A Comparative Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment of the Four Framing Systems of the Bakers Place Building Using the Tally LCA Tool

Abstract

The urgent need for climate change mitigation has increased the focus on reducing embodied carbon and energy, particularly in the construction sector. Utilizing sustainably sourced mass timber products provides a low-carbon alternative to traditional concrete and steel structural systems in buildings. These carbon impacts can be quantified by evaluating the total environmental impact of a building, from material extraction and product manufacturing to construction, operation, and demolition. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of a 14-storey mass timber–steel hybrid building in Madison, USA, through a Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment (WBLCA) using the Tally LCA tool integrated with Autodesk Revit. The hybrid design was compared to full mass timber, full steel, and post-tensioned concrete structures, which are common structural systems for high-rise buildings, enabling meaningful comparisons of their environmental performance. The results showed that the full mass timber design had the lowest global warming potential (GWP), reducing emissions by 16% compared to the concrete structure. The hybrid design achieved a 14% reduction, with both timber-based systems demonstrating about 30% lower non-renewable energy use. In addition, they provided significant biogenic carbon storage during the building’s lifespan. However, the mass timber and hybrid systems showed higher impacts in categories such as acidification, eutrophication, ozone depletion, and smog formation.

Citation

Zahabi, Nadia; Gu, Hongmei; Gong, Meng; Blackadar, Janet. 2025. A Comparative Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment of the Four Framing Systems of the Bakers Place Building Using the Tally LCA Tool. Buildings. 15(7): 1192. 19 p. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071192.