## 5 Conclusions  
This study identifies limitations related to machine interpretability for the direct transfer of LCA data into IFC. The research is grounded in literature (scientific papers and technical standards) related to LCA, EPDs, digitalization of product data and BIM. The limitations were analyzed using a pilot from a research project (see Section 4.3). The twenty identified limitations (gaps) are presented in Tables 1-3 and 7. The BIM model of a building pilot was used to assess the identified gaps. The assessment revealed several areas for improvement in the current version of IFC, which define the issues to consider in the next versions. Based on the required modifications, this paper presents eleven actions in Table 11.  
Compared to previous research, this study provides a structured enumeration of gaps and proposals to bridge them, allowing for a systematic inclusion of the solutions in a revision of IFC 4.3. The results identify the standards to be revised in addition to the IFC schema (ISO 16739-1:2024), including ISO 21930, EN 15804 and EN ISO 22057. It also provides the relation with new initiatives such as the DPP (see Section 3.5). This research concludes that the revision of the IFC schema alone cannot achieve the desired outcomes (automatic incorporation of LCA/EPD data into IFC). To achieve this goal, it is necessary to align the IFC structure and the format of the digital EPD. Therefore, the improvement of the IFC schema should be made in parallel with the revision of the international standard ISO 22057. This will require cooperation between the following groups: ISO/TC 59/SC 17/WG 3 (responsible for ISO 22057) and ISO/TC 59/SC 13/JWG 12 (responsible for ISO 16739-1). ISO/TC 59/SC 17/WG 1 should participate in the creation of any data model for the environmental information at building level, and ISO/TC 59/SC 17/WG 5 for civil engineering works. The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of promoting the integration of IFC entities and IFC schema capabilities related to environmental information within BIM authoring software. The IFC schema has the potential to adequately convey LCA data, provided that its structure is enhanced to address the identified gaps. The incorporation into the official IFC schema will ensure its implementation into the BIM software available on the market. The implications for industry will be significant if enhanced interoperability enables designers and contractors to directly utilize environmental product data from manufacturers. The availability of machine-interpretable EPD data will reduce the resources required to perform the LCA of built assets. Integrating EPD data into BIM will enable building managers to incorporate real-time data from sensors and IoT into digital twins containing LCA data obtained from IFC models. This integration will improve asset management of buildings and civil engineering works, allowing new possibilities. Examples are assessment of alternatives for predictive maintenance, using AI, during the operation of a building, or the application of generative design during the earlier stages of the project. LCA based on BIM or digital twins will also be instrumental in identifying opportunities for improving energy performance during the operational stage or to improve the recyclability of materials at the end of life. **Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; methodology, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; software, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; validation, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; formal analysis, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; investigation, A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; resources, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; data curation, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; writing--original draft preparation, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; writing--review and editing, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; visualization, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A. ; supervision, A.A. and M.G.A. ; project administration, A.A., P.S., D.P., O.N. and M.G.A.