Rebuilding or retrofitting? An assessment of social impacts using Social Life Cycle Assessment

In a world that is facing multiple crises, the construction sector occupies a pivotal position due to its significant impacts on the economy, environment, and society. To respond to some of these challenges, the construction industry has implemented sustainability measures, such as decarbonisation and circularity strategies. A noteworthy strategy in this context involves retrofitting a building instead of the traditional approach of demolishing and rebuilding. This alternative not only showcases potential for enhanced energy efficiency and reduced use of raw materials but also presents opportunities for long-term cost savings. Despite evident economic and environmental advantages of these strategies, social impacts have remained relatively unexplored. To address this gap, this study employs, for the first time, a Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) to systematically evaluate the social implications associated with rebuilding and retrofitting scenarios. It uses a university building in London (United Kingdom) as a case study. Normalisation and uncertainty analysis of the results help interpret the findings. The results of this assessment demonstrate that retrofitting, when compared to rebuilding, provides broad and positive social benefits for various stakeholders involved in the construction process. The findings not only contribute to a more holistic understanding of construction impacts but also offer valuable insights for decision-makers, practitioners, and policymakers, highlighting the importance of considering social dimensions in sustainable construction practices.