Systematic review of concrete and steel life cycle in Latin American social housing

Abstract

This article presents a systematic review of life cycle assessment (LCA) applied to concrete and steel used in social housing in Latin America. A search in Scopus, ScienceDirect and Web of Science yielded 48 studies meeting PRISMA criteria. The analysis includes environmental impacts, applied methodologies, and common limitations. Results show a high carbon footprint for both materials, with regional differences. Improvement opportunities include the use of supplementary cementitious materials, recycled steel, and circular design strategies. Finally, policy recommendations are proposed, focusing on LCA standardization, economic incentives, and data governance. The study concludes that technically feasible solutions exist, but their implementation depends on regulatory and financial changes.