scholarly journals LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND SHORT-TERM MEASUREMENTS OF INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF A WOODEN FAMILY HOUSE

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Vilčeková ◽  
Katarína Harčárová ◽  
Andrea Moňoková ◽  
Eva Krídlová Burdová
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Family House

Nowadays, there is an increased trend in the construction of nearly zero energy buildings which can be also characterized as green buildings. Several studies confirm that wooden buildings fulfil these requirements. However, there is no detailed research related to the quality of the indoor environment in new wooden family houses. For this reason, this paper focuses on monitoring of the indoor environmental quality in a selected wooden family house. Short-term measurements are aimed at investigation of physical parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and noise) and chemical factors such as concentrations of particulate matters and CO2. At the same time, environmental impacts were also assessed for impact categories such as: global warming potential (GWP), ozone depletion potential (ODP) acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP) ex-pressed as kilogram CO2eq, CFC11eq, SO2eq, PO43–eq and kilogram of C2H4eq within “Cradle to Grave” boundary by using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The main contribution of this study is demonstration that wooden build-ings have substantial share in the reduction of environmental impacts. So far, results indicate that the design of wooden houses correspond with the increasing demands of occupants in terms of environmental, social and energy performance.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment and Indoor Environmental Quality of Wooden Family Houses

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10557
Author(s):  
Silvia Vilčeková ◽  
Katarína Harčárová ◽  
Andrea Moňoková ◽  
Eva Krídlová Burdová
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Concrete Structures ◽  
Actual State ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Suitable Alternative ◽  
Wooden Frame ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Impact

This article analyzes in detail the impact of wooden houses on the environment using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and at the same time evaluates the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in these houses. The investigated detached family houses had a wooden structure. The first one had a bearing system made of a wooden frame; other materials were conventional. The second house was built entirely of log wood. Given the high risk of greenhouse gas emissions, the concentration of which in the atmosphere is causing global climate change, the global warming potential (GWP) indicator is crucial. According to results, the family house built entirely of wood and with a biomass boiler significantly reduces CO2 emissions and is therefore considered from the LCA point of view as a more suitable alternative compared to a house with a wooden frame structure. The building materials with the highest share involved in the creation of GWP include concrete structures (38–48%), ceramic roof tiles (33%) and plasterboard (15%). Plasterboard cladding (55%), concrete structures (17–19%), oriented strand board OSB (9–22%), impregnated wooden structures (31–52%) and plastic windows (9%) are the most involved in acidification potential (AP) and eutrophication potential (EP). Plasterboard structures (21%), impregnated wood materials (47.4%), reinforced concrete structures (12%) and mineral wool and roof tiles significantly contribute to the creation of photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP). The indoor environmental quality was evaluated through short-term measurements of basic physico-chemical parameters. Since both houses have different characteristics, the aim of this monitoring was to evaluate the actual state of IEQ in selected wooden houses under real conditions. Based on the recorded results, it can be stated that neither presented wooden house, in terms of thermal-humidity microclimate, concentration of CO2 and particulate matter, represents an environment with a negative impact on their occupants. With regards to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the increased concentrations of xylenes and tetrachlorethylene in the log house were probably caused by the application of impregnation and protective coatings six months before monitoring. In this case, the concentration of tetrachloroethene, which is considered a potential carcinogen, was six times higher than the legislative limit. For VOCs, such as limonene, isobutylene and n-butylacetate, which were found in the wooden frame house, no limits are set. The legislative limits for xylenes and tetrachlorethylene in this house have not been exceeded, and therefore the IEQ cannot yet be considered harmful for health. The presence of all the mentioned VOCs in the interior air of the wooden frame house is more related to the activities of occupants, as this house has been inhabited for several years.

scholarly journals Importance of building services in ecological building assessments

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 03061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Lambertz ◽  
Sebastian Theißen ◽  
Jannick Höper ◽  
Reinhard Wimmer
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Simplified Approach ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Building Life Cycle

The new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2018 and the GebäudeEnergieGesetz (GEG) tightened the requirements for energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources in buildings at EU and national levels. Environmental impacts from manufacturing, dismantling and recycling of buildings are not taken into account. Green Building Certification Systems, such as the DGNB or BNB systems, are therefore the only ones that (voluntarily) set holistic, ecological requirements for buildings. Based on a Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment, the entire building life cycle and its environmental effects are evaluated. While building services in this context are usually only included in such a simplified approach, the full scope of the produced environmental impacts are underestimated and misjudged for the reduction of emissions and other environmental impacts. This publication uses the results of a life cycle assessment of a typical office building (in Germany) to show the amount of influence building services have on environmental impacts of buildings. Furthermore the study shows an approach how the very high pro-curement and calculation effort of LCA can be reduced by linking the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Method and LCA models to enable a significantly more efficient and easier calculation process, es-pecially for building services.

scholarly journals Integrated Lighting Efficiency Analysis in Large Industrial Buildings to Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dusan Katunsky ◽  
Erika Dolnikova ◽  
Saeed Doroudiani
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Industrial Buildings ◽  
Industrial Architecture ◽  
Present Part ◽  
Indoor Lighting

The physical parameters related to indoor lighting in large industrial halls in winter and summer periods were analyzed using in situ measurements and computational methods. Here, we present part of our observations from a comprehensive research on indoor environmental quality of industrial halls with the aims of saving energy and providing a comfortable environment for the workers. The results showed that the procedures used for evaluation of residential or office buildings may not be used for industrial buildings. We also observed that the criteria for occupants’ comforts for indoor industrial buildings may differ from those of other kinds of buildings. Based on these results, an adequate attention is required while designing the industrial buildings. For this reason, appropriate evaluation methods and criteria should be created. Manufacturing halls are integral parts of industrial architecture, including buildings for light industries. Workers spend a substantial part of the time indoor; therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to design, construction, and evaluation of internal spaces of buildings and the occupants’ comfort. The focus must be given particularly to heating and cooling, moisture, and lighting microclimate. We present some observations from evaluation of internal environmental quality of industrial halls with priority on daylighting in combination with the integral lighting.

Comparing environmental impacts of additive manufacturing vs traditional machining via life-cycle assessment

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Faludi ◽  
Cindy Bayley ◽  
Suraj Bhogal ◽  
Myles Iribarne
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Surface Finish ◽  
Numerical Control ◽  
Cutting Fluid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electricity Use

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to compare the environmental impacts of two additive manufacturing machines to a traditional computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine to determine which method is the most sustainable. Design/methodology/approach – A life-cycle assessment (LCA) was performed, comparing a Haas VF0 CNC mill to two methods of additive manufacturing: a Dimension 1200BST FDM and an Objet Connex 350 “inkjet”/“polyjet”. The LCA’s functional unit was the manufacturing of two specific parts in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic or similar polymer, as required by the machines. The scope was cradle to grave, including embodied impacts, transportation, energy used during manufacturing, energy used while idling and in standby, material used in final parts, waste material generated, cutting fluid for CNC, and disposal. Several scenarios were considered, all scored using the ReCiPe Endpoint H and IMPACT 2002+ methodologies. Findings – Results showed that the sustainability of additive manufacturing vs CNC machining depends primarily on the per cent utilization of each machine. Higher utilization both reduces idling energy use and amortizes the embodied impacts of each machine. For both three-dimensional (3D) printers, electricity use is always the dominant impact, but for CNC at maximum utilization, material waste became dominant, and cutting fluid was roughly on par with electricity use. At both high and low utilization, the fused deposition modeling (FDM) machine had the lowest ecological impacts per part. The inkjet machine sometimes performed better and sometimes worse than CNC, depending on idle time/energy and on process parameters. Research limitations/implications – The study only compared additive manufacturing in plastic, and did not include other additive manufacturing technologies, such as selective laser sintering or stereolithography. It also does not include post-processing that might bring the surface finish of FDM parts up to the quality of inkjet or CNC parts. Practical implications – Designers and engineers seeking to minimize the environmental impacts of their prototypes should share high-utilization machines, and are advised to use FDM machines over CNC mills or polyjet machines if they provide sufficient quality of surface finish. Originality/value – This is the first paper quantitatively comparing the environmental impacts of additive manufacturing with traditional machining. It also provides a more comprehensive measurement of environmental impacts than most studies of either milling or additive manufacturing alone – it includes not merely CO2 emissions or waste but also acidification, eutrophication, human toxicity, ecotoxicity and other impact categories. Designers, engineers and job shop managers may use the results to guide sourcing or purchasing decisions related to rapid prototyping.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Environmental Impacts and Energy Performance of a Wind Farm System Utilizing the Life-Cycle Assessment Method: A Practical Case Study

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed R. Gomaa ◽  
Hegazy Rezk ◽  
Ramadan J. Mustafa ◽  
Mujahed Al-Dhaifallah
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Wind Farm ◽  
Wind Farms ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Practical Case ◽  
Energy Payback

The ever-increasing popularity of finding alternative forms of renewable energy has seen an increased interest and utilization of wind energy. The objective of this research therefore, is to evaluate the environmental impacts and energy performance of wind farms. This study was operationalized in Jordan using a life-cycle assessment (LCA) method. The environmental impact is evaluated through lifecycle emissions that include all emissions during various phases of the project. The energy performance is illustrated by the energy indicators. The latter is the energy payback ratio (EPR) and the energy payback time (EPT). This study was conducted on a 38 Vestas V112 3-MW wind turbine located in the southern region of Tafilah in Jordan that is host to the country’s first wind farm. SimaPro 7.1 software was used as the modeling platform. Data for this study were collated from various sources, including, manufacturers, the wind turbine farm, and local subcontractors. A software database was used for the modeling process, and the data obtained modeled in accordance with ISO 14040 standards. The findings of this study indicate that the impacts of the transportation and installation phases were moderate, with the largest negative environmental impact deriving from the manufacturing phase. To remedy some of the negative impacts in these phases, green cement was used for the turbine foundation to limit the environmental impacts to be had during the installation phase, while the transportation phase saw the utilization of locally-manufactured turbines. Furthermore, an evaluation of the study’s results revealed that the energy payback period of the wind farm is approximately 0.69 year (8 months), while the payback ratio is 29, and the annual CO2 saving estimated to be at 2.23 × 108 kg, 3.02 × 108 kg, 3.10 × 108 kg for an annual generated power of 371, 501, and 515 GWh/year.

scholarly journals The Use of Life Cycle Assessment in the Support of the Development of Fungal Food Products from Surplus Bread

Fermentation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
Pedro Brancoli ◽  
Rebecca Gmoser ◽  
Mohammad Taherzadeh ◽  
Kim Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Solid State ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Solid State Fermentation ◽  
Food Product ◽  
Additional Income ◽  
Promising Avenue

The use of food waste as feedstock in the manufacture of high-value products is a promising avenue to contribute to circular economy. Considering that the majority of environmental impacts of products are determined in the early phases of product development, it is crucial to integrate life cycle assessment during these phases. This study integrates environmental considerations in the development of solid-state fermentation based on the cultivation of N. intermedia for the production of a fungal food product using surplus bread as a substrate. The product can be sold as a ready-to-eat meal to reduce waste while generating additional income. Four inoculation scenarios were proposed, based on the use of bread, molasses, and glucose as substrate, and one scenario based on backslopping. The environmental performance was assessed, and the quality of the fungal product was evaluated in terms of morphology and protein content. The protein content of the fungal food product was similar in all scenarios, varying from 25% to 29%. The scenario based on backslopping showed the lowest environmental impacts while maintaining high protein content. The results show that the inoculum production and the solid-state fermentation are the two environmental hotspots and should be in focus when optimizing the process.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Energy Efficiency of a Solar Thermal Installation in a Family House

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2305
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Košičan ◽  
Miguel Ángel Pardo Picazo ◽  
Silvia Vilčeková ◽  
Danica Košičanová
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Efficient Alternative ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Family House

Designing solar strategies is a powerful step forward to set up an adequate residential house in terms of energy. Many types of research have simulated the energy needs for residential buildings. Designing an improper installation can contribute to a growth in the overall energy expenditure in ensuring thermal comfort. The use of solar thermal processes in Slovakia is on a rise as compared to recent years. This study models twelve solar water heating systems created on the roof of the household. Solar energy techniques are carried out to comply with the demands of heating and domestic hot water. The analysis deals with the most efficient alternative for the arranged solar systems of the building. Considering these installations and the corresponding overall prices of machinery, the best workable alternative is selected. The potential energy performance of auxiliary heating and the energy output of the solar thermal installation are examined. The required amounts of the different energy contributions are modelled and simulated in specific software for a family house in Kosice, Slovakia. We determine the limits of the design for an apartment and analyse which procedure is used to provide the typical average water expenditure and heating need, covering a multi-criteria analysis considering costs, energy, and life cycle analysis of every installation. This approach can support professionals to decide the best scheme considering these criteria, and this method can be satisfactorily applied. In these conditions, converting a conventional gas boiler into a solar thermal system involves monthly economic savings of around EUR 140–250, with payback periods of 2.5–7 years. The energy requirements are fully covered by the solar thermal schemes and the life cycle assessment resulted in reasonable impacts on the environment.

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