scholarly journals Sustainable early design exploration of mid-rise office buildings with different subsystems using comparative life cycle assessment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Zaker Esteghamati ◽  
Houri Sharifnia ◽  
Diep Ton ◽  
Patricia Asiatco ◽  
Georg Reichard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Design Exploration ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Early Design ◽  
The Impact

Minimizing environmental impacts over a building’s life cycle is critical to achieving sustainable communities. Early design is the most critical step to improve construction’s sustainability, as the majority of important decisions have not yet been made. However, the implementation of sustainability assessment in early design is data- and effort-intensive, resulting in limited whole building life cycle assessments. Previous studies have mainly focused either on single residential structures, included only a subset of building components, or investigated early design parameters mostly associated with energy efficiency. Whereas, comparison of alternative building subsystems at early design received less attention. This study aims to provide and utilize benchmark data for the life-cycle impacts of mid-rise office buildings, focusing on the impact of building subsystem selection at early design exploration. Environmental impacts were compared across six professionally-designed archetypes comprising compatible combinations of foundation, floor, and structural assemblies for a site in Charleston, South Carolina. Detailed operational energy modeling was performed using the EnergyPlus framework, where a range of code-compliant envelope systems are studied and paired with other assemblies. Lastly, sensitivity assessment and statistical analysis are performed to quantify uncertainty associated with the use of such data for early design guidance. The results suggest that decisions associated with the use phase (such as envelope selection) dominates life cycle impacts and should be prioritized. Additionally, no single subsystem governs all embodied impacts across different buildings. Lastly, it is critical to consider a large number of alternatives at the early design stage, as excluding a combination of subsystems might close pathways to reaching a more environmentally suitable alternative during design iterations/optimization.

scholarly journals Life-Cycle Sustainability Assessment in the Design of Concrete Structures in the Tropics: A Fundamental Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Farnaz Jahandideh ◽  
Sudharshan N. Raman ◽  
Maslina Jamil ◽  
R. Prakash
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Concrete Structures ◽  
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Functional Quality ◽  
Comprehensive Framework ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Geographical Context

Due to the essential nature and increased appreciation to the issue of sustainability in recent decades, the evaluation and assessment of environmental impacts of concrete structures have been considered extensively by the scientific and construction fraternity. To enhance the resilience in the design of concrete structures in the tropics, it is essential to understand and acknowledge the impact of the geographical context, taking into account the widespread socio-economic circumstances in the tropics. Moreover, since all environmental impacts of a concrete structures through its life-cycle use are predictable through its Life-Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), it is therefore necessary to investigate this framework comprehensively. This research was undertaken to study and assess the existing methods in LCSA, as well as to assess the steps and materials that can significantly affect the environment during the whole life-span of concrete structures, and also to qualitatively understand the interaction among the geographic sense and sustainability in the tropics, considering the case of Malaysia. This study proposes a more comprehensive framework for LCSA in the design of concrete structures. The findings suggest that according to LCSA analysis, the environmental effects of concrete structures with almost the same functional quality can be different from each other.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Sustainability Assessments of an Innovative FRP Composite Footbridge

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13000
Author(s):  
Timothy Jena ◽  
Sakdirat Kaewunruen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Frp Composite ◽  
Reinforced Plastic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Whole Life Cycle

Sustainable construction and the design of low-carbon structures is a major concern for the UK construction industry. FRP composite materials are seen as a suitable alternative to traditional construction materials due to their high strength and light weight. Network Rail has developed a prototype for a new innovative footbridge made entirely from FRP with the aim of replacing the current steel design for footbridges. This study conducted a life cycle analysis of this novel composite footbridge design to quantify the cost and environmental benefits. An LCA and LCC analysis framework was used to analyse the environmental impacts and cost savings of the bridge throughout its lifespan from raw material extraction to its end of life. From the results of the LCA and LCC, the FRP footbridge sustainability was reviewed and compared to a standard steel footbridge. Due to the uncertainty of the fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) structure’s lifespan, multiple scenarios for longevity at the assets-use stage were studied. The study revealed that the FRP bridge offered substantial economic savings whilst presenting potentially worse environmental impacts, mainly caused by the impact of the production of FRP materials. However, our study also demonstrated the influences of uncertainties related to the glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP) material design life and end-of-life disposal on the whole life cycle analyses. The results show that if the FRP footbridge surpasses its original estimation for lifespan, the economic savings can be increased and the environmental impacts can be reduced substantially.

scholarly journals Sustainable early design exploration of mid-rise office buildings with different subsystems using comparative life cycle assessment

2022 ◽  
pp. 104004
Author(s):  
Mohsen Zaker Esteghamati ◽  
Houri Sharifnia ◽  
Diep Ton ◽  
Patricia Asiatico ◽  
Georg Reichard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Design Exploration ◽  
Early Design ◽  
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment

scholarly journals LCA of Glass Versus PET Mineral Water Bottles: An Italian Case Study

Recycling ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Carmen Ferrara ◽  
Giovanni De Feo ◽  
Vincenza Picone
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Mineral Water ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Impact Category ◽  
Life Cycle Thinking ◽  
Pet Bottles ◽  
The Impact

Due to the serious problem of plastic pollution in aquatic environment, many people reject plastic packaging in favour of glass containers which are considered more sustainable. To avoid misjudgements, the sustainability assessment of packaging alternatives should be carried out with a life cycle thinking approach. In this regard, the study presents a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of two alternative packaging systems for drinking water: reusable glass bottles and polyethylene (PET) bottles. The case study was performed considering the real data of an Italian mineral water company that bottles and distributes both natural and sparkling water. The environmental impacts of the two packaging systems were estimated with the ReCiPe 2016 (H) evaluation method adopting both midpoint and endpoint approaches. The results showed that the PET bottle is the most sustainable alternative for natural water for many impact categories; while, in the case of sparkling water, the environmental impacts of the two packaging systems are similar and the most environmentally sound solution can vary depending on the impact category. The following are the most significant aspects of the analysis: (1) the number of reuses of a single glass bottle; (2) the distribution distance. Their variation can determine which packaging is the most sustainable. Therefore, a life cycle assessment approach is needed for each specific case.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Households in Santiago, Chile: Environmental Hotspots and Policy Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2525
Author(s):  
Camila López-Eccher ◽  
Elizabeth Garrido-Ramírez ◽  
Iván Franchi-Arzola ◽  
Edmundo Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Freshwater Eutrophication

The aim of this study is to assess the environmental impacts of household life cycles in Santiago, Chile, by household income level. The assessment considered scenarios associated with environmental policies. The life cycle assessment was cradle-to-grave, and the functional unit considered all the materials and energy required to meet an inhabitant’s needs for one year (1 inh/year). Using SimaPro 9.1 software, the Recipe Midpoint (H) methodology was used. The impact categories selected were global warming, fine particulate matter formation, terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, mineral resource scarcity, and fossil resource scarcity. The inventory was carried out through the application of 300 household surveys and secondary information. The main environmental sources of households were determined to be food consumption, transport, and electricity. Food consumption is the main source, responsible for 33% of the environmental impacts on global warming, 69% on terrestrial acidification, and 29% on freshwater eutrophication. The second most crucial environmental hotspot is private transport, whose contribution to environmental impact increases as household income rises, while public transport impact increases in the opposite direction. In this sense, both positive and negative environmental effects can be generated by policies. Therefore, life-cycle environmental impacts, the synergy between policies, and households’ socio-economic characteristics must be considered in public policy planning and consumer decisions.

scholarly journals Metrics for Measuring Sustainable Product Design Concepts

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3469
Author(s):  
Ji Han ◽  
Pingfei Jiang ◽  
Peter R. N. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Sustainable Product Design ◽  
Early Design ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
Concept Evaluation ◽  
Sustainable Product

Although products can contribute to ecosystems positively, they can cause negative environmental impacts throughout their life cycles, from obtaining raw material, production, and use, to end of life. It is reported that most negative environmental impacts are decided at early design phases, which suggests that the determination of product sustainability should be considered as early as possible, such as during the conceptual design stage, when it is still possible to modify the design concept. However, most of the existing concept evaluation methods or tools are focused on assessing the feasibility or creativity of the concepts generated, lacking the measurements of sustainability of concepts. The paper explores key factors related to sustainable design with regard to environmental impacts, and describes a set of objective measures of sustainable product design concept evaluation, namely, material, production, use, and end of life. The rationales of the four metrics are discussed, with corresponding measurements. A case study is conducted to demonstrate the use and effectiveness of the metrics for evaluating product design concepts. The paper is the first study to explore the measurement of product design sustainability focusing on the conceptual design stage. It can be used as a guideline to measure the level of sustainability of product design concepts to support designers in developing sustainable products. Most significantly, it urges the considerations of sustainability design aspects at early design phases, and also provides a new research direction in concept evaluation regarding sustainability.

scholarly journals Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment: Definitions, Conceptual Characteristics and Modelling Restrictions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7386
Author(s):  
Thomas Schaubroeck ◽  
Simon Schaubroeck ◽  
Reinout Heijungs ◽  
Alessandra Zamagni ◽  
Miguel Brandão ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Product Life Cycle ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Consequential Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Potential Environmental Impact ◽  
Reference Environment ◽  
The Impact

To assess the potential environmental impact of human/industrial systems, life cycle assessment (LCA) is a very common method. There are two prominent types of LCA, namely attributional (ALCA) and consequential (CLCA). A lot of literature covers these approaches, but a general consensus on what they represent and an overview of all their differences seems lacking, nor has every prominent feature been fully explored. The two main objectives of this article are: (1) to argue for and select definitions for each concept and (2) specify all conceptual characteristics (including translation into modelling restrictions), re-evaluating and going beyond findings in the state of the art. For the first objective, mainly because the validity of interpretation of a term is also a matter of consensus, we argue the selection of definitions present in the 2011 UNEP-SETAC report. ALCA attributes a share of the potential environmental impact of the world to a product life cycle, while CLCA assesses the environmental consequences of a decision (e.g., increase of product demand). Regarding the second objective, the product system in ALCA constitutes all processes that are linked by physical, energy flows or services. Because of the requirement of additivity for ALCA, a double-counting check needs to be executed, modelling is restricted (e.g., guaranteed through linearity) and partitioning of multifunctional processes is systematically needed (for evaluation per single product). The latter matters also hold in a similar manner for the impact assessment, which is commonly overlooked. CLCA, is completely consequential and there is no limitation regarding what a modelling framework should entail, with the coverage of co-products through substitution being just one approach and not the only one (e.g., additional consumption is possible). Both ALCA and CLCA can be considered over any time span (past, present & future) and either using a reference environment or different scenarios. Furthermore, both ALCA and CLCA could be specific for average or marginal (small) products or decisions, and further datasets. These findings also hold for life cycle sustainability assessment.

scholarly journals Sustainability Assessment with Integrated Circular Economy Principles: A Toy Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3856
Author(s):  
Rebeka Kovačič Lukman ◽  
Vasja Omahne ◽  
Damjan Krajnc
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Product Life Cycle ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Social Impacts ◽  
Life Cycle Costing ◽  
Social Life Cycle Assessment

When considering the sustainability of production processes, research studies usually emphasise environmental impacts and do not adequately address economic and social impacts. Toy production is no exception when it comes to assessing sustainability. Previous research on toys has focused solely on assessing environmental aspects and neglected social and economic aspects. This paper presents a sustainability assessment of a toy using environmental life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, and social life cycle assessment. We conducted an inventory analysis and sustainability impact assessment of the toy to identify the hotspots of the system. The main environmental impacts are eutrophication, followed by terrestrial eco-toxicity, acidification, and global warming. The life cycle costing approach examined the economic aspect of the proposed design options for toys, while the social assessment of the alternative designs revealed social impacts along the product life cycle. In addition, different options based on the principles of the circular economy were analysed and proposed in terms of substitution of materials and shortening of transport distances for the toy studied.

scholarly journals Environmental Impact for 3D Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Life Cycle: An Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 6504-6515
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Bone Tissue Engineering ◽  
Bone Tissue ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Tissue Engineering Scaffolds ◽  
Industrial Soil ◽  
The Impact

With the development of additive manufacturing technology, 3D bone tissue engineering scaffolds have evolved. Bone tissue engineering is one of the techniques for repairing bone abnormalities caused by a variety of circumstances, such as injuries or the need to support damaged sections. Many bits of research have gone towards developing 3D bone tissue engineering scaffolds all across the world. The assessment of the environmental impact, on the other hand, has received less attention. As a result, the focus of this study is on developing a life cycle assessment (LCA) model for 3D bone tissue engineering scaffolds and evaluating potential environmental impacts. One of the methodologies to evaluating a complete environmental impact assessment is life cycle assessment (LCA). The cradle-to-grave method will be used in this study, and GaBi software was used to create the analysis for this study. Previous research on 3D bone tissue engineering fabrication employing poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) soaked in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and diphenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide (TPO) as a photoinitiator will be reviewed. Meanwhile, digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing is employed as the production technique. The GaBi program and the LCA model developed to highlight the potential environmental impact. This study shows how the input and output of LCA of 3D bone tissue engineering scaffolds might contribute to environmental issues such as air, freshwater, saltwater, and industrial soil emissions. The emission contributing to potential environmental impacts comes from life cycle input, electricity and transportation consumption, manufacturing process, and material resources. The results from this research can be used as an indicator for the researcher to take the impact of the development of 3D bone tissue engineering on the environment seriously.

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