Volume 12 • Issue 1 • PP: 58–66 • 2026
Dynamic OpenBIM-LCA Integration for Embodied Carbon Assessment of Structural Systems
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Embodied-carbon assessment has become an essential component of structural design, yet many life-cycle assessment workflows remain separated from the evolving building information model. This paper proposes a dynamic OpenBIM–LCA framework that connects structural geometry, construction-system material records, and environmental factors within a transparent computational loop. The method extracts element quantities from an IFC-oriented structural model, maps them to a material library, and updates embodied-carbon indicators whenever design variables are modified. The framework enables rapid comparison of structural alternatives, element-level hotspot diagnosis, and sensitivity-based interpretation without requiring a separate assessment model to be rebuilt after each design change. The study demonstrates how BIM quantities and material attributes can be translated into a rigorous carbon-calculation procedure for early-stage decision-making. The contribution lies in transforming BIM from a passive source of schedules into an active environmental decision-support environment for low-carbon structural design.
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