Life Cycle Costing and BIM: An Integrated Approach for a Sustainable Construction Sector

The construction sector, responsible for 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, plays a crucial role in land-use planning and quality of life. The integration of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) with Building Information Modeling (BIM) emerges as a promising approach to guide sustainable decisions in the construction lifecycle. Adopting a holistic approach, LCC considers the entire life cycle of the civil construction, providing a clear view of costs over time for informed and sustainable decisions. Despite the increasing use of LCC by public authorities and productive sectors, its implementation encounters challenges related to the complex management of the necessary data. The use of BIM facilitates the implementation of LCC by simplifying the collection, management and analysis of data in a unified digital environment. The automation of life-cycle costing processes reduces the complexity and time required for analysis, making it more accessible and convenient. The aim of the study is to provide an extensive analysis of LCC, outlining its limitations and examining how integration with BIM can overcome them. The synergy between BIM and LCC is not just a technological adaptation, but a key strategy to move the construction industry towards a sustainable approach, improving operational efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of construction activities.