Abstract
The concrete industry significantly contributes to climate change through substantial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Recent technological advancements aim to mitigate this impact by improving concrete production processes and utilizing upcycled materials. However, comprehensive assessments of these technologies' benefits remain limited. This research identifies the primary challenges in implementing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for precast concrete production and explores how these challenges can be overcome. Using OpenLCA software, an LCA study was conducted on a major precast concrete producer company located in northern Italy and the results were compared to the findings from a literature review. Due to data limitations, assumptions were made regarding concrete mix consistency, generalized energy consumption, and material reuse. The findings reveal significant challenges, including data availability, non-standardized production processes, and the complexity of the curing process. The study concludes that implementing technologies from Industry 4.0 (I4.0) can potentially address challenges related to data collection, standardization of production processes, and enhanced monitoring systems. By providing detailed insights into the practical difficulties of conducting LCAs, this research supports future efforts to improve sustainable production within the concrete industry.