Life Cycle Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Buildings for Sustainable Construction

Aakil Khan; Deepak Verma

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.79544

Life Cycle Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Buildings for Sustainable Construction

Author(s)	Mr. Aakil Khan, Dr. Deepak Verma
Country	India
Abstract	Reinforced concrete (RC) is the most widely used structural material for buildings in the world. It is strong, durable, and flexible in design, but its production has a large environmental cost. Cement alone contributes approximately 7 to 8 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific method used to measure the total environmental impact of a building from the production of raw materials to demolition and disposal. This review paper covers published journal studies on the LCA of RC buildings, focusing on three main areas: embodied energy, carbon emissions, and the role of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and other sustainability strategies. Published data shows that the embodied energy of standard RC buildings ranges from 3.5 to 6.2 gigajoules per square meter of floor area, and embodied CO2 emissions range from 280 to 520 kilograms per square meter. Using fly ash at 30 percent replacement reduces CO2 by 25 to 35 percent. Using GGBFS at 50 percent replacement reduces CO2 by 40 to 54 percent. Operational energy during the building's service life is often 3 to 10 times larger than embodied energy over 50 years, yet many LCA studies still focus only on the material production phase. The review identifies six key research gaps including the absence of durability-based service life prediction in most studies, limited data from developing countries, and the routine exclusion of end-of-life recycling credits. Future research priorities are clearly identified. The paper provides reliable, data-supported guidance for architects, structural engineers, and policymakers who want to reduce the environmental impact of RC building construction.
Keywords	life cycle assessment; reinforced concrete; buildings; embodied energy; carbon emissions; supplementary cementitious materials; fly ash; GGBFS; sustainable construction; service life
Field	Engineering
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-05-29
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.79544

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Life Cycle Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Buildings for Sustainable Construction

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