APPLICATION OF THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH IN THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE PRODUCT SYSTEM MODEL IN LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

Abstract

There has been a pursuit of standardized and coherent methods for evaluating environmental performance in the construction sector. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been the preferred method for this task despite its limitations. Given the potential of LCA, this study aims to reformulate the life cycle model structure of the product system for construction materials by incorporating the principles of ecosystem theory, thus mitigating the shortcomings of the traditional model and focusing on the assessment of the environmental impact of construction materials in the provision of ecosystem services. Through a critical analysis of the normative LCA literature and its conceptual comparison with ecosystemic foundations, it was possible to incorporate the cascade structure and impact categories of the ecosystem approach into the LCA model. This incorporation resulted in the expansion of system boundaries and the consolidation of a new standard characterization model.