The Price of Progress: Unveiling the Environmental Cost of Urbanization in Tirana through Life Cycle Assessment
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Urbanization in Tirana, like in many rapidly growing cities, poses significant environmental sustainability challenges – particularly within the construction sector. This study conducts a cradleto-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a representative residential building to quantify its energy use, material flows, environmental impacts, and external (eco-)costs throughout its life cycle. The analysis reveals that the production phase – dominated by materials like concrete, cement, and bricks – accounts for the majority of the impact, contributing €146.95 per m², or approximately 89% of total eco-costs. The operation phase, including energy and water consumption, adds €6.19 per m², while the end-of-life stage, particularly landfilling of inert waste, contributes €11.99 per m². In total, the life cycle eco-cost amounts to €165.12 per m² of gross floor area, representing approximately 13% of the direct purchase cost (€1275/m²). These findings highlight the critical environmental burden of current urbanization patterns, emphasizing the need for circular construction practices, energy-efficient building design, and adaptive reuse strategies in Tirana’s housing sector. By quantifying environmental externalities in monetary terms, the study supports data-driven policy interventions aligned with Albania’s sustainability goals and the broader transition to resilient, low-impact urban development in the Western Balkans. Keywords Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), eco-costs, urbanization, residential construction, Tirana
DOI: 10.37199/c41000931
Author: Kledja CANAJ
Institution: Polis University
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7127064769