods under pressure, often replacing vernacular construction methods with concrete-based systems of higher environmental impact. Although Moroccan courtyard houses (Riads) form a vital part of urban heritage, their environmental performance remains understudied. This paper applies a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate three representative Riad typologies located in coastal, semi-arid, and arid climatic zones. Two reconstruction scenarios were assessed: one using traditional materials and techniques, and the other using conventional concrete post-and-beam construction. Results show that traditional reconstruction reduces life cycle emissions by up to 565 kg CO₂e/m2 compared to concrete alternatives, with the largest differences occurring in production and end-of-life phases. Sensitivity analysis further highlights lifespan and electricity emission factor as the most influential parameters shaping global warming potential. The study contributes to the broader LCA literature by providing the first comparative assessment of vernacular and modern reconstruction practices in the Moroccan context. The findings demonstrate that traditional methods can support low-carbon heritage conservation and inform sustainable urban regeneration policies in rapidly growing regions.
Rharbi et al. (Mon,) studied this question.