A Research on Determination of Database and Software Tool in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Method: The Sample of Turkish Building Industry

Abstract

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific method for quantitatively assessing the environmental, social and economic
impacts associated with a product, process or service throughout its life cycle. It is complex and time-consuming as
it requires the processing of a large number of data and assumptions. "LCA databases" and "LCA software tools" are
being developed to reduce this effort and time. With the increasing interest in the LCA method for the Turkish
construction industry, the “TLCID” and "TurComDat" databases has been prepared; however, the software tool to
use these databases have not yet been developed. This situation reveals the need for a guiding "decision support
mechanism" for the selection of the most appropriate database and software tool to be used. In this study, databases
and software tools were critically reviewed to determine their possible adaptation to the Turkish construction
industry. It was concluded that the "SimaPro" software tool, which enables international use, and the "Ecoinvent"
database supported by the software can be adapted and used with Turkey's energy average and water data. With
this study, it is aimed to create guiding evaluations for the choices to be made within the scope of LCA.