scholarly journals Environmental and Economic Prioritization of Building Energy Refurbishment Strategies with Life-Cycle Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 3914
Author(s):  
Xabat Oregi ◽  
Rufino Javier Hernández ◽  
Patxi Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Life Cycle Approach ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment Methodology ◽  
Impact Indicator ◽  
Sensitivity Assessment ◽  
The Impact

An increasing number of studies apply life-cycle assessment methodology to assess the impact of a new building or to prioritize between different building refurbishment strategies. Among the different hypotheses to consider during the application of this methodology, the selection of the impact indicator is critical, as this choice will completely change the interpretation of the results. This article proposes applying four indicators that allow analysing the results of a refurbishment project of a residential building with the life-cycle approach: non-renewable primary energy use reduction (NRPER), net energy ratio (NER), internal rate of return (IRR), and life-cycle payback (LC-PB). The combination of environmental and economic indicators when evaluating the results has allowed to prioritize among the different strategies defined for this case study. Furthermore, an extensive sensitivity assessment reflects the high uncertainty of some of the parameters and their high influence on the final results. To this end, new hypotheses related to the following parameters have been considered: reference service life of the building, estimated service life of material, operational energy use, conversion factor, energy price, and inflation rate. The results show that the NRPE use reduction value could vary up to −44%. The variation of the other indicators is also very relevant, reaching variation rates such as 100% in the NER, 450% in the IRR, and 300% in the LC-PB. Finally, the results allow to define the type of input or hypothesis that influences each indicator the most, which is relevant when calibrating the prioritization process for the refurbishment strategy.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Energy and Environmental Assessment of the Thermal Insulation Improvement in Residential Buildings

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3452
Author(s):  
Maria Anna Cusenza ◽  
Teresa Maria Gulotta ◽  
Marina Mistretta ◽  
Maurizio Cellura
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Cellulose Fibers ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment Methodology ◽  
Stone Wool ◽  
The Impact

The refurbishment of the building stock is a key strategy towards the achievement of the climate and energy goals of the European Union. This study aims at evaluating the energy and environmental impacts associated with retrofitting a residential apartment to improve its vertical envelope thermal insulation. Two insulation materials, stone wool and cellulose fibers, are compared. The life cycle assessment methodology is applied assuming 1 m2 of retrofitted vertical envelope as functional unit. Moreover, to estimate the net energy and environmental benefits achievable in the retrofitted scenario compared with the non-retrofitted one, a second analysis is performed in which the system boundaries are expanded to include the building operational phase, and 1 m2 of walkable floor per year is assumed as reference. The results show that the use of cellulose fibers involve lower impacts in most of the assessed categories compared to stone wool, except for abiotic resource depletion. In detail, the use of cellulose fibers allows to reduce the impact on climate change up to 20% and the consumption of primary energy up to 10%. The evaluation of the net energy and environmental benefits shows the effectiveness of the retrofit energy policies.

scholarly journals A Passive Wood-Based Building in Slovakia: Exploring the Life Cycle Impact

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1613
Author(s):  
Rozália Vaňová ◽  
Rastislav Igaz ◽  
Miroslav Němec ◽  
Jaroslava Štefková ◽  
Jozef Štefko
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Foam Glass ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment Methodology ◽  
Operational Energy ◽  
Considerable Impact ◽  
The Impact

The aim of the study is to point out the burden of passive wood-based buildings throughout the life cycle from the environmental point of view to better understand the consequences and importance of building design in Slovakia. The analysis was carried out according to the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. The results were calculated by the CML-IA baseline method. The impacts of the product stage and operational energy use were the highest throughout the considered life cycle. Substances contributing to eleven impact categories were identified. Foundations, especially foam glass, were found to bear the majority of the impact of the overall construction materials. The normalization category showed considerable impact on marine aquatic ecotoxicity mainly due to building energy consumption over the course of 50 years. Loads connected to the replacement stage were the third highest. The study also proved high demand on elements of photovoltaics.

scholarly journals Indicator-Based Methodology for Assessing EV Charging Infrastructure Using Exploratory Data Analysis

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Lucas ◽  
Giuseppe Prettico ◽  
Marco Flammini ◽  
Evangelos Kotsakis ◽  
Gianluca Fulli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Spatial Density ◽  
Carbon Intensity ◽  
Impact Indicator ◽  
Charging Infrastructure ◽  
Smart Charging ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ev Charging

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure rollout is well under way in several power systems, namely North America, Japan, Europe, and China. In order to support EV charging infrastructures design and operation, little attempt has been made to develop indicator-based methods characterising such networks across different regions. This study defines an assessment methodology, composed by eight indicators, allowing a comparison among EV public charging infrastructures. The proposed indicators capture the following: energy demand from EVs, energy use intensity, charger’s intensity distribution, the use time ratios, energy use ratios, the nearest neighbour distance between chargers and availability, the total service ratio, and the carbon intensity as an environmental impact indicator. We apply the methodology to a dataset from ElaadNL, a reference smart charging provider in The Netherlands, using open source geographic information system (GIS) and R software. The dataset reveals higher energy intensity in six urban areas and that 50% of energy supplied comes from 19.6% of chargers. Correlations of spatial density are strong and nearest neighbouring distances range from 1101 to 9462 m. Use time and energy use ratios are 11.21% and 3.56%. The average carbon intensity is 4.44 gCO2eq/MJ. Finally, the indicators are used to assess the impact of relevant public policies on the EV charging infrastructure use and roll-out.

scholarly journals Criticality and LCA – Building comparison values to show the impact of criticality on LCA

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Björn Koch ◽  
Fernando Peñaherrera ◽  
Alexandra Pehlken
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Resource Consumption ◽  
Impact Indicator ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Critical Materials ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Abiotic Depletion

Including criticality into Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has always been challenging to achieve but desirable to accomplish. In this article, we present a new approach for the evaluation of resource consumption of products by building comparison values based on Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) combined with weighted criticality values to show the direct impacts of criticality on LCA results. For this purpose, we develop an impact indicator based on the Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP) of natural resources and use the two main parameters defined by the EU to determine the criticality of a material - the economic importance and the supply risk – in our case studies to build the Criticality Weighted Abiotic Depletion Potentials (CWADPs), one for each parameter. These indicators allow identifying and measuring the impacts of criticality when comparing the results of resource depletion using the ADP methodology and the results that incorporate criticality. The comparison of the CWADPs to the corresponding EU criticality values and its thresholds it reflects the equivalent criticality of the assessed product. This information reflects the impacts of criticality on LCA and assesses the total resource consumption of critical materials in a system.Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment, criticality, resources, materials, sustainability indicator

scholarly journals The Impact of Climate Change on the Value of Growing Maize as a Biofuel

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Sally Olasogba ◽  
Les DUCKERS
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
The Impact

Abstract: Aim: According to COP23, Climate Change threatens the stability of the planet’s ecosystems, with a tipping point believed to be at only +2°C.  With the burning of fossil fuels, held responsible for the release of much of the greenhouse gases, a sensible world- wide strategy is to replace fossil fuel energy sources with renewable ones. The renewable resources such as wind, hydro, geothermal, wave and tidal energies are found in particular geographical locations whereas almost every country is potentially able to exploit PV and biomass. This paper examines the role that changing climate could have on the growing and processing of biomass. The primary concern is that future climates could adversely affect the yield of crops, and hence the potential contribution of biomass to the strategy to combat climate change. Maize, a C4 crop, was selected for the study because it can be processed into biogas or other biofuels. Four different Nigerian agricultural zones growing maize were chosen for the study. Long-term weather data was available for the four sites and this permitted the modelling of future climates. Design / Research methods: The results of this study come from modelling future climates and applying this to crop models. This unique work, which has integrated climate change and crop modelling to forecast yield and carbon emissions, reveals how maize responds to the predicted increased temperature, change in rainfall, and the variation in weather patterns. In order to fully assess a biomass crop, the full energy cycle and carbon emissions were estimated based on energy and materials inputs involved in farm management: fertilizer application, and tillage type. For maize to support the replacement strategy mentioned above it is essential that the ratio of energy output to energy input exceeds 1, but of course it should be as large as possible. Conclusions / findings: Results demonstrate that the influence of climate change is important and in many scenarios, acts to reduce yield, but that the negative effects can be partially mitigated by careful selection of farm management practices. Yield and carbon footprint is particularly sensitive to the application rate of fertilizer across all locations whilst climate change is the causal driver for the increase in net energy and carbon footprint at most locations. Nonetheless, in order to ensure a successful strategic move towards a low carbon future, and sustainable implementation of biofuel policies, this study provides valuable information for the Nigerian government and policy makers on potential AEZs to cultivate maize under climate change. Further research on the carbon footprint of alternative bioenergy feedstock to assess their environmental carbon footprint and net energy is strongly suggested. Originality / value of the article: This paper extends the review on the impact of climate change on maize production to include future impacts on net energy use and carbon footprint using a fully integrated assessment framework. Most studies focus only on current farm energy use and historical climate change impact on farm GHG emissions.   

scholarly journals The Impact of Different Insulation Options on the Life Cycle Energy Demands of a Hypothetical Residential Building

2017 ◽  
Vol 180 ◽  
pp. 128-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toktam Bashirzadeh Tabrizi ◽  
Glen Hill ◽  
Mathew Aitchison
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
The Impact

Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Life Cycle of CdTe Photovoltaics

2005 ◽  
Vol 895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasilis Fthenakis ◽  
Hyung Chul Kim
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Energy Payback ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Total Life

AbstractThe life cycle of the thin film CdTe PV modules in the U.S. have been investigated based on materials and energy inventories for a commercial 25 MW/yr production plant. The energy payback times (EPBT) of these modules are 0.75 years and the GHG emissions are 18 gCO2-eq/kWh for average U.S. solar irradiation conditions. Adding the impact of an optimized ground-level balance of system (BOS), result in a total EPBT of 1.2 years and total life-cycle GHG emissions of 24 gCO2-eq/kWh.

The life cycle approach as an innovative methodology for the recovery and restoration of cultural heritage

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Settembre Blundo ◽  
Anna Maria Ferrari ◽  
Martina Pini ◽  
Maria Pia Riccardi ◽  
José Francisco García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Life Cycle Management ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Life Cycle Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Methodology ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – In this paper, of exploratory character, the purpose of this paper is to propose the analysis of the life cycle for assessing the environmental, economic, and social impact in the activity of recovery, restoration, and valorization of Cultural Heritage. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis protocol is applied to the case of recovery and restoration processes and then outlining the salient features of what may become a model of Cultural Heritage Life Cycle Management (CH-LCM). Findings – The authors propose the approach of the life cycle, normally used to assess the impact of materials, processes or products, to the management of cultural heritage as an innovative methodology with great potential. Originality/value – The methodology for this sector is highly innovative, especially in its interdisciplinary approach, through the use of different technical, historical, and economic skills which can provide the tools for the preparation of a management plan according to the logic of the life cycle.

Recurrent embodied energy and its relationship with service life and life cycle energy

Facilities ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 160-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish K. Dixit ◽  
Charles H. Culp ◽  
Sarel Lavy ◽  
Jose Fernandez-Solis
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Literature Based Discovery

Purpose – The recurrent embodied energy (REE) is the energy consumed in the maintenance, replacement and retrofit processes of a facility. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the relationship of REE with the service life and life cycle embodied energy. The amount of variation in the reported REE values is also determined and discussed. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach that is known as the literature based discovery (LBD) was adopted. Existing literature was surveyed to gather case studies and to analyze the reported values of REE. Findings – The reported values of REE showed considerable variation across referred studies. It was also found that the reported REE values demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with the service life but a very strong positive correlation with the life cycle embodied energy of both the residential and commercial facilities. Research limitations/implications – This review paper pointed out the importance of the maintenance and replacement processes in reducing the life cycle energy use in a facility. Future research could focus on performing case studies to evaluate this relationship. Practical implications – The findings highlight the significance of REE in reducing the life cycle energy impacts of a facility. As facility managers routinely deal with maintenance and replacement processes, they hold an important responsibility of reducing the life cycle energy. Originality/value – The findings of the paper would motivate the facilities management professionals to prefer long service life materials and components during the postconstruction phases of a built facility.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment on Different Synthetic Routes of ZIF-8 Nanomaterials

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4998
Author(s):  
Vasileios Ntouros ◽  
Ioannis Kousis ◽  
Dimitra Papadaki ◽  
Anna Laura Pisello ◽  
Margarita Niki Assimakopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Synthetic Routes ◽  
The Impact

In the last twenty years, research activity around the environmental applications of metal–organic frameworks has bloomed due to their CO2 capture ability, tunable properties, porosity, and well-defined crystalline structure. Thus, hundreds of MOFs have been developed. However, the impact of their production on the environment has not been investigated as thoroughly as their potential applications. In this work, the environmental performance of various synthetic routes of MOF nanoparticles, in particular ZIF-8, is assessed through a life cycle assessment. For this purpose, five representative synthesis routes were considered, and synthesis data were obtained based on available literature. The synthesis included different solvents (de-ionized water, methanol, dimethylformamide) as well as different synthetic steps (i.e., hours of drying, stirring, precursor). The findings revealed that the main environmental weak points identified during production were: (a) the use of dimethylformamide (DMF) and methanol (MeOH) as substances impacting environmental sustainability, which accounted for more than 85% of the overall environmental impacts in those synthetic routes where they were utilized as solvents and as cleaning agents at the same time; (b) the electricity consumption, especially due to the Greek energy mix which is fossil-fuel dependent, and accounted for up to 13% of the overall environmental impacts in some synthetic routes. Nonetheless, for the optimization of the impacts provided by the energy use, suggestions are made based on the use of alternative, cleaner renewable energy sources, which (for the case of wind energy) will decrease the impacts by up to 2%.

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