Course Overview
The primary objective of incorporating building circularity and life cycle assessment (LCA) among professionals in the built environment is to mitigate the impact on the natural environment. In this course, we will investigate Design for Disassembly/Adaptability (DfD/A) and investigate where construction materials come from, their path from use through to disposal and identify the current barriers to circularity, and how these barriers can be dismantled. Key points of intervention will be identified where changes to policy and regulation, design, typical construction processes, and waste management can shift the industry into the circular economy. Students will also learn to use the life cycle assessment (LCA) method to evaluate the environmental impact of construction projects from a life cycle perspective. Students will develop a ground-up understanding of LCA based on the International Standard Organization (ISO) 14000 series of environmental management standards and European Standards (EN) sustainability of construction works standards, and how they can be applied to develop low-impact designs and meet requirements for permitting and green building rating programs.
Prerequisite(s)
- No prerequisites are required for this course.
Credits
3.0
Registration requirements
Departmental approval is required to register for this course. You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Domestic fees
$1,860.86
International fees are typically 3.4 times the domestic tuition. Exact cost will be calculated upon completion of registration.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Outline the business case for DfD, including advantages of adaptable and durable buildings, to building owners and other stakeholders over the life of the building
- Design utilizing CSA and ISO standards, and other industry best-practices to increase the deconstructability and adaptability of buildings and infrastructure
- Evaluate the material flows through the building industry, from extraction and manufacture to installation, use, and finally disposal/recycling/reuse, and how to influence this flow to enable highest and best use of these materials
- Compare construction material metabolism in terms of embodied carbon, material life span, and waste
- Outline ISO and EN principles and methodology requirements for conducting a construction product and whole building LCA studies.
- Plan data collection for different LCA study applications and software.
- Evaluate the quality of construction product and whole building LCA studies.
- Interpret LCA results to inform sustainable building designs, meet permitting requirements and obtain recognition from green building rating programs
Effective as of Winter 2024
Related Programs
Principles of Building Circularity and Life Cycle Assessment (BSCI 9180) is offered as a part of the following programs:
- Indicates programs accepting international students.
- Indicates programs eligible for students to apply for Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
School of Construction and the Environment
- Building Engineering/Building Science
Master of Applied Science Full-time/Part-time
- Building Science
Master of Engineering Full-time/Part-time
Course Offerings
Fall 2026
Below is one offering of BSCI 9180 for the Fall 2026 term.
CRN 52556
Dates
Sep 08 - Dec 08 Loading
- CRN 52556
- $1860.86 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 08 - Dec 08 | Tue | 14:30 - 17:45 | Burnaby |
Duration
15 weeks
Instructor
TBD
Course outline
Course outline TBD — see Learning Outcomes in the interim.
Important information
- Please contact Program Assistant, at BCIT_buildingscience@bcit.ca for approval to register for this course. Please include your A#.
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
Programs and courses are subject to change without notice. Find out more about BCIT course cancellations.