An empirical study on life cycle assessment of double-glazed aluminium-clad timber windows

Purpose Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful tool to determine the environmental performance of materials and products. The purpose of this paper is to undertake the LCA of double-glazed aluminium-clad timber windows in order to determine their environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach The scope of the LCA study covers the production and the use of windows over a 30-year life span. The LCA exercise has been carried out by auditing the materials and processes involved in the making of the windows. Windows production facilities were visited to investigate the respective quantities and embodied energy of the major constituting materials, i.e. timber, aluminium, glass, infill gases and auxiliary components. The main processes involved, i.e. powder coating of aluminium cladding profiles, glazing unit production and window assembly, were also examined. SimaPro software was used to calculate the environmental impacts associated with the windows for three types of glazing infills: Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr) and Xenon (Xe). Findings Embodied energy of a standard sized (1.2 m×1.2 m) double-glazed aluminium-clad timber window is found to be 899, 1,402 and 5,400 MJ for Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr) and Xenon (Xe) infill gases, respectively. It is also found that an Argon-filled window can lose 95,130 kWh of energy resulting into over 37,000 kg of CO2 emissions. Originality/value Besides carrying value for research community, the findings of this study can help the building and construction industry adopt windows that are energy-efficient and environmentally less burdensome. It can also help the concerned legislative bodied.

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Clusters of key barriers to life cycle assessment adoption in the South African construction industry: perspectives of stakeholders

Journal of Engineering Design and Technology ◽

10.1108/jedt-06-2020-0223 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Titus Ebenezer Kwofie ◽

Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa ◽

Wellington Didibhuku Thwala

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Construction Industry ◽

South African ◽

Primary Data ◽

Extensive Literature ◽

The South ◽

Sustainable Practices ◽

Sustainable Building ◽

Content Type

Purpose The South African Construction Industry (SACI) in recent times has been characterized by a strong emphasis towards achieving sustainable building practices in infrastructural delivery. However, the lack of progress encountered in making gains in achieving sustainable practices has raised concerns over the effectiveness and understanding of the extent to which life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques may aid in meeting requirements of sustainable construction. Most efforts at LCA have been blighted with numerous barriers that have not been rigorously pursued and aggregated. Ironically, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the limitations and barriers to these methodologies, especially in the South African context. The purpose of this study is to delineate the cluster of barriers to the adoption of LCA methodologies in the SACI. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was carried out from a deductive research design elicit primary data based on the experience of purposively sampled stakeholders in LCA in the SACI on the extent they perceived the presence of well-established barriers in LCA adoption culled from the extensive literature review. Findings Through the use of factor analysis, three aggregated clusters of key barriers to LCA adoption in the SACI were identified, which were knowledge and enabling conditions constraints, cost and time constraints and technical constraints. The results confirm that indeed human and technical barriers have been notable in limiting gains in LCA adoption and achieving sustainable practices. Originality/value These findings are, thus, useful in overcoming challenges to LCA methodologies in achieving sustainable building practices in building and infrastructural delivery in SACI.

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Quantifying the recurring nature of fitout to assist LCA studies in office buildings

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation ◽

10.1108/ijbpa-04-2017-0020 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 233-246 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Perry Forsythe

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Research Method ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Weighted Average ◽

Central Business District ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Office Buildings ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Content Type ◽

Business District

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to quantify fitout churn in office buildings to more accurately evaluate the recurrent embodied energy in life cycle assessment studies. Design/methodology/approach Three research methods were used in the context of Central Business District (CBD) office buildings in Sydney. Method 1 involved leasing records from 528 office buildings; method 2, a leasing history from a selective sample of three prime grade office buildings; method 3, a targeted survey of 21 property professionals concerning fitout churn cycle estimates. Findings Prime buildings are the area of most interest to fitout churn because they represent a large proportion of total office floor area. The churn rate differs according to office tenancy type (as defined by small, medium and large leased areas). Large tenants occupy the majority of floor space. Lease duration as obtained from Method 1, offers a reasonable proxy for predicting fitout churn. Using this method coupled with weighted-average calculations, the data indicate a fitout churn rate of 8.2 years. Research limitations/implications Variability concerning the situational context of Sydney CBD office buildings restricts broad generalisability of the findings. However, the research method used in this study would enable broad-based comparison and the potential for verification. Originality/value The main contribution of the research is to improve the ability to accurately predict fitout churn cycles as previous work only involves limited case studies and arbitrary estimates, thus lacking a strong evidence based.

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Enabling energy-efficient renovation: the case of vertical extension to buildings

Construction Innovation ◽

10.1108/ci-04-2018-0034 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 2-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rikard Sundling ◽

Åke Blomsterberg ◽

Anne Landin

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Impact ◽

Energy Efficient ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Data Gathering ◽

Low Energy ◽

Content Type ◽

Vertical Extension ◽

Profit Analysis ◽

Energy Plus

Purpose This paper is based on a study of six similar buildings built in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1971, which were in urgent need of renovation. A life cycle profit analysis shows how four competing concepts were evaluated to find a financially viable renovation concept; additionally, the environmental impacts of these renovation concepts using a life cycle assessment are presented. Design/methodology/approach Four renovation concepts are compared to find the most appropriate concept, namely, minimalist, code-compliant, low-energy and low-energy plus vertical extension concepts. The methods used for comparison are life cycle profit analysis and life cycle impact assessment; the methods used for data gathering included site visits, interviews, document study, co-benefits study and energy simulation. Findings The findings show that vertical extension supported the energy-efficient renovation of the buildings and that the combination of low-energy and the vertical extension had the highest return on investment and the lowest environmental impact. The selected concept for renovating the remaining five buildings combined was the low-energy plus vertical extension. Additional benefits from vertical extension include more apartments in central locations for the housing company, a wider variety of apartment layouts and a wider range of tenants. Drawbacks include increased use of infrastructure, green space and common appliances, as well as gentrification. Originality/value This study shows how a vertical extension can financially enable an energy-efficient renovation and further lower its environmental impact. Benefits and drawbacks of densification are also highlighted to better understand the implementation of vertically extending a building.

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Analyzing the environmental sustainability of primary schools’ facades within the scope of life cycle assessment in Turkey and recommendations for improvement

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment ◽

10.1108/sasbe-04-2021-0072 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Cagla Keles ◽

Fatih Yazicioglu

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Impact ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Carbon Emission ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Public Buildings ◽

Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the sustainability conditions of primary schools in Turkey within the scope of the life cycle assessment (LCA). It is aimed to develop optimum alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of primary schools and reach environmental sustainability targets of the sustainable development goals in Turkey.Design/methodology/approachFrom the construction project of 103 buildings located in Istanbul, 10 case buildings with various typical plans were chosen for analysis. The results regarding their life cycle energy and carbon emission for material production, operation and maintenance stages were calculated for a lifespan of 50 years. Results were evaluated and compared within the scope of environmental sustainability. Optimum alternatives for improving the environmental sustainability and performances of selected case buildings’ facades were developed, and the life cycle energy and carbon emission for proposed conditions were calculated. The obtained results were evaluated for current and proposed conditions.FindingsResults showed that reinforced concrete material contributes the most to the life cycle-embodied energy and CO2 emission of buildings. Cooling load increases the life cycle operational energy (LCOE) and CO2 emission of buildings. Using high-performance glazing significantly reduces LCOE and CO2 emission. Recycled and fiber-based materials have significant potential for reducing life cycle-embodied energy and CO2 emission.Originality/valueThis study has been developed in response to achieving sustainable development targets on public buildings in Turkey. In this regard, external walls of primary schools were analyzed within the scope of LCA and recommendations were made to contribute to the policies and regulations requested by the Government of Turkey. This study proves that alternative and novel materials have great potential for achieving sustainable public buildings. The study answers to questions about reducing the environmental impact of primary school buildings by using LCA approach with a holistic point of view.

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Measures to improve the adoption of life cycle assessment in the South African construction industry

Journal of Engineering Design and Technology ◽

10.1108/jedt-05-2019-0141 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 480-494

Author(s):

Titus Ebenezer Kwofie ◽

Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa ◽

Wellington Didibhuku Thwala

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Construction Industry ◽

South African ◽

Least Square ◽

Good Representation ◽

The South ◽

Sustainable Building ◽

Content Type ◽

Practical Reality

Purpose In spite of the urge among stakeholders to increase sustainability in the built environment, the South African Construction Industry (SACI) continues to suffer from low level of adoption of strategies such as life cycle assessment (LCA) to increase sustainable building practices in building and infrastructure delivery, hence the need to increase the adoption of sustainable concepts and sustainability practices is an emergent necessity. This study aims to identify the measures that can increase the adoption of LCA toward overcoming the practical difficulties, theoretical concerns and structural differences encountered in making gains in achieving sustainable practices in the SA construction industry. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a deductive research design using a questionnaire survey with mean scores, Kruskal–Wallis and least square regression analysis done. Findings The study determined ten measures that can significantly influence about 88 per cent improvement in the success of LCA adopting in the SA industry. Also, there was a higher level of consensus in the findings which offers credence and good representation of the practical reality in the LCA adoption in South Africa. Originality/value These measures could be seen to embrace behavioural, social, technical and policy dimensions of LCA adoption. The findings are thus crucial in overcoming challenges to LCA methodologies in achieving sustainable building practices in the construction process in building and infrastructural delivery in SACI.

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Measuring office fit-out changes to determine recurring embodied energy in building life cycle assessment

Facilities ◽

10.1108/f-08-2013-0065 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (3/4) ◽

pp. 262-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Perry Forsythe ◽

Sara Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Geographical Area ◽

Central Business District ◽

Study Data ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Office Buildings ◽

Content Type ◽

Business District

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to quantify and profile the indicative amount of retrofits in office buildings as a necessary step in quantifying the recurring embodied energy in office buildings. Buildings are a major source of energy usage and emissions, and office buildings are a significant contributor to this situation. Life cycle assessments in this area have tended to neglect the potentially large impact arising from recurring embodied energy associated with office fit-out – which is often akin to a short-term consumable rather than a long-term durable in many multi-storey buildings. Design/methodology/approach – This study used building permit data from the Melbourne Central Business District (n = 986) over the period 2006-2010 (inclusive) to quantify the number of retrofits and related trends. Building on this, a small number of targeted case study buildings were used to probe specific issues in profiling trends associated with high-frequency trends arising from the main sample. Findings – The data show that the number of retrofits varies according to location, grade, size and the age of buildings. Using the case study data, there is initial evidence to suggest that between 46 and 70 per cent of the floors in a high-rise office building will undergo retrofit in a five-year period. Further research should apply these data to recurring energy modelling for office buildings. Research limitations/implications – One limitation which applies to this study is that the research is limited to a defined geographical area in one Australian city, Melbourne. Secondly the study covers a specific period, and the number of retrofits may be affected negatively or positively depending on the prevailing market conditions. Practical implications – This paper raises important questions in respect of life cycle carbon emissions in the context of prevailing trends to shorter lease terms and practices around fit-out. Originality/value – The retrofit of office buildings tends to go unnoticed and unmeasured in the debate about sustainable buildings. The paper provides original thought development and important measurement input which will assist in providing a more accurate and meaningful life cycle assessment of office buildings.

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Using life cycle assessment for estimating environmental impacts and eco-costs from the metal waste in the construction industry

Management of Environmental Quality An International Journal ◽

10.1108/meq-09-2014-0137 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 227-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Khairulzan Yahya ◽

Halim Boussabaine ◽

Ali Nasser Alzaed

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Waste Management ◽

Construction Industry ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Ecological Impact ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Construction Waste ◽

Content Type ◽

Metal Waste

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how to estimate the ecological costs form metal waste based on life cycle assessment (LCA) environmental impacts generated from the management of the construction waste. Design/methodology/approach – LCA methodology and eco-indicators 95 were used to calculate the impact from metal waste based on three waste management strategies. Findings – The results of this study establish that the ecological impact from metal waste management is mainly due to the burning of diesel from machinery during the dismantling processes and the use of vehicles for transportation. The results proposed equations and curves for estimating the ecological cost from metal waste based on waste management strategies. Research limitations/implications – The research could affect members of the engineering and construction industry, since it provides methods for costing the ecological impact from construction waste. The eco-costs will assist in implementing sustainable strategies that help to reduce the amount of waste generated by the construction industry. Originality/value – This paper presents an exploratory study to conceptualise eco-costing issues in relation to waste from construction activities in the UK construction industry.

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Life cycle assessment of earthen materials for low-cost housing a comparison between rammed earth and fired clay bricks

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation ◽

10.1108/ijbpa-02-2021-0021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Hamed Nouri ◽

Majid Safehian ◽

Seyed Majdeddin Mir Mohammad Hosseini

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Building Materials ◽

Low Cost ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Rammed Earth ◽

Energy Calculation ◽

Content Type ◽

Clay Bricks

PurposeAlthough the use of diverse types of bricks as the primary construction materials has been considered for many years, vernacular earthen materials are also widely used for construction with low potential environmental impacts in developing countries. In this study, the life cycle of two types of building materials for wall building is investigated.Design/methodology/approachFor this purpose, life cycle carbon emissions (LCCO2) are compared and embodied energy calculation for rammed earth and fired clay bricks as two construction materials. The complete construction chain using rammed earth, as a modern norm, and fired clay bricks, as the most common construction materials in buildings, is investigated in this research.FindingsStudies on the constructions in Kashan city in the north of Isfahan province, Iran, as a case study, showed that replacing the fired bricks with rammed earth would reduce the CO2 emissions up to 1,245 kg/ton and 4,646 MJ/ton (i.e. more than 95%) of the embodied energy. It also shows that the choice of building materials should be important for building practitioners to consider the environmental impact.Originality/valueThis paper provide life cycle assessment of building materials. The findings of this study help builders and owner to choose sustainable building materials.

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