One Click LCA guidelines for Building Information Modelling

One Click LCA guidelines for Building Information Modelling

One Click LCA uses Building Information Models to extract construction materials data.
Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for measuring the environmental impacts of a construction project. It requires data about the construction materials used in the project. BIM often contains the required data. For LEED, the LCA concerns structure and enclosure only. In other cases LCA may be more detailed.

Tool/format requirements

  • One Click LCA works with IFC, gbXML and Excel data formats and has several integration plugins
  • IFC 2x3 and IFC4 formats are processed via One Click LCA BIM Tool (a separate PC software available to license from Bionova Ltd), Revit , and other CAD via plugins which require CAD licenses
  • If you work with another modelling tool, either export the data to a supported format or enquire

Modelling practice requirements

  • The elements must have a valid geometry to enable calculating volumes/amounts
  • The elements must have a material labelling in place to enable identification – so you can use e.g. Ready-mix concrete, but avoid [NO MATERIAL], Airspace, Foreground, Background, etc.
  • Define the IFC CLASS (or Revit Category) values properly, to the extent of feasible. It’s used to filter away data not included in the scope of the required assessment.
  • Do not use proxy elements for building elements that you aim to include to calculations.
One Click LCA is flexible and can accommodate different models. These practices smooth the process:
  • Avoid contradictory materials encoding (e.g. differences in IFCMATERIAL, Name and Material)
  • Avoid using single material label in IFCMATERIAL or Name for elements containing several layers of different material
  • Avoid using generic labels such as Default wall
  • Use specific material labels when possible (e.g. Metal – Steel S355, Concrete – Insitu Nwt – C20/25)
  • Use your language for labelling data – the software works with any language
  • If openings and in particular building technology cause trouble in the modelling, you can also include them afterwards by adding them as number of units or as corresponding surface.
  • If the model contains non solid structures such as steel stud or roof structures which are modelled as a solid geometry specify it in labelling to enable correct mapping.

FAQ

How does the software identify materials?
The software learns the labels users use for different materials. Unrecognized label may be mapped by user. Mapping is fed back to our adaptive recognition database.

How does it handle reinforced concrete?
A concrete material can be mapped to a profile that includes reinforcement or to one that does not contain reinforcement, as chosen by the end user.

How does the software work with elements?
The user can identify a material as an element, and map it to a matching elements, or break it into constituent materials in the One Click LCA process.

How to resolve BIM issues?
You can resolve them easily online. Or, you can take the data into Excel and resolve it there.

How accurate is it?
It is as accurate as the BIM model itself; the data is used on a “as it is” basis.

What if there is missing data?
Any data that is not in the model can be manually added easily, or imported on top.

Hollows as solids?
If the model contains hollow elements modeled as solids, correct them by hand.

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