Tool characterisation framework for parametric building LCA

Connecting Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to parametric design has been suggested as a way of facilitating performing environmental assessments in early design stages. However, no overviews of potential approaches and tools are available within recent research. Also, no characterisation frameworks adapted for parametric LCA tools are present. In order to guide the development of workflows for environmental analysis aimed at the early design stage of buildings, the goal of this paper is to provide such a framework, and to demonstrate its use by characterising a number of available LCA plug-ins for the commonly used parametric design framework Grasshopper® (GH). First, a framework for classification and characterisation of tools based on workflow, adaptability, and required user knowledge was developed. Second, a tool inventory was performed, identifying 13 parametric LCA plug-ins for GH. Finally, four of these plug-ins were further investigated using the developed evaluation framework, a user persona approach, and a simplified test case. It was found that the characterisation framework was able to differentiate tools based on the level of LCA expertise integrated in the tools, and the allocation of responsibility for data entry and interpretation. A contrast was found between streamlined tools, and tools which provide more versatility. The characterisation framework, and the resulting overview of approaches can be used to guide the future development of parametric environmental analysis frameworks.