scholarly journals The Potential Contribution of Wood in Green Building Certifications

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Piccardo ◽  
Ashraful Alam ◽  
Mark Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Sustainability Criteria

The building sector has a significant impact on the environment, accounting for 36% of CO2 emissions and about half of material consumption in Europe. Residential buildings dominate the European building stock. In Finland, residential buildings account for up to 80% of the existing buildings and the rate of construction is higher compared to other building types. Therefore, residential buildings play an important role in the transition to a sustainable built environment. A number of studies show that increasing the use of wood can lower the life cycle environmental impacts of buildings. In Scandinavia, the use of wood in small houses is well established, used in 90% of cases. Furthermore, the increasing number of high-rise wooden buildings suggests a growing interest in the potential of wood in large-scale buildings. Green building certification provides criteria to assess the sustainability level of buildings and is expected to influence the building sector in the near future, by promoting the use of sustainable technologies. The aim of this study was to investigate how green building certification schemes assess wood materials and how wood materials can help fulfil sustainability criteria for green buildings. We analyse the sustainability criteria adopted by the most common certification schemes in Finland, BREEAM, LEED and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, as well as the upcoming Level(s) certification promoted by the European Commission. The analysis shows that the contribution of wood materials to the overall score of green building certifications accounts for between 10 and 36%. Wood is advantageous as a renewable and low-carbon material. Furthermore, wood can offer indirect benefits due to its recycling potential and to water saving in the construction stage. However, wood materials have to comply with some requirements, such as sustainable forest management and low volatile organic compound content. The new European certification suggests a comprehensive assessment including circular material life cycles.

scholarly journals LEED Scores of Residential Buildings in Poor Cities: Kabul City Case

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6959
Author(s):  
Najib Rahman Sabory ◽  
Tomonobo Senjyu ◽  
Adina Hashemi Momand ◽  
Hadya Waqfi ◽  
Nilofar Saboor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Building Industry ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Water Transportation

Urbanization and technology have proven to be detrimental to the environment. Buildings contribute a significant portion of this damage. This issue motivated governments, builders, engineers, and architects to seek ways to reduce buildings’ environmental footprints. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is one of the most widely used strategies to ensure energy efficiency and a clean environment in buildings. In Afghanistan, where there are no active regulatory frameworks for energy saving and efficiency for the building sector, it is imperative to promote the transformation of the building industry and practices towards sustainability. In this regard, the role of the residential building sector is of utmost importance due to its major share in the country’s energy consumption and GHG emissions profile. Thus, this study assesses the energy efficiency and environmental impact of existing buildings in Kabul city concerning the LEED rating system. This research suggests practical steps to improve the sustainability of the residential building stock in Kabul city. Robust sets of data on existing residential buildings in Kabul are collected, classified, evaluated, and compared to LEED standards. This research reveals and concludes that most of the existing buildings in Kabul city are in poor conditions and do not meet the minimum requirements to be a candidate for LEED certification. A detailed analysis of the results has led to recommendations on how these buildings could improve to meet the LEED criteria. This is the first study of its kind conducted for Kabul city residential building. Considering the cross-sectoral nature of the building industry, the findings of this study will contribute to many other areas such as water, transportation, ICT, health, energy and the environment.

scholarly journals Energy Retrofitting Opportunities Using Renewable Materials—Comparative Analysis of the Current Frameworks in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 603
Author(s):  
Darija Gajić ◽  
Slobodan Peulić ◽  
Tim Mavrič ◽  
Anna Sandak ◽  
Črtomir Tavzes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Resource Exploitation ◽  
Renewable Materials ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Low Carbon Economy ◽  
Eu Member States

Sustainable approaches for retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency are becoming necessary in a time when the building sector is the largest energy consumer. Retrofitting building stock is effective for reducing global energy consumption and decreasing resource exploitation. Less developed EU member states and neighboring developing countries show reluctance towards healthy and renewable materials. Implementation of sustainable materials for energy retrofitting is slowed down due to gaps in legislation and effective strategic programs, availability of bio-based materials, lack of knowledge regarding use and maintenance of renewable products, and marketing lobbies. Use of bio-based materials in refurbishment is important due to their negative or low global warming potential (GWP), low primary energy (PEI) need for production, cost-effective benefits, and recycling/reuse potential. Role of environmentally friendly solutions and low-carbon economy growth is particularly relevant in developing countries, such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, that cannot afford innovative energy recovery systems, yet possess a significant amount of poorly managed building stock. This research aims to analyze frameworks regarding retrofitting of residential buildings in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia. The analysis tackles indirect causes, studies the legal background, and examines strategic frameworks; thus, it indicates potential barriers for implementation of recommended retrofitting solutions based on renewable materials.

Energy models for cost-optimal analysis: Development and calibration of residential reference building models for Northern Cyprus

2021 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2110130
Author(s):  
Manta Marcelinus Dakyen ◽  
Mustafa Dagbasi ◽  
Murat Özdenefe
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Mean Squared Error ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Mean Bias Error ◽  
Bias Error ◽  
Sampled Data ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Northern Cyprus

Ambitious energy efficiency goals constitute an important roadmap towards attaining a low-carbon society. Thus, various building-related stakeholders have introduced regulations targeting the energy efficiency of buildings. However, some countries still lack such policies. This paper is an effort to help bridge this gap for Northern Cyprus, a country devoid of building energy regulations that still experiences electrical energy production and distribution challenges, principally by establishing reference residential buildings which can be the cornerstone for prospective building regulations. Statistical analysis of available building stock data was performed to determine existing residential reference buildings. Five residential reference buildings with distinct configurations that constituted over 75% floor area share of the sampled data emerged, with floor areas varying from 191 to 1006 m2. EnergyPlus models were developed and calibrated for five residential reference buildings against yearly measured electricity consumption. Values of Mean Bias Error (MBE) and Cumulative Variation of Root Mean Squared Error CV(RMSE) between the models’ energy consumption and real energy consumption on monthly based analysis varied within the following ranges: (MBE)monthly from –0.12% to 2.01% and CV(RMSE)monthly from 1.35% to 2.96%. Thermal energy required to maintain the models' setpoint temperatures for cooling and heating varied from 6,134 to 11,451 kWh/year.

scholarly journals Behavioral Facilitation of a Transition to Energy Efficient and Low-Carbon Residential Buildings

Buildings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Enker ◽  
Gregory M. Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Economic Transition ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Policy Priority ◽  
High Level ◽  
Building Policy

Reducing carbon emissions from the building sector is an international policy priority, as a consequence of the Paris Climate Accord obligations. The challenge for policy makers is to identify and deploy effective policy instruments targeting this sector. Examining the mechanics of policy operation in the residential sector is particularly instructive, because of the high level of building activity, diverse stakeholders, and complex policy considerations—involving both consumers and industry stakeholders. Energy policy initiatives undertaken by the European Union provide pertinent case studies; as does the operation of Australia’s national building code. The paper builds upon earlier research examining the application of socio-economic transition theory to the regulation of the building sector. Here, building policy options are examined from a behavioral economics perspective, where stakeholder actions in response to strategic initiatives are considered in socio-psychological terms. The application of behavioral economics principles to building policy has the potential to impact all of the stages of the building lifecycle, from design through construction to operation. The analysis reveals how decision-making by building industry stakeholders diverges substantially from the assumptions of conventional economics. Significant implications then arise for the framing of building sector climate and energy policies, because behavioral economics has the potential to both contribute to the critical re-appraisal of current policies, and also to provide innovative options for refining interventions at key stages in the building lifecycle.

scholarly journals A component-level methodology to evaluate the seismic repair costs of infills and services for Italian RC buildings

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 6533-6570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Teresa De Risi ◽  
Carlo Del Gaudio ◽  
Gerardo Mario Verderame
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Structural Components ◽  
Rc Buildings ◽  
Component Level ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Damage Level ◽  
Repair Costs ◽  
Electric Equipment

Abstract The reliable estimation of seismic losses due to damage to buildings is paramount for the post-emergency management and the planning of recovery activities. For residential reinforced concrete (RC) infilled buildings, a significant role in the computation of seismic loss is played by non-structural components, above all infills, partitions and services, as shown in past earthquakes. In this work, a component-based methodology is proposed to assess seismic losses for residential RC buildings in Mediterranean region. The attention is focused on the repairing activities for masonry infills (typical enclosure or partitions elements in Italian and Mediterranean RC buildings), and for services (plumbing systems, electric equipment, floor/wall tiles…), commonly enclosed within the infill panels for the considered building typology. The described methodology can be used starting from the expected damage level to infills and partitions. It adopts given repair unit costs at different damage states of infills. The loss estimation methodology has been, first, validated by comparing predicted and actual repair costs for specific case-study buildings damaged by L’Aquila (Italy) 2009 earthquake. Then, the methodology has been applied to a wide dataset of RC buildings (about 2500 residential buildings) damaged by L’Aquila earthquake available from the literature, to show its possible application at a large-scale level. A good agreement between observed and predicted costs is obtained both for specific case-study buildings and for the wider building stock, especially when damage to structural components is very limited.

Aesthetic and Technical Problems of Renovated Residential Buildings Facade - Prevention of Defects

2013 ◽  
Vol 855 ◽  
pp. 62-66
Author(s):  
Katarína Minarovičová ◽  
Naďa Antošová
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Microbial Colonization ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Aesthetic Quality ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Building Facades ◽  
Insulation Systems

Renovation of the building stock is an acknowledged issue in the building industry. Constructional and technical requirements on residential buildings have significantly changed, as well as demands on flats equipment and aesthetic quality of the building and surrounding urban space. Several years "boom" of large-scale housing renovation in Slovakia has resulted in colour, shape and material diversity of residential buildings facade. The paper presents selected aspects of residential buildings renovation, related to their facade components. An important part of the renovation design should be prevention of defects, particularly of insulation systems. Several years after buildings insulation first colonies of microorganisms form on the surface of insulated facades and results in the formation of “green skin” on building façades. It has been observed that up to 80 % of insulated buildings are affected by this greening. This microbial colonization of buildings causes aesthetic problems and can lead to degradation and spalling of the coating [1].

scholarly journals Development and Verification of Prototypical Office Buildings Models Using the National Building Energy Consumption Survey in Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3611
Author(s):  
Hye-Jin Kim ◽  
Do-Young Choi ◽  
Donghyun Seo
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Office Buildings ◽  
Policy Enforcement ◽  
Building Stock

In the early 2000s, the Korean government mandated the construction of only zero-energy residential buildings by 2025 and for non-residential buildings from 2030. Two decades since the start of building energy policy enforcement, Korean experts believe that it is time to evaluate its impact. However, few studies have systematically and extensively examined the energy consumption characteristics of the non-residential building stock. In this study, a framework development is implemented for defining non-residential prototypical office buildings based on Korea’s first large-scale non-residential building survey result from the Korea Energy Economics Institute (KEEI). Then, a detailed building energy model of the defined prototypical building is constructed to verify the model’s energy estimation against observed energy consumption. As an application of the model, a case study for energy policy evaluation utilizing the constructed prototypical building model is presented. Every researcher and county may have their own circumstances when gathering definition data. However, by using the best available representative data, this suggested framework may result in informed decisions regarding energy policy development and evaluation. In addition, the mitigation of greenhouse gases from buildings may be expedited.

scholarly journals Global Scenarios of Resource and Emissions Savings from Systemic Material Efficiency in Buildings and Cars

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Pauliuk ◽  
Niko Heeren ◽  
Peter Berrill ◽  
Tomer Fishman ◽  
Andrea Nistad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Material Flows ◽  
Passenger Vehicles ◽  
Material Efficiency ◽  
Service Efficiency ◽  
Operational Energy

Abstract Material production now accounts for 23% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Resource efficiency and circular economy policies promise emission reductions through reducing material use, but their potential contribution to climate change mitigation has not yet been quantified. Here we present a high-resolution approach for tracking material flows and energy use of products throughout their life cycles, focusing on passenger vehicles and residential buildings. We estimate future changes in material flows and operational energy use due to increased yields, light-weight designs, material substitution, increased service efficiency, extended service life, and increased reuse and recycling. Together, these material efficiency strategies can reduce cumulative global GHG emissions until 2060 by 16-39 Gt CO2e (passenger vehicles) and 28-72 Gt CO2e (residential buildings), depending on climate policy assumptions. The use of wood and more intensive use are promising strategies in residential buildings. Ride sharing and car sharing are best for residential buildings.

Research on the Appropriate Technology of Green Residences Design in Eastern Henan

2014 ◽  
Vol 584-586 ◽  
pp. 845-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Min Shi ◽  
Dan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Architectural Design ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
National Level ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Low Carbon

In early 2013, the State Council promulgated the "green building action plan" .This means that the green building will be implemented from the national level in the future and it is of great significance to reduce energy consumption and to promote the development of energy-saving, green and low carbon architecture. In this paper, the suitable method and strategy of green residential building design in the Eastern Henan which based on the analysis of the planning and layout, architectural design, energy utilization and construction methods of existing residential buildings in the area are expounded through the analysis of the entire process of the construction of residential building.

scholarly journals Assessment of Green Practices in Residential Buildings: A Survey-Based Empirical Study of Residents in Kazakhstan

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serik Tokbolat ◽  
Ferhat Karaca ◽  
Serdar Durdyev ◽  
Farnush Nazipov ◽  
Ilyas Aidyngaliyev
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Carbon Emissions Reduction ◽  
Residential Building Stock ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions ◽  
The Government

In the lead-up to the Paris climate change conference, the majority of the UN Member States submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions on carbon emissions reduction to be met by 2030. Kazakhstan is no exception. The government made pledges and, therefore, has to adapt its national policies and regulations to meet the set ambitious goals. In this regard, the role of residential building sector is of the utmost importance due to its significant share in the country’s energy consumption and carbon emissions profile. Thus, this study presents the types of residential buildings available and assesses how far they are from meeting the green building (GB) indicators set in various certification schemes and standards. This would help in suggesting practical steps to improve the sustainability levels of the residential building stock of Kazakhstan. This study collected a robust set of data on existing residential buildings in Astana, chosen as a case study location, classified them and, based on a developed checklist, evaluated their performance compared to GB standards. The study has found that old buildings tend to have a rather poor level of sustainability, whereas the sustainability of new buildings depends on the class of the building—steadily increasing from economy to premium class in all categories of the checklist. A detailed analysis of the results has led to the development of recommendations on how each type of building should be improved to meet the GB standards.

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