André Stephan

A multi-scale life-cycle energy and greenhouse-gas emissions analysis model for residential buildings

Current assessments of residential building energy demand focus mainly on their operational aspect, notably in terms of space heating and cooling. The embodied energy of buildings and the transport energy consumption of their occupants are typically overlooked. Recent studies have shown that these two energy demands can represent more than half of the life-cycle energy of a building over 50 years. This study presents a holistic model and software tool which take into account energy requirements at the building scale, i.e. the embodied and operational energy of the building and its refurbishment, and at the urban scale, i.e. the embodied energy of nearby infrastructures (roads, power lines, etc.) and the transport energy (direct and indirect) of its occupants. All associated greenhouse-gas emissions are also quantified. A case study, located near Melbourne, Australia, confirms that each of the embodied, operational and transport requirements is nearly equally significant. Embodied and transport energy consumptions represent on average 63% of the life-cycle energy and 60% of the life-cycle greenhouse-gas emissions. The developed holistic model provides building designers, planners and decision-makers with a powerful means to reduce the overall energy consumption and associated greenhouse-gas emissions of residential buildings.

A comprehensive life cycle water analysis framework for residential buildings

Most studies on the environmental performance of buildings focus on energy demand and associated greenhouse gas emissions. They often neglect to consider the range of other resource demands and environmental impacts associated with buildings, including water. Studies that assess water use in buildings typically consider only operational water, which excludes the embodied water in building materials or the water associated with the mobility of building occupants. A new framework is presented that quantifies water requirements at the building scale (i.e. the embodied and operational water of the building as well as its maintenance and refurbishment) and at the city scale (i.e. the embodied water of nearby infrastructures such as roads, gas distribution and others) and the transport-related indirect water use of building occupants. A case study house located in Melbourne, Australia, is analysed using the new framework. The results show that each of the embodied, operational and transport requirements is nearly equally important. By integrating these three water requirements, the developed framework provides architects, building designers, planners and decision-makers with a powerful means to understand and effectively reduce the overall water use and associated environmental impacts of residential buildings.

Embodied Carbon in Buildings: An Australian Perspective

Australia is at the forefront of the development of embodied carbon quantification techniques. This chapter explores the current status of these developments within the global context of embodied carbon assessment. It covers the evolving techniques of multi-region input-output (MRIO) analysis and hybrid analysis, as well as Australian data sources for estimating the carbon embodied within buildings. Current regulations relating to embodied carbon in Australia are discussed, and several case studies provide examples of current approaches that are being used to optimise embodied carbon within Australia’s buildings. This chapter concludes by offering a pathway for advancing the current awareness and development of embodied carbon tools, data, and policy within Australia as we strive towards the ultimate goal of ‘net-positive life cycle carbon’ buildings.