EPBD IV: Decarbonization Strategies Through a BIM-LCA Workflow—Case Study of a Crèche Design in Montoro, Southern Italy

The construction sector urgently requires integrated methodologies to support design decisions oriented toward decarbonization, particularly regarding embodied carbon, which remains underrepresented compared to operational energy performance. This study investigates the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify and reduce embodied carbon, in light of the EPBD IV and the Life Cycle Global Warming Potential (LCGWP) indicator. A hybrid BIM-LCA workflow was developed using the One Click LCA plug-in integrated within Autodesk Revit, with cloud-based processing for non-modeled elements, and applied to a crèche design case study in Montoro, focusing on the material production stage (modules A1–A3). Six material scenarios were compared across two structural groups: a reinforced concrete frame (Baseline Project, Implementations 1–3) and load-bearing EPS formwork masonry (Implementations 4–5). Scenario 2, combining recycled-content materials with a lightweight EPS ground floor slab, performed best within the frame group, while Scenario 5, combining high-recycled-content materials with an EPS floor slab and EPS load-bearing masonry, outperformed Implementation 4 within the masonry group. Overall, Scenario 5 achieved the lowest GWP A1–A3 among all scenarios (2.10 × 105 kg CO2e), alongside a 4.84% reduction in supply cost, confirming the replicability of the approach for environmentally and economically optimized building design.