Comparison of the Applied Measures on the Simulated Scenarios for the Sustainable Building Construction through Carbon Footprint Emissions—Case Study of Building Construction in Serbia

Research was conducted to indicate the impact of the increased flow of thermal insulation materials on the environment due to the implementation of the new regulations on energy efficiency of buildings. The regulations on energy efficiency of buildings in Serbia came into force on 30 September 2012 for all new buildings as well as for buildings in the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction. For that purpose, the carbon footprint was analyzed in three scenarios (BS, S1 and S2) for which the quantities of construction materials and processes were calculated. The life cycle analysis (LCA), which is the basis for analyzing the carbon life cycle (LCACO2), was used in this study. Carbon Calculator was used for measuring carbon footprint, and URSA program to calculate the operational energy. This study was done in two phases. In Phase 1, the embodied carbon was measured to evaluate short-term effects of the implementation of the new regulations. Phase 2 included the first 10 years of building exploitation to evaluate the long-term effects of the new regulations. The analysis was done for the period of 10 years, further adjustments to the regulations regarding energy efficiency of the buildings in Serbia are expected in accordance with EU directives. The study shows that, in the short-run, Scenario BS has the lowest embodied carbon. In the long-run, after 3.66 years, Scenario S2 becomes a better option regarding the impact on the environment. The study reveals the necessity to include embodied carbon together with the whole life carbon to estimation the impact of a building on the environment.

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Regionalised Life Cycle Assessment of Bio-Based Materials in Construction; the Case of Hemp Shiv Treated with Sol-Gel Coatings

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma12182987 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 2987 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mohammad Davoud Heidari ◽

Michael Lawrence ◽

Pierre Blanchet ◽

Ben Amor

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Sol Gel ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Specific Information ◽

U Value ◽

Hemp Shiv ◽

The Impact

Interest in intrinsically low-energy construction materials is becoming mainstream, and bio-based materials form a key part of that group of materials. The goal of this study was to analyse the environmental impact of applying a sol-gel coating on hemp shiv, in order to improve the durability of this innovative bio-based material, using a regionalised LCA model, taking into account regional specific peculiarities. This study analysed the environmental performance of using bio-based materials in the building envelope compared with traditional synthetic construction materials, and compared the impact of a regionalised approach with a global approach. The carbon footprint of treated hemp shiv in a wall with a U-value of 0.15 W/m2.K was compared to untreated hempcrete and a reference cavity wall with the same U-value. Considering the environmental damage caused by the production of hemp shiv, nitrogen fertiliser was the hotspot. The LCA results showed that, using innovative bio-based materials in construction, treated hemp shiv with sol-gel can decrease the carbon footprint of a building envelope through carbon sequestration. Using the more accurate site-specific information in life cycle inventory and impact assessment methods will result in more consistent and site-appropriate environmental results for decision-making.

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Comparative Study on Life-Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Hybrid, Concrete and Timber Apartment Buildings in Finland

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19020774 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 774

Author(s):

Roni Rinne ◽

Hüseyin Emre Ilgın ◽

Markku Karjalainen

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

End Of Life ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Building Materials ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Software Tool ◽

Long Run ◽

Building Life Cycle

To date, in the literature, there has been no study on the comparison of hybrid (timber and concrete) buildings with counterparts made of timber and concrete as the most common construction materials, in terms of the life cycle assessment (LCA) and the carbon footprint. This paper examines the environmental impacts of a five-story hybrid apartment building compared to timber and reinforced concrete counterparts in whole-building life-cycle assessment using the software tool, One Click LCA, for the estimation of environmental impacts from building materials of assemblies, construction, and building end-of-life treatment of 50 years in Finland. Following EN 15978, stages of product and construction (A1–A5), use (B1–B6), end-of-life (C1–C4), and beyond the building life cycle (D) were assessed. The main findings highlighted are as following: (1) for A1–A3, the timber apartment had the smallest carbon footprint (28% less than the hybrid apartment); (2) in A4, the timber apartment had a much smaller carbon footprint (55% less than the hybrid apartment), and the hybrid apartment had a smaller carbon footprint (19%) than the concrete apartment; (3) for B1–B5, the carbon footprint of the timber apartment was larger (>20%); (4) in C1–C4, the carbon footprint of the concrete apartment had the lowest emissions (35,061 kg CO2-e), and the timber apartment had the highest (44,627 kg CO2-e), but in D, timber became the most advantageous material; (5) the share of life-cycle emissions from building services was very significant. Considering the environmental performance of hybrid construction as well as its other advantages over timber, wood-based hybrid solutions can lead to more rational use of wood, encouraging the development of more efficient buildings. In the long run, this will result in a higher proportion of wood in buildings, which will be beneficial for living conditions, the environment, and the society in general.

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An assessment of the impact of selected construction materials on the life cycle energy performance and thermal comfort in buildings

10.51415/10321/3639 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Rajesh Haripersad

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Energy Efficiency ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Thermal Performance ◽

Energy Efficient ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Embodied Energy ◽

Energy Usage ◽

The Impact

South Africa is a developing country with various construction projects that are being undertaken both by government and the private sector. The requirements for the construction of energy-efficient buildings as well as the selection methods for providing construction materials have hence become important. Energy efficiency improvements needs to be implemented in the construction of these buildings in order to decrease energy usage and costs and provide more comfortable conditions for its occupants. Previous studies revealed that most of the focus for improving energy efficiency in buildings has been on their operational emissions. It is estimated that about 30% of all energy consumed throughout the lifetime of a building is utilized as embodied energy (this percentage varies based on factors such as age of building, climate and materials). In the past this percentage was much lower, but with increased emphasis placed on reducing operational emissions (such as energy efficiency improvements in heating and cooling systems), the embodied energy contribution has become more significant. Hence, it is important to employ a life-cycle carbon framework in analysing the carbon emissions in buildings. The study aims to augment energy efficiency initiatives by showcasing energy reduction strategies for buildings. The study assessed the thermal performance of selected construction materials by analysing different buildings using energy modelling program, EnergyPlus and TRNSYS. The parametric study was set in the central plateau region of South Africa and was performed to determine appropriate energy efficiency improvements that can be implemented for maximum savings. A life cycle cost analysis was performed on the selected improvements. The models created are representative of the actual buildings when simulated data is compared to recorded data from these buildings. Results showed a significant variation in energy and construction costs with varying construction materials over the buildings’ life cycle. Findings suggest that there is a significant reduction in energy usage when simple efficiency measures are implemented. The study recommends the use of different energy efficient building materials and the implementation of passive interventions in the constructing of buildings; the thermal performance of a building be optimized to ensure thermal comfort and the developed model be adopted for use in the engineering and construction industry for the reduction of energy consumption.

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Assessing the long term effects on climate change of metallurgical slags valorization as construction material: a comparison between static and dynamic global warming impacts

Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering ◽

10.3934/ctr.2021005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 88-111

Author(s):

Andrea Di Maria ◽

◽

Annie Levasseur ◽

Karel Van Acker ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Global Warming ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Building Materials ◽

Construction Material ◽

Steel Slag ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Stainless Steel Slag ◽

Environmental Evaluation

<abstract> <p>The interest in circular economy for the construction sector is constantly increasing, and Global Warming Potential (GWP) is often used to assess the carbon footprint of buildings and building materials. However, GWP presents some methodological challenges when assessing the environmental impacts of construction materials. Due to the long life of construction materials, GWP calculation should take into consideration also time-related aspects. However, in the current GWP, any temporal information is lost, making traditional static GWP better suited for retrospective assessment rather than forecasting purposes. Building on this need, this study uses a time-dependent GWP to assess the carbon footprint of two newly developed construction materials, produced through the recycling of industrial residues (stainless steel slag and industrial goethite). The results for both materials are further compared with the results of traditional ordinary Portland cement (OPC) based concrete, presenting similar characteristics. The results of the dynamic GWP (D_GWP) are also compared to the results of traditional static GWP (S_GWP), to see how the methodological development of D_GWP may influence the final environmental evaluation for construction materials. The results show the criticality of the recycling processes, especially in the case of goethite valorization. The analysis shows also that, although the D_GWP did not result in a shift in the ranking between the three materials compared with S_GWP, it provides a clearer picture of emission flows and their effect on climate change over time.</p> </abstract>

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Sustainable energy solutions for thermal load in buildings - Role of heat pumps, solar thermal, and hydrogen-based cogeneration systems

ASME Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities ◽

10.1115/1.4051881 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Praveen Cheekatamarla ◽

Vishaldeep Sharma ◽

Bo Shen

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Primary Energy ◽

Heat Pumps ◽

Total Carbon ◽

Coefficient Of Performance ◽

Renewable Energy Resources ◽

The Impact

Abstract Economic and population growth is leading to increased energy demand across all sectors – buildings, transportation, and industry. Adoption of new energy consumers such as electric vehicles could further increase this growth. Sensible utilization of clean renewable energy resources is necessary to sustain this growth. Thermal needs in a building pose a significant challenge to the energy infrastructure. Supporting the current and future building thermal energy needs to offset the total electric demand while lowering the carbon footprint and enhancing the grid flexibility is presented in this study. Performance assessment of heat pumps, renewable energy, non-fossil fuel-based cogeneration systems, and their hybrid configurations was conducted. The impact of design configuration, coefficient of performance (COP), electric grid's primary energy efficiency on the key attributes of total carbon footprint, life cycle costs, operational energy savings, and site-specific primary energy efficiency are analyzed and discussed in detail.

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Environmental Payback of Renovation Strategies in a Northern Climate—the Impact of Nuclear Power and Fossil Fuels in the Electricity Supply

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13010080 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 80 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ricardo Ramírez-Villegas ◽

Ola Eriksson ◽

Thomas Olofsson

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Energy Efficiency ◽

Global Warming ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Radioactive Waste ◽

Global Warming Potential ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

The European Union ◽

The Impact

The aim of this study is to assess how the use of fossil and nuclear power in different renovation scenarios affects the environmental impacts of a multi-family dwelling in Sweden, and how changes in the electricity production with different energy carriers affect the environmental impact. In line with the Paris Agreement, the European Union has set an agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by means of energy efficiency in buildings. It is estimated that by the year 2050, 80% of Europe’s population will be living in buildings that already exist. This means it is important for the European Union to renovate buildings to improve energy efficiency. In this study, eight renovation scenarios, using six different Northern European electricity mixes, were analyzed using the standard of the European Committee for Standardization for life cycle assessment of buildings. This study covers all life cycle steps from cradle to grave. The renovation scenarios include combinations of photovoltaics, geothermal heat pumps, heat recovery ventilation, and improvement of the building envelope. The results show that while in some electricity mixes a reduction in the global warming potential can be achieved, it can be at the expense of an increase in radioactive waste production, and, in mixes with a high share of fossil fuels, the global warming potential of the scenarios increases with time, compared with that of the original building. It also shows that in most electricity mixes, scenarios that reduce the active heat demand of the building end up in reducing both the global warming potential and radioactive waste, making them less sensitive to changes in the energy system.

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The Identification and Rebound Effect Evaluation of Equipment Energy Efficiency Improvement Policy: A Case Study on Japan’s Top Runner Policy

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13174397 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (17) ◽

pp. 4397

Author(s):

Dan Yu ◽

Bart Dewancker ◽

Fanyue Qian

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Energy Conservation ◽

Emission Reduction ◽

Rebound Effect ◽

Good Effect ◽

Efficiency Improvement ◽

Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽

Reduction Effect ◽

The Impact

The equipment energy efficiency improvement policy (EEEIP) is one of the important measures of energy conservation and emission reduction in various countries. However, due to the simultaneous implementation of variety policies, the effect of the single policy cannot be clearly reflected. In this paper, a method of identification and evaluation of EEEIP was proposed, and the application was verified by analyzing the example of EEEIP in Japan (Top Runner policy, TRP). Firstly, through the factor decomposition model, this paper studied the energy conservation and emission reduction potential of this policy area in Japan. Then, the TRP was identified by using moving windows and correlation analysis, and the impact of specific equipment in TRP was analyzed. Finally, through the calculation of the rebound effect of the carbon footprint (REC), this paper analyzed the energy consumption and emission reduction effects of TRP in the short-term and whole life cycle. It showed that the policy has a good effect in tertiary industry and transportation, while the effect in residential is poor. For life cycle, the TRP of air conditioning and passenger car can bring better CO2 emission reduction effect, but the emission reduction effect of lighting is basically offset.

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The Impact of an Energy Efficiency Improvement Policy on the Economic Performance of Electricity-Intensive Firms in Ghana

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12193684 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (19) ◽

pp. 3684 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chui Ying Lee ◽

Samuel Lotsu ◽

Moinul Islam ◽

Yuichiro Yoshida ◽

Shinji Kaneko

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Power Factor ◽

Regression Discontinuity Design ◽

Efficiency Improvement ◽

Medium Voltage ◽

Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽

Adverse Impacts ◽

Long Run ◽

Power Factor Improvement ◽

The Impact

This paper investigates the economic impact of an energy efficiency improvement policy on electricity-intensive firms in Ghana. The policy imposed a penalty on these electricity-intensive firms, which are referred to as special load tariff (SLT) customers, when their power factor was below 90%. This paper applies the regression discontinuity design (RDD) to the panel data of these SLTs ranging from 1994 to 2012, excluding those years characterized by energy crisis. The results show adverse impacts of the policy on the employment and salary levels of the firms in the long run, in particular, the small- and medium–voltage firms. The results indicate that small- and medium–voltage firms are economically vulnerable to the penalty policy in the long run and recommend two policies to overcome this challenge. Firstly, the penalty for power factor improvement should not be imposed identically across firms with different voltage levels. Secondly, firms that satisfy the power factor standard should receive subsidies to improve their competitiveness in the market.

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The energy efficiency and carbon footprint of temporary homes: a case study from Japan

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment ◽

10.1108/ijdrbe-08-2015-0039 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 326-343 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Matti Kuittinen ◽

Atsushi Takano

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Tohoku Earthquake ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Content Type ◽

Proper Design

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the energy efficiency and life cycle carbon footprint of temporary homes in Japan after the Great Eastern Tohoku Earthquake in 2011. Design/methodology/approach An energy simulation and life cycle assessment have been done for three alternative shelter models: prefabricated shelters, wooden log shelters and sea container shelters. Findings Shelter materials have a very high share of life cycle emissions because the use period of temporary homes is short. Wooden shelters perform best in the comparison. The clustering of shelters into longer buildings or on top of each other increases their energy efficiency considerably. Sea containers piled on top of each other have superb energy performance compared to other models, and they consume even less energy per household than the national average. However, there are several gaps of knowledge in the environmental assessment of temporary homes and field data from refugee camps should be collected as part of camp management. Originality/value The findings exemplify the impacts of the proper design of temporary homes for mitigating their energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Application Of Sustainable Design Principles To Increase Energy Efficiency Of Existing Buildings

Building Research Journal ◽

10.2478/brj-2014-0013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 61 (3) ◽

pp. 167-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

B. Mansoury ◽

H. R. Tabatabaiefar

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Thermal Performance ◽

Sustainable Design ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Design Principles ◽

Existing Buildings ◽

Performance Study ◽

Improve Energy Efficiency ◽

The Impact

Abstract This study investigates the effectiveness of different energy retrofitting techniques and examines the impact of employing those methods on energy consumption of existing residential buildings. Based on the research findings, the most effective and practical method of retrofitting has been proposed in order to improve energy efficiency of existing buildings. In order to achieve this goal, an existing residential building has been simulated in FirstRate 5 software so as to determine the existing thermal performance of the building. Afterwards, considering sustainable design principles, different insulation layers, glazing, and construction materials have been employed to conduct a comprehensive thermal performance study. Based on the research outcomes, the best technique for increasing energy efficiency of existing buildings and reducing their environmental impact and footprint has been identified and proposed for practical purposes.

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