Abstract:
The integration of life cycle assessment (LCA) has become increasingly crucial in the Canadian pavement industry, primarily to address environmental and sustainability concerns. However, the practical application of LCA in pavement projects often faces obstacles such as lack of expertise, methodological inconsistencies, and data inaccessibility. In such cases, stakeholders’ insights can be vital for identifying these barriers and their potential solutions for promoting sustainable pavement practices. This research primarily explored stakeholders’ perceptions of LCA practices, methodologies, and technical features in Canada through a survey-based study. An online, semi-structured, and self-reported questionnaire was developed and distributed to the stakeholders via e-mail and LinkedIn. Over eight weeks, 108 responses were received from the stakeholders, and after meticulous data cleaning, 93 responses were considered suitable for reporting and analysis. The survey revealed a significant involvement of Canadian pavement industries in sustainable pavement research and development activities, with a strong focus on LCA. Standard practices include cradle-to-grave method, carbon footprint assessment, emphasis on sustainability concerns, and incorporation of recycled materials. Although this survey highlighted the critical role of software tools in pavement LCA, it also identified data gaps, proprietary data issues, and a strong willingness to contribute to an open-source LCA data platform as significant outcomes. The time-consuming nature and issues related to data transparency were identified as major challenges that the respondents faced while conducting LCA for pavements. Finally, this study emphasized the need for standardized guidelines, improved data collection methods, and centralized data repositories to enhance implementation of pavement LCA in Canada.
Contributors: Chowdhury S A, Hossain K, Barzegaran J.