What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the life-cycle environmental performance of multiple solar parking prototypes using an integrated building information modeling and life cycle assessment framework.

August 16, 2026Developments in the Built EnvironmentOpen Access

Life cycle assessment of solar parking prototypes using a BIM-informed LCA framework

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Authors

ZAZahra Al-Shatnawi AHAbu Wali Raghib Hassan CHCaroline Hachem-Vermette

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Overview

Comparative life cycle assessment reveals photovoltaic replacement drives 47% to 85% of carbon impacts across solar parking typologies, highlighting the role of structural and energy integration.

Key Points

To evaluate the life-cycle environmental performance of multiple solar parking prototypes using an integrated building information modeling and life cycle assessment framework.
Assessed three solar parking typologies—an automated parking tower, a two-storey concrete canopy system, and a five-storey concrete combined system—using a functional unit of one parking space over 50 years under EN 15978 standards.
Integrated parametric building information modeling (BIM) with automated OpenLCA-ready inventory generation and process-based life cycle assessment.
Photovoltaic component replacement dominated climate change impacts, accounting for 47% to 85% of emissions across the evaluated systems.
Automated parking towers experienced amplified environmental impacts due to higher operational energy demands, while Module D circularity assumptions altered net human health and water scarcity metrics.
No single parking typology performed best across all categories, with overall environmental performance dictated by trade-offs between structural mass, photovoltaic capacity, and operational electricity consumption.

Cite This Study

Al-Shatnawi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a81794cf2fb91fc834ac60a https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2026.101009

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August 16, 2026Developments in the Built EnvironmentOpen Access

Life cycle assessment of solar parking prototypes using a BIM-informed LCA framework

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

ZAZahra Al-Shatnawi AHAbu Wali Raghib Hassan CHCaroline Hachem-Vermette

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Comparative life cycle assessment reveals photovoltaic replacement drives 47% to 85% of carbon impacts across solar parking typologies, highlighting the role of structural and energy integration.

Key Points

To evaluate the life-cycle environmental performance of multiple solar parking prototypes using an integrated building information modeling and life cycle assessment framework.
Assessed three solar parking typologies—an automated parking tower, a two-storey concrete canopy system, and a five-storey concrete combined system—using a functional unit of one parking space over 50 years under EN 15978 standards.
Integrated parametric building information modeling (BIM) with automated OpenLCA-ready inventory generation and process-based life cycle assessment.
Photovoltaic component replacement dominated climate change impacts, accounting for 47% to 85% of emissions across the evaluated systems.
Automated parking towers experienced amplified environmental impacts due to higher operational energy demands, while Module D circularity assumptions altered net human health and water scarcity metrics.
No single parking typology performed best across all categories, with overall environmental performance dictated by trade-offs between structural mass, photovoltaic capacity, and operational electricity consumption.

Cite This Study

Al-Shatnawi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a81794cf2fb91fc834ac60a https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2026.101009

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark