Overview

IfcLCA leverages openBIM and Open Data Standards to analyze the environmental impact of construction projects through IFC files using Swiss KBOB environmental impact data from lcadata.ch.

✨ Features

• 🏗️ Project Dashboard - manage multiple building projects and track their progress.
• ⚙️ IFC Processing - upload and parse IFC files; inspect elements and materials.
• 📚 Materials Library - centralize materials data across projects.
• 📈 LCA Charts - visualize environmental impacts; export IFC with LCA results and get nice charts.

🚀 Typical Workflow

1. Export your Model
   • IFC version: preferably IFC4 (2x3 works too)
   • Include all Ifc Base Quantities (NetVolume or GrossVolume)
   • Include assembly layers (prefer IfcMaterialLayerSet, IfcMaterialConstituentSet also supported)
2. Upload
   • Drop your IFC file in the upload area or click to browse
   • Files are processed locally and never stored on our servers
3. Map Materials
   • Search the full swiss KBOB database
   • Combine your materials with environmental impact data
4. Analyze Results
   • View impact metrics: GWP, PEnr, UBP and material breakdown
   • Use charts to identify key contributors
   • Enter project EBF (in m²) to toggle between absolute and relative emissions views (explanation below)
5. Export IFC with LCA Results
   • Upload your original IFC file to embed the LCA results
   • LCA data (GWP, UBP, PENRE) is added as IFC property sets for each element
   • The exported IFC can be used for further analysis, optimization, and interoperability with other BIM tools

🛠 Tech Stack

• IfcOpenShell WASM for Ifc parsing
• Next.js & React for the frontend
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• Clerk for authentication
• MongoDB for database
• TypeScript throughout the codebase

🌍 Open Source

IfcLCA is and will always be Open Source. Sustainability is a team effort and requires trust and transparency. The project is released under the AGPL-3.0 license.

🔐 Data & Privacy

• Client-side parsing: IFC files are parsed entirely in your browser using IfcOpenShell WASM
• No file storage: Your original IFC files are never uploaded or stored on our servers
• Stored data: Only derived metadata (elements, volumes, materials, classifications, and calculated indicators) is stored in the database
• Upload records: Filename and processing metadata are stored to track upload history
• Deletion: You can delete uploads and their derived data; orphaned materials are automatically cleaned up

📦 Model Requirements

• IFC version: IFC4 preferred (IFC2x3 is supported)
• Base Quantities: export element volumes via Ifc Base Quantities (NetVolume or GrossVolume)
• Materials: include assembly layers when possible (supports IfcMaterialLayerSet and IfcMaterialConstituentSet)
• Classification: provide element classification codes for amortization lookup (see below)

🧾 Classification Support

• Supported systems: currently eBKP-H is supported for amortization years
• Unknown/missing classification: falls back to a sensible default amortization period
• Classification is read from your IFC model; set or correct it in your authoring tool or use ifcclassify.com

📐 Emissions Calculation

IfcLCA computes three metrics using Swiss KBOB data:

• GWP (Global Warming Potential)
• UBP (Environmental Impact Points)
• PENRE (Primary Energy Non‑Renewable)

Absolute emissions

• Computed per material and summed per project
• Formula (per material):

$$
\text{absolute}{\text{metric}} = \text{volume} \times \text{density} \times \text{factor}{\text{metric}}
$$

• Useful for total project impacts

Relative emissions (annual, per area)

• Normalizes absolute emissions by amortization years and area
• Formula:

$$
\text{relative} = \frac{\text{absolute}}{\text{amortizationYears} \times \text{area}}
$$

• Requires a valid calculation area and classification to derive amortization years

Units

• Absolute
  • GWP: kg CO₂ eq
  • UBP: UBP
  • PENRE: kWh oil-eq
• Relative (per area and year; area unit defaults to m²)
  • GWP: kg CO₂ eq/<area>·a
  • UBP: UBP/<area>·a
  • PENRE: kWh oil-eq/<area>·a

⚠️ Known Limitations & Roadmap

• No built-in 3D viewer: Currently no IFC geometry visualization
• Classification systems: Only eBKP-H is supported
• Comparative analysis: Project comparison and benchmarking features are in development
• Aditional environmental impact data sources: Ökobaudat coming soon...