Integrated life cycle assessment (ILCA) approach to daylighting renovation of a sports hall considering light quality, environmental and financial aspects
(2025) In Smart and Sustainable Built Environment p.1-22- Abstract
Purpose – This paper concerns an integrated life cycle assessment (ILCA) comparing daylighting retrofit solutions for an existing sports hall, currently relying only on electric lighting. Daylight quality, environmental impact and financial aspects are generally independently considered, leading to suboptimal decisions when all aspects are considered together. By taking the sports hall as an example, the article demonstrates how an ILCA can support the decision-making process. Design/methodology/approach – The actual space is investigated via field measurements. These are utilized for calibrating simulation models. Daylight and circadian lighting simulations are carried out in Climate Studio and Alfa software. The simulations inform the... (More)
Purpose – This paper concerns an integrated life cycle assessment (ILCA) comparing daylighting retrofit solutions for an existing sports hall, currently relying only on electric lighting. Daylight quality, environmental impact and financial aspects are generally independently considered, leading to suboptimal decisions when all aspects are considered together. By taking the sports hall as an example, the article demonstrates how an ILCA can support the decision-making process. Design/methodology/approach – The actual space is investigated via field measurements. These are utilized for calibrating simulation models. Daylight and circadian lighting simulations are carried out in Climate Studio and Alfa software. The simulations inform the final design for three potential daylighting retrofit solutions based on tubular daylight devices, skylights and windows. The solutions are analyzed and weighted based on daylight and circadian lighting outcomes, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and, finally, from an ILCA perspective. Findings – No daylighting renovation outperformed other solutions in terms of quality, environmental and financial aspects. All renovations proved more profitable than no action. ILCA demonstrated the importance of balancing and optimizing all criteria together. The study highlights the need to incorporate daylighting design early and use ILCA approaches for informed, profitable renovation decisions. Originality/value – While studies have been conducted to evaluate either the lighting quality or the environmental impact of daylighting retrofits, little has been done considering both aspects together, including also a financial perspective. There is a strong need for a more interdisciplinary approach to guide informed and optimal retrofit decisions.
(Less)
- author
- Laursen, Carl and Gentile, Niko LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- Buildings, Daylighting, Energy, Façade, Global warming potential, GWP, ILCA, LCA, LCC, Lighting
- in
- Smart and Sustainable Built Environment
- pages
- 22 pages
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105025463071
- ISSN
- 2046-6099
- DOI
- 10.1108/SASBE-12-2024-0549
- project
- IEA EBC Annex 90 - Low Carbon High Comfort Integrated lighting solutions - Samordning av Subtask D
- Högeffektiva belysningssystem för användardriven energibesparing
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 Carl Laursen and Niko Gentile
- id
- c1359c3e-4f64-4aa7-964e-e9b3eb927119
- date added to LUP
- 2026-01-09 11:16:36
- date last changed
- 2026-01-15 11:52:08
@article{c1359c3e-4f64-4aa7-964e-e9b3eb927119,
abstract = {{<p>Purpose – This paper concerns an integrated life cycle assessment (ILCA) comparing daylighting retrofit solutions for an existing sports hall, currently relying only on electric lighting. Daylight quality, environmental impact and financial aspects are generally independently considered, leading to suboptimal decisions when all aspects are considered together. By taking the sports hall as an example, the article demonstrates how an ILCA can support the decision-making process. Design/methodology/approach – The actual space is investigated via field measurements. These are utilized for calibrating simulation models. Daylight and circadian lighting simulations are carried out in Climate Studio and Alfa software. The simulations inform the final design for three potential daylighting retrofit solutions based on tubular daylight devices, skylights and windows. The solutions are analyzed and weighted based on daylight and circadian lighting outcomes, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and, finally, from an ILCA perspective. Findings – No daylighting renovation outperformed other solutions in terms of quality, environmental and financial aspects. All renovations proved more profitable than no action. ILCA demonstrated the importance of balancing and optimizing all criteria together. The study highlights the need to incorporate daylighting design early and use ILCA approaches for informed, profitable renovation decisions. Originality/value – While studies have been conducted to evaluate either the lighting quality or the environmental impact of daylighting retrofits, little has been done considering both aspects together, including also a financial perspective. There is a strong need for a more interdisciplinary approach to guide informed and optimal retrofit decisions.</p>}},
author = {{Laursen, Carl and Gentile, Niko}},
issn = {{2046-6099}},
keywords = {{Buildings; Daylighting; Energy; Façade; Global warming potential; GWP; ILCA; LCA; LCC; Lighting}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{1--22}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{Smart and Sustainable Built Environment}},
title = {{Integrated life cycle assessment (ILCA) approach to daylighting renovation of a sports hall considering light quality, environmental and financial aspects}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-12-2024-0549}},
doi = {{10.1108/SASBE-12-2024-0549}},
year = {{2025}},
}