HOLISTIC LIFE CYCLE SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR RETAIL STORES AND APPLICATION OF IMPACT REDUCTION STRATEGIES

Abstract

Sustainability has become a critical value for retail stores, aligning with corporate social responsibility and the goals of the 2030 Agenda. Despite this, the spaces devoted to the retail sector remain under-researched in terms of comprehensive sustainability assessments. This paper fills this gap by conducting a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) of retail stores, examining their environmental, economic, and social impacts from creation, through the use, to end-of-life. Three key sustainability indicators—Global Warming Potential, Global Costs, and Time of Labour —were analysed for a case study store in Spain. The analysis revealed that the creation phase has the highest impact across all dimensions, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions at this stage. Several strategies were proposed to reduce the store's sustainability impacts, including optimising lighting layouts, improving insulation, and reusing materials. These changes led to notable improvements, particularly in environmental and economic performance, while maintaining a balanced social impact. This research contributes to the field by offering a holistic methodology for assessing retail store sustainability and presenting practical strategies for reducing life cycle impacts. It provides a framework that can guide both designers and retailers in implementing more sustainable practices, thus addressing a critical area of sustainability research.