Assessing the Environmental Impact of Diverse Slab Designs in Timber, Concrete, and Steel on the Life Cycle Assessment of a high-rise building

The building and construction sector are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. High-rise buildings, in particular, have substantial environmental impacts due to the extensive materials and energy required for their construction and operation. This study analyses the environmental impact of three different slab designs on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in a high-rise building design. As example of a high-rise building, the Pontina Tower, a 128-meter concrete high-rise building in Italy, will be considered. The studied slabs are including bubble deck, steel composite and CLT—fabricated from three materials: timber, concrete, and steel. Initially, slab data is collected from catalogues, ensuring comparable characteristics and compliance with European standards by adding flooring layers. Furthermore, a parametric design was developed using Grasshopper3D software, simulating the Pontina Tower with each slab variant to analyze how changes in floor sizes affect embodied greenhouse gas (EGHG) emissions. The results demonstrate how material choice and slab design significantly influence the building's overall environmental footprint, providing crucial insights for sustainable architectural practices and material selection in high-rise construction.