The construction industry plays a significant role in global warming, accounting for 42% of primary energy use and 39% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has emerged as a key methodology for evaluating environmental impacts throughout a building’s life cycle, yet its integration in the early design phase remains limited. This review aims to examine strategies and tools for incorporating LCA in the early design phase to enhance sustainability in building construction. The objectives of this study are: (1) to identify the main challenges in integrating LCA into early design workflows, (2) to analyze and compare LCA tools suitable for early-stage assessments, and (3) to explore emerging trends and technological advancements. A systematic literature review was employed using the Scopus database to analyze existing literature, identifying current practices, challenges, and technological advancements in early-stage LCA implementation. A total of 56 studies were identified for the review. The results highlight the growing adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and parametric modeling in streamlining LCA integration. Despite these advancements, barriers such as data scarcity, lack of standardization, and interoperability issues persist. Key findings suggest that simplified and computational LCA tools can improve accessibility and real-time decision-making during early-stage design. The study concludes that enhancing data availability, refining methodologies, and fostering collaboration between architects, engineers, and policymakers are crucial for mainstreaming LCA in sustainable building design. This review provides actionable insights to bridge the gap between sustainability goals and early-stage design decisions and framework, ultimately supporting a more environmentally responsible construction industry.

Protein hydrolysates (PHs) have attracted much interest in recent years owing to the beneficial effects on plant growth. Feather, one of the most abundant wastes generated from the poultry industry, is rich in proteins and amino acids. It can be utilized to generate value-added bioproducts such as liquid feather protein hydrolysate (FPH). This research aims to evaluate the effect of FPH as fertilizer on plant growth.

As cities grapple with rising temperatures, the integration of urban greenery has gained recognition as a viable solution to mitigate these effects and enhance outdoor thermal conditions. This paper identifies widely used and emerging numerical models, highlights research gaps, and addresses key insights from the selected literature. Grounded in a PRISMA-based review, it offers insights to optimize strategies for mitigating urban heat islands and enhancing livability. The study explores synergies and trade-offs between green infrastructure and the built environment, aiming to provide insights into optimizing these elements for sustainable urban development. In this research, a mixed-methods approach was adopted by combining a systematic review and a bibliometric review using the PRISMA 2020 and VOSviewer 1.6.19 of 48 relevant studies. The PRISMA process led to the selection of the papers used for both the qualitative synthesis and bibliometric analysis. The results indicate a significant increase in research output in the last decades with a marked focus on green roofs, urban parks, and vertical greening systems. Our findings provide an elaborate conceptual framework that maps the interrelation between the research topics. Also, the study highlights existing research gaps in numerical modeling software for evaluating the cooling potential of urban greenery and its impact on thermal comfort across diverse urban contexts. The study recommends developing standardized frameworks and metrics for evaluating thermal comfort in urban areas, as well as suggesting that advancing numerical modeling software is essential to accurately simulate the complex interactions between urban greenery, microclimates, and urban forms.

Extensive water use leads to scarcity, adversely affecting human health, ecosystems, and resources. Life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates these impacts via damage pathways, using characterization models to quantify effects.