LCA methodology on solar radiation influx control strategies in buildings: a review

Buildings are complex systems to be studied when evaluating their environmental impact using Life Cycle Assessment methodology, it requires assumptions which might derive into inaccurate results. However, these results provide valuable information about the sustainability of construction works, useful to support decision on the selection of a strategy during the building’s design stage. Although the operation phase of buildings produces most of the total life cycle impacts, the impacts generated from the production of materials denote an important share and soon they might become the most significant as energy production is shifting towards renewable energy sources with lower environmental impacts. Consequently, components that affect the operational energy consumption of buildings, especially the ones controlling matter and energy flow between the indoor and the outdoor environment, shall be the focal point of the Life Cycle Assessment studies on buildings. This work presents a literature review on the most recent publications related to the LCA methodology applied on the selection of strategies towards the control of solar radiation influx into the buildings’ indoor environment to avoid over heating in summer, allowing passive heat gains in winter.