Life cycle assessment of office fitouts: a case study of Australia

Office fitouts are a critical yet often overlooked component in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies, involving frequent replacement of interior elements that account for considerable material consumption and waste. This research fills this gap by conducting LCA studies of four Green Star Interiors-certified office fitouts in Australia to assess their whole life carbon (WLC) impacts. Using cross-case analysis, carbon hotspots, decarbonization strategies, challenges and considerations are identified. Findings reveal that retaining, reducing and reusing interventions offer the greatest potential for embodied carbon reduction, followed by material optimization. Operational carbon emissions can be diminished significantly through improvements of building services, including efficient lighting, HVAC, AV and IT system. Adopting decarbonization strategies can reduce carbon emissions by up to 32% compared to a business-as-usual case. Challenges and considerations relate to modelling assumptions of retained and reused materials, carbon reduction and indoor environmental performance trade-offs, data availability and accuracy, and iterative modelling process. The results enhance understanding of WLC emissions of office fitouts and demonstrate how comprehensive LCA studies effectively inform design decisions. The study provides practical insights for improving fitout practices while critically examining the limitations of LCA methodologies, thereby supporting the shift towards circular and sustainable approaches in the built environment.