A Comparative Study on the Environmental Impact of Cast-in-Situ (Cis) and Industrialized Building System (IBS): A Life Cycle Assessment Approach

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the embodied energy (EE) and embodied carbon (EC) of cast-in-situ (CIS) and industrialized building system (IBS) methods in the construction phase of residential buildings within the Malaysian construction industry. The objectives are to determine the EE and EC values for both methods and recommend the most environmentally sustainable option. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted using Staad Pro V8i software to model and analyse the building components. The study found that the IBS method consistently resulted in the lowest EE (GJ/m²) and EC (tCO₂e/m²) values across all building types, with the 2-storey bungalow achieving the lowest values. It was observed that the total floor area, building materials, and component sizes significantly impact the EE and EC results. The research concludes that these factors are critical in minimizing the environmental footprint of residential buildings, thereby achieving the study's objectives of identifying the most sustainable construction method.