Introduction -- Principles -- Sustainability as an objective and general framework -- New spatial system boundaries: metabolism of the human living space -- New temporal system boundaries: from cradle to grave -- Stakeholders and points of view -- Uncertainty about the course of the life cycle -- Design in the life cycle of buildings -- The iterative nature of design -- Life cycle-oriented design -- Life cycle-oriented building description -- Life cycle phase 1: New build -- Life cycle phase 2: Use -- Life cycle phase 3: Refurbishment /renovation -- Life cycle phase 4: Deconstruction -- Aging and loss of value -- Estimated service life of buildings -- Normative terms of service life -- Life cycle assessment -- Method of life cycle assessment -- Life cycle assessments of buildings -- Construction materials and processes -- Data in Ökobau.dat -- Assessment of the economic advantages -- Tasks and objectives as seen by the stakeholders -- Life cycle costing -- Determination of construction costs -- Determination of operating costs -- Accounting for externalities -- Assessment of economic efficiency -- Tools for integrated design -- Integrated design -- Principles and tools -- Data models, data interchange and data maintenance -- Contribution of standardisation -- Sustainability certification of buildings -- Life cycle analysis in practice: Examples and areas of application -- Working methodology -- Example 1: Heinrich Böll Siedlung, Berlin -- Example 2: Normand Barracks, Speyer -- Example 3: Lebenshilfe, Lindenberg im Allgäu -- Example 4: Nirosan Production Hall, Schmiedefeld -- Example 5: Barnim Administration Centre, Eberswalde -- Extended consideration of buildings -- Summary and outlook -- Appendix.