Life cycle assessment for historic buildings

Restoring a preservation-worthy building, and making it suitable as a framework for present-day use is a balancing act, whereby the climate and the environment have to be weighed against other considerations such as preservation, aesthetics, interaction with surroundings, function, comfort and finances. In this context, LCAs can sharpen focus on the climate dimension by clarifying the total carbon emissions linked to the restoration, with the specific individual choices and with the alternatives.
The following pages present some of Realdania By & Byg’s historic buildings, their restoration, and some of the experience and considerations arising from the recently completed LCAs.