Assessing the End-of-Life Impacts of Buildings
Open accessAbstract
This paper builds on previous research on end of life of products by synthesizing some of the theories proposed in the literature and presenting a method for environmental decision-making related to buildings. This is achieved through different solutions, but most significantly through the use of hybrid life-cycle assessment and the definition of allocation boundaries in a way that decreases the uncertainty associated with technologicalforecasting. Results show that there is no significant difference between the results of two major end-of-life assessment approaches (attributional and consequential), and that the choice between the use of one or the other for buildings may not be a critical decision. Assessing the impacts of recycling polices requires accounting for product substitutions, market analysis, and the full supply chain impacts of the recycling chains. Increasing the recycling of concrete from deconstructed buildings from the current 27% rate to 50% could yield a 2-3% (2.7-5.6 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents) reduction in buildings' greenhouse gas emissions, or the equivalent of removing 408,000-847,000 typical cars from U.S. roads.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
There is a renewed interest in the enhanced carbonation of concrete, a process by which CO2 is absorbed from the atmosphere.
“There is a renewed interest in the enhanced carbonation of concrete, a process by which CO 2 is absorbed from the atmosphere [73,102,109].”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [109]
In an investigation focused on the US, it was estimated that the enhanced CO2 absorption from crushing concrete waste could offset 2%-3% of the emissions of the construction sector.
“In an investigation focused on the US, it was estimated that the enhanced CO 2 absorption from crushing concrete waste could offset 2%-3% of the emissions of the construction sector [109].”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [109]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
The New International Standards for Life Cycle Assessment: ISO 14040 and ISO 14044
Finkbeiner, M., Inaba, A., Tan, R. B. H., Christiansen, K., & Klüppel, H.-J. (2006) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1065/lca2006.02.002 · Cited by 1,237 · see citing works
Data quality management for life cycle inventories—an example of using data quality indicators
Weidema, B. P., & Wesnæs, M. (1996) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/s0959-6526(96)00043-1 · Cited by 1,058 · see citing works
System boundaries and input data in consequential life cycle inventory analysis
Ekvall, T., & Weidema, B. P. (2004) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02994190 · Cited by 777 · see citing works
Klüppel, H.-J. (1998) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02979337 · Cited by 753 · see citing works
Peer Reviewed: Economic Input–Output Models for Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment
Hendrickson, C. T., Horvath, A., Joshi, S., & Lave, L. (1998) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es983471i · Cited by 677 · see citing works
Self-citationHistorical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities in the United States
Kelly, T., Matos, G., DiFrancesco, C., Porter, K., Berry, C., Crane, M. R., Goonan, T. G., & Sznopek, J. L. (2005) · Data series · doi:10.3133/ds140 · Cited by 557 · see citing works
Allocation in ISO 14041—a critical review
Ekvall, T., & Finnveden, G. (2001) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/s0959-6526(00)00052-4 · Cited by 498 · see citing works
A review on the viable technology for construction waste recycling
Tam, V. W. Y., & Tam, C. M. (2006) · Resources Conservation and Recycling · doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2005.12.002 · Cited by 479 · see citing works
Significance of decision-making for LCA methodology
Tillman, A. (2000) · Environmental Impact Assessment Review · doi:10.1016/s0195-9255(99)00035-9 · Cited by 419 · see citing works
Avoiding Co‐Product Allocation in Life‐Cycle Assessment
Weidema, B. P. (2000) · Journal of Industrial Ecology · doi:10.1162/108819800300106366 · Cited by 400 · see citing works
Marginal production technologies for life cycle inventories
Weidema, B. P., Frees, N., & Nielsen, A. M. (1999) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02979395 · Cited by 359 · see citing works
Life-Cycle Assessment of Office Buildings in Europe and the United States
Junnila, S., Horvath, A., & Guggemos, A. A. (2006) · Journal of Infrastructure Systems · doi:10.1061/(asce)1076-0342(2006)12:1(10 · Cited by 343 · see citing works
Self-citationCONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Horvath, A. (2004) · Annual Review of Environment and Resources · doi:10.1146/annurev.energy.29.062403.102215 · Cited by 341 · see citing works
Self-citationOpen-loop recycling: Criteria for allocation procedures
Ekvall, T., & Tillman, A. (1997) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02978810 · Cited by 281 · see citing works
Life Cycle Energy Assessment of Alternative Water Supply Systems (9 pp)
Stokes-Draut, J. R., & Horvath, A. (2005) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1065/lca2005.06.214 · Cited by 260 · see citing works
Self-citationExample of a Hybrid Life-Cycle Assessment of Construction Processes
Bilec, M. M., Ries, R. J., Matthews, H. S., & Sharrard, A. L. (2006) · Journal of Infrastructure Systems · doi:10.1061/(asce)1076-0342(2006)12:4(207 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Hellweg, S., Hofstetter, T. B., & Hungerbühler, K. (2003) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02978744 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Normative ethics and methodology for life cycle assessment
Ekvall, T., Tillman, A., & Molander, S. (2005) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.05.010 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Environmental Implications of Wireless Technologies: News Delivery and Business Meetings
Toffel, M. W., & Horvath, A. (2004) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es035035o · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Self-citationComparison of Environmental Implications of Asphalt and Steel-Reinforced Concrete Pavements
Horvath, A., & Hendrickson, C. T. (1998) · Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board · doi:10.3141/1626-13 · Cited by 173 · see citing works
Self-citationEnvironmental Assessment of Freight Transportation in the U.S. (11 pp)
Horvath, A. (2006) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1065/lca2006.02.244 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Self-citationA market-based approach to allocation at open-loop recycling
Ekvall, T. (2000) · Resources Conservation and Recycling · doi:10.1016/s0921-3449(99)00057-9 · Cited by 163 · see citing works
Environmental Implications of Service Industries
Rosenblum, J., Horvath, A., & Hendrickson, C. T. (2000) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es9914083 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
Self-citationResource Use and Environmental Emissions of U.S. Construction Sectors
Hendrickson, C. T., & Horvath, A. (2000) · Journal of Construction Engineering and Management · doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9364(2000)126:1(38 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Self-citationVogtlander, J. G., Brezet, H. C., & Hendriks, C. F. (2001) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02978734 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Attributional and Consequential Environmental Assessment of the Shift to Lead-Free Solders (10 pp)
Ekvall, T., & Andrae, A. S. G. (2005) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1065/lca2005.05.208 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Environmental Assessment of Used Oil Management Methods
Boughton, B., & Horvath, A. (2003) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es034236p · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Self-citationEnergy-Related Emissions from Telework
Kitou, E., & Horvath, A. (2003) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es025849p · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Self-citationToxic Emissions Indices for Green Design and Inventory
Horvath, A., Hendrickson, C. T., Lave, L. B., et al. (1995) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es00002a742 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Self-citationA special view on the nature of the allocation problem
Heijungs, R., & Frischknecht, R. (1998) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02979343 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Background facts and issues concerning cement and cement data
van Oss, H. G. (2005) · Antarctica A Keystone in a Changing World · doi:10.3133/ofr20051152 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Economic Allocation in LCA: A Case Study About Aluminium Window Frames
Werner, F. M., & Richter, K. (2000) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02979727 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
A regional version of a US economic input-output life-cycle assessment model
Cicas, G., Hendrickson, C. T., Horvath, A., et al. (2007) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1065/lca2007.04.318 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationWilburn, D. R., & Goonan, T. G. (1998) · U.S. Geological Survey circular/U.S. Geological Survey Circular · doi:10.3133/cir1176 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Environmental assessment of shredder residue management
Boughton, B., & Horvath, A. (2005) · Resources Conservation and Recycling · doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2005.09.002 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Self-citationIs Extended Producer Responsibility Effective?
Hanisch, C. (2000) · Environmental Science & Technology · doi:10.1021/es003229n · Cited by 63 · see citing works
The environment and the ethics of discounting: An empirical analysis
Lumley, S. (1997) · Ecological Economics · doi:10.1016/s0921-8009(96)00073-0 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Masanet, E. R., & Horvath, A. (2007) · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationStrategies of Extended Producer Responsibility for Buildings
Guggemos, A. A., & Horvath, A. (2003) · Journal of Infrastructure Systems · doi:10.1061/(asce)1076-0342(2003)9:2(65 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Self-citationBorg, M., Paulsen, J. H., & Trinius, W. (2001) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/bf02979378 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Discounting the Discount Rate: Ecocentrism and Environmental Economics
Barkin, J. S. (2006) · Global Environmental Politics · doi:10.1162/glep.2006.6.4.56 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Extended Producer Responsibility in the EU: A Visible March of Folly
Clift, R., & France, C. (2006) · Journal of Industrial Ecology · doi:10.1162/jiec.2006.10.4.5 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 6
- Sandler, K. Analyzing What's Recyclable in C&D Debris. BioCycle 2003, 44 (11), 51.
- Ekvall, T.; Finnveden, G. Allocation in ISO 14041sA Critical Review. J. Cleaner Prod. 2001, 9, 197-208.
- Curran, M.; Mann, M.; Norris, G. Report on the International Workshop on Electricity Data for Life Cycle Inventories; Report EPA/600/R-02/041;
- Sachs, N. Planning the Funeral at the Birth: Extended Producer Responsibility in the European Union and the United States. Harvard Environ. Law Rev. 2006, 30 (1), 51-98.
- Ekvall, T.; Andræ, A. Attributional and Consequential Environ- mental Assessment of the Shift to Lead-Free Solders. Int. J. LCA 2006, 11 (5), 344-353.
- Guggemos, A. Environmental Impacts of On-site Construction Processes: Focus on Structural Frames. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineer- ing, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 2003.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Environmental assessment of passenger transportation should include infrastructure and supply chains
Chester, M. V., & Horvath, A. (2009) · Environmental Research Letters · doi:10.1088/1748-9326/4/2/024008 · Cited by 592 · see citing works
Self-citationHertwich, E. G., Ali, S., Ciacci, L., Fishman, T., Heeren, N., Masanet, E., Asghari, F. N., Olivetti, E., Pauliuk, S., Tu, Q., et al. (2019) · Environmental Research Letters · doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ab0fe3 · Cited by 477 · see citing works
Carbon implications of end-of-life management of building materials
Dodoo, A., Gustavsson, L., & Sathre, R. (2009) · Resources, Conservation and Recycling · doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.12.007 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
- Authors
- Vieira, P. S., & Horvath, A.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Corresponding author
- Horvath, Arpad
- ORCID
- Horvath, Arpad
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2008-05-21
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- 4663-4669
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2081976533
- Cited by
- 95
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2025: 9 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 6.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (0094022)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Recycled Aggregate Concrete Performance
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Sustainable Building Design and Assessment
- Keywords
- building end-of-life, hybrid life cycle assessment, recycling policy, concrete recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, product substitution, supply chain impacts, environmental decision-making
- MeSH terms
- Conservation of Natural Resources, Construction Materials, Environment, Models, Theoretical
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
