A BIM-Based Estimator for Carbon Emissions of a Building at Design Stage

Reducing carbon emissions of buildings is an important aspect in the development of a low carbon economy. For this purpose, a good building design is essential because the design determines the life-cycle carbon emissions of the building, to a large extent. In this study, the composition of carbon emissions is analyzed using data on building activities obtained through a virtual construction at the design stage. Then, a method of calculating the life-cycle carbon emissions of the building is put forward, and a computer-aided estimator is constructed with building information modeling (BIM) technologies. Finally, this estimator is applied in a case study in Huaian City, China, revealing optimization countermeasures to reduce the life-cycle carbon emissions.