According to initial results, the CSHub models are as accurate as, or better, than existing industry models.

1. Pavements

MIT considered all impacts over the life of the pavement, not just initial manufacturing and construction.

Key impact is how pavement properties affect the fuel economy of cars and trucks:

• Roadway roughness and stiffness affect fuel consumption
•  If the pavement deflects or bends slightly under traffic loads, cars and trucks are running in a slight depression that increases fuel consumption
• More rigid pavements such as concrete produce less rolling resistance and better fuel economy
• Flexible asphalt roads need to be 25% to 60% thicker to achieve same fuel efficiency as concrete.
• A sample case study shows a significant impact on fuel consumption due to roughness, with an increase in consumption of 30,000 gallons of fuel per mile over a 14-year test period.

Concrete Pavement:

• Reduces vehicle fuel consumption by 3%
• Saves 273 million barrels of crude oil per year or $15.6 billion
• Reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 46 million tons

Pavement Roughness and Fuel Consumption 

Life-Cycle Assessment of Pavements

Life Cycle Cost Analysis, or LCCA, is an economic method used to assess the total cost throughout the life of a construction project. In the case of a road or highway, it includes not just the cost of initial construction, but the future cost of maintenance and rehabilitation required during the useful life of the project.

• Cost estimates for road projects can underestimate future expenses, putting a strain on limited budgets.
• Results showed that asphalt and concrete material prices change at different rates:
• Within a 50 year timeframe, the mean real price of concrete decreases by 20%
• During the same time period, the mean price of asphalt increases by 95%
• Over a 30-year period, the increasing cost of asphalt roads on the U.S. Interstate system alone will erode state transportation budgets by more than $14 billion.

Life Cycle Cost Analysis 

Accounting for Inflation in Life Cycle Cost Analysis

2. Buildings

Buildings account for about 40% of U.S. energy consumption each year, more than either transportation or industrial sources.
MIT researchers conducted Life Cycle Analysis for single-family housing, multifamily housing, and commercial structures.
The studies considered all phases of a building’s life cycle: Producing building materials, use of the building, demolition, and recycling at the end of its life.

• Biggest impact was found in energy consumption of single-family homes
• Insulating concrete form homes require less energy to heat and cool than wood-frame homes
• Use 8% to 11% less energy
• Account for 5% to 8% less greenhouse gas emissions
• Commercial office buildings built with a concrete structural frame produce slightly less greenhouse gas emissions over a 60-year service life compared to commercial structures built with steel frames.

 Assessing the Full Impact of Buildings

 Building Life Cycle Cost Analysis

For more information on all findings, please go to the CS Hub website.