Figure 1.
The flowchart presents the study selection process. Identification begins with records from databases including Scopus 12, ScienceDirect 33, Emerald Insight 55, SpringerLink 184, and Google Scholar 65, giving a total of 349 records. Records removed before screening include articles before 2012 numbering 25, non-engineering studies numbering 33, and literature reviews numbering 3. After screening 288 records, 229 are excluded for not discussing whole life cost factors. Fifty-nine reports are sought for retrieval, with 7 duplicates removed. Fifty-two reports are assessed for eligibility, excluding articles without authors 1, prefabricated construction 18, and automobile related studies 2. Thirty-one primary and thirty-four secondary reports are included, giving a total of 65 studies. A parallel branch shows 69 secondary research records assessed, excluding non-building construction 24, public procurement studies 3, and irrelevant standards 8.PRISMA flowchart
Note(s): *Records excluded by automation; **Records excluded by human