BIM-based approach for analyzing carbon emissions of residential buildings in India

The rise in carbon emissions poses a critical threat to global climate, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of buildings' whole lifecycle carbon emissions. Since buildings typically have extensive lifespans, analyzing their operational carbon emissions-emissions produced during their use phase- is critical. Building Information Modeling (BIM) facilitates the organization and exchange of various building information within virtual models and is a valuable tool for such studies. This paper introduces a method for gathering, analyzing, and presenting data on the operational carbon emissions of a typical house in India by combining Building Information Modeling (BIM) with building performance analysis (BPA) tools. It aims to support design teams in identifying and addressing carbon emissions hotspots, ultimately working towards reducing total operational carbon emissions. The study utilizes Autodesk Revit and Green Building Studio (GBS) for energy simulations, focusing on the design phase to address operational CO2 emissions. India is used as a case study, with analyses conducted across five diverse climates: Ahmedabad (Hot and dry), Delhi (Composite), Kolkata (Warm and humid), Srinagar (Cold), and Tumakuru (Temperate). The simulation results underscore the significant potential for carbon emissions reduction using BIM across all climates. While Kolkata yields the smallest potential reduction in operational carbon emissions (approximately 50.67%), Tumakuru showcases the most substantial decline (around 75.55%). This research provides a practical benchmark for similar buildings in comparable regions worldwide and offers valuable insights into effectively reducing operational carbon emissions in the future.