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Life cycle assessment of sustainable neighborhood
Mohamad ACHOUR1*, Mohamad TOUFAILY 1, Gilles BETIS1
1 Institut de Recherche en Constructibilité, Ecole Spéciale Des Travaux Publics, Université Paris-Est, 28 Avenue du Président Wilson, 94234 Cachan
Cedex, France, machour@estp-paris.eu
* Corresponding author: machour@estp-paris.eu
The built environment is the most energy consuming and environmentally damaging sector, where it consumes
more than two-thirds of the global energy and accounts for more than 70% of the global CO2 emissions (Hong et
al., 2020). This has led to the increase in research on efficient ways to achieve sustainability in cities and develop
tools to quantify the environmental impacts they are causing. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is considered the
most reliable tool to assess these impacts (Loiseau et al., 2012) and has been used immensely by researchers,
most notably in the construction sector, to compare between various types of buildings. Recently, focus has
shifted towards LCA of neighborhoods, whether to improve urban sustainability policies or to assist eco-design
urban development projects (Lotteau et al., 2015).
Unlike LCA of buildings, the Life Cycle Assessment of neighborhoods is more complicated and does not only
analyze the activities happening within buildings, but rather analyzes the interaction between the different
components of the neighborhood, which are the buildings, open spaces, public networks and the transportation
sector (Lotteau et al., 2015). Differences in scope, goals, life cycle inventory, and life cycle impact assessment
make the comparison between LCA of neighborhoods very difficult.
The aim of this study is to conduct a Life Cycle Analysis of a new sustainable neighborhood, under renovation
in Dijon, France called Fontaine d’Ouche, which is one of two energy-positive pilot projects adopted by the
European Program “Response”. Innovative techniques and solutions are implemented in this neighborhood and
the LCA study will attempt to quantify the effect of these solutions on the environment. A simulation tool, called
Pleiades, complemented by the environmental database “EcoInvent” will be used for the analysis. Comparison of
results will be provided, limitations and uncertainties will be addressed, and recommendations for improvement
will be presented.
Keywords: Environment, life cycle assessment, sustainability
Acknowledgment: The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from IRC: institut de recherche en
constructibilité
REFERENCES
Hong, T., Yixing Chen, X. L., Na, L., Sang Hoon, L. 2020. “Ten Questions on Urban Building Energy Modeling.”
Building and Environment, 168. 1-16
Loiseau, E., Guillaume, J., Philippe, R., Véronique B.M.. 2012. “Environmental Assessment of a Territory: An
Overview of Existing Tools and Methods.” Journal of Environmental Management, 112,213 225
Lotteau, M., Philippe, L., Maxime, P., Emmanuel, D., Guido, S. 2015. “Critical Review of Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) for the Built Environment at the Neighborhood Scale.” Building and Environment. 93, 165-178
17–18 NOVEMBER 2022 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 3
Mohamad ACHOUR1*, Mohamad TOUFAILY 1, Gilles BETIS1
1 Institut de Recherche en Constructibilité, Ecole Spéciale Des Travaux Publics, Université Paris-Est, 28 Avenue du Président Wilson, 94234 Cachan
Cedex, France, machour@estp-paris.eu
* Corresponding author: machour@estp-paris.eu
The built environment is the most energy consuming and environmentally damaging sector, where it consumes
more than two-thirds of the global energy and accounts for more than 70% of the global CO2 emissions (Hong et
al., 2020). This has led to the increase in research on efficient ways to achieve sustainability in cities and develop
tools to quantify the environmental impacts they are causing. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is considered the
most reliable tool to assess these impacts (Loiseau et al., 2012) and has been used immensely by researchers,
most notably in the construction sector, to compare between various types of buildings. Recently, focus has
shifted towards LCA of neighborhoods, whether to improve urban sustainability policies or to assist eco-design
urban development projects (Lotteau et al., 2015).
Unlike LCA of buildings, the Life Cycle Assessment of neighborhoods is more complicated and does not only
analyze the activities happening within buildings, but rather analyzes the interaction between the different
components of the neighborhood, which are the buildings, open spaces, public networks and the transportation
sector (Lotteau et al., 2015). Differences in scope, goals, life cycle inventory, and life cycle impact assessment
make the comparison between LCA of neighborhoods very difficult.
The aim of this study is to conduct a Life Cycle Analysis of a new sustainable neighborhood, under renovation
in Dijon, France called Fontaine d’Ouche, which is one of two energy-positive pilot projects adopted by the
European Program “Response”. Innovative techniques and solutions are implemented in this neighborhood and
the LCA study will attempt to quantify the effect of these solutions on the environment. A simulation tool, called
Pleiades, complemented by the environmental database “EcoInvent” will be used for the analysis. Comparison of
results will be provided, limitations and uncertainties will be addressed, and recommendations for improvement
will be presented.
Keywords: Environment, life cycle assessment, sustainability
Acknowledgment: The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from IRC: institut de recherche en
constructibilité
REFERENCES
Hong, T., Yixing Chen, X. L., Na, L., Sang Hoon, L. 2020. “Ten Questions on Urban Building Energy Modeling.”
Building and Environment, 168. 1-16
Loiseau, E., Guillaume, J., Philippe, R., Véronique B.M.. 2012. “Environmental Assessment of a Territory: An
Overview of Existing Tools and Methods.” Journal of Environmental Management, 112,213 225
Lotteau, M., Philippe, L., Maxime, P., Emmanuel, D., Guido, S. 2015. “Critical Review of Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) for the Built Environment at the Neighborhood Scale.” Building and Environment. 93, 165-178
17–18 NOVEMBER 2022 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 3
