Building Life Cycles for Sustainable Construction

Construction is one of the largest industries, exerting a significant influence on the environment, economy, and society. With the growing emphasis on sustainability, efficiency, and minimizing negative impacts, it is essential to apply innovative tools and approaches across all phases of a building’s life cycle. This article focuses on the life cycle of buildings as a comprehensive process, covering stages from planning and construction to use and eventual disposal. Special attention is given to the integration of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) as a key methodology for evaluating both the environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. The presented case study compares two construction variants a prefabricated timber structure and a traditional masonry system highlighting the differences in cost distribution and economic demands. The findings confirm that the construction and operation phases account for the dominant share of life cycle costs, with their significance particularly increasing in larger projects. These results underline the necessity of comprehensive life cycle evaluation and emphasize the importance of modeling economic aspects as an integral part of sustainable construction.