Environmental Impacts of Multi-Storey Buildings Using Different ...
Environmental Impacts of Multi-Storey Buildings Using Different ... Environmental Impacts of Multi-Storey Buildings Using Different ...
- 54 -6.3 Life Cycle Assessment of the Four Building Designs6.3.1 GoalThe goal of this study is to calculate the environmental impacts (energy consumption andGlobal Warming Potential) of four alternative designs of a theoretical office building locatedon the University of Canterbury campus.The four designs are composed of three different structural materials; Concrete, Steel andTimber. In addition a variant called TimberPlus has been examined, in which the use of woodhas been maximised to the highest practical level.The study includes the initial production of the required materials to construct the building, amaintenance schedule where some building materials are replaced over the lifetime of thebuilding, impacts related to the operational energy, and the end-of-life of the four buildings.In addition to the overall goal, scenario analysis and sensitivity tests were carried out. Thescenario analysis examined different end-of-life scenarios, as well as the impact of differentlocations of the buildings with regard to changes in transport distances.The end-of-life scenarios include a base scenario where all waste is landfilled compared witha scenario in which the building materials are reused. This includes combustion of all woodmaterials and recycling of structural concrete and steel. Scenarios for transport distances lookat the location of the building in Christchurch (base scenario), Wellington, and Auckland.The end-of-life and transport scenarios are described in more detail in sections 6.3.3.3 and6.3.3.4.Finally, the results of the study are analysed and compared with an assessment of thebuildings using the current Green Star NZ assessment tool introduced by the New ZealandGreen Building Council (NZGBC). Green Star NZ is an environmental rating system forbuildings. Green Star for office buildings was released in April 2007 and evaluates buildingprojects against eight environmental impact categories, plus innovation. The goal of thisanalysis is to show how the same commercial building would rate using Green Star comparedto a life cycle based approach, as it is applied in Life Cycle Assessment.6.3.2 ScopeThe scope of the study includes a clear description of the system under analysis, thefunctional unit, system boundaries and data quality as well as the intended audience andapplication of the results.6.3.2.1 Functional UnitThe results of the study are related to an office building with gross area 4,247 m 2 on sixfloors, located in Christchurch and used over a period of 60 years. Four designs of thebuilding have been considered.
- 55 -6.3.2.2 System BoundariesThe system boundaries applied in this study were “cradle to grave”, which means that allimpacts of manufacturing the building products, their transport, the use phase of the building,and the disposal of the product after its useful life were considered. Upstream processes suchas the production of diesel used in transport as well as the emissions of the truck have beentaken into account, including all related environmental impacts. This also applies to theprovision of natural gas for heating and electricity.The actual construction and demolition of the building are not taken into account because theyare considered to be negligible (Kellenberger and Althaus, 2008).The results of the study are shown for the following stages of the life cycle:• production of building materials• transport to building siteo base scenario: building located in Christchurcho alternative scenarios: Wellington and Auckland• use of building over 60 yearso maintenanceo electricity for lighting, heating, appliances and coolingo natural gas for heating and hot water• transport of demolition materials to landfill or recycling• end-of-lifeo base scenario: landfill• including operation of landfill, e.g. bulldozers to shift material onlandfill.• carbon storage (sequestration) of timber, taking into account somedecay and release of carbon in form of carbon dioxide or methane.o reutilisation scenario – combustion of all timber in cogeneration to produceheat and electricity which displace electricity from the NZ grid and heat fromnatural gas as well as recycling of all structural concrete and steel.All stages of the life cycle as well as the scenarios are described in detail in the inventoryanalysis.6.3.2.3 Data QualityTwo aspects with regard to data quality need to be considered:• input – output data, i.e. quantities of materials used and transport distances• life cycle inventory data, i.e. emissions and energy required for the production of thematerials or generation of electricityThe data quality for both aspects of this research report can be described as high quality data.The input-output data is based on calculations - because the study has been undertaken forfour theoretical buildings, the material consumption could not be measured on site.
- Page 5 and 6: ContentsGlossary...................
- Page 7 and 8: 6.3.4.3 Maintenance related embodie
- Page 9 and 10: - 9 -GlossaryCO 2 stored - refers t
- Page 11 and 12: - 11 -Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Ch
- Page 13 and 14: - 13 -An alternative end-of-life sc
- Page 15 and 16: - 15 -designers and a shortage of b
- Page 17 and 18: - 17 -• Ministry for the Environm
- Page 19 and 20: - 19 -which it can be fashioned to
- Page 21 and 22: - 21 -For fire safety, the New Zeal
- Page 23 and 24: - 23 -buildings for low seismic are
- Page 25 and 26: - 25 -4 The Buildings4.1 Constructi
- Page 27 and 28: - 27 -the building. The basement le
- Page 29 and 30: - 29 -4.3.2 Common Design Principle
- Page 31 and 32: - 31 -Figure 4.5: South-west façad
- Page 33 and 34: - 33 -the three longitudinal frames
- Page 35 and 36: - 35 -4.3.5.2 Floor and RoofThe str
- Page 37 and 38: - 37 -4.4 Multi-Storey Timber Build
- Page 39 and 40: - 39 -Several different solutions h
- Page 41 and 42: - 41 -5 Operational Energy5.1 Gener
- Page 43 and 44: - 43 -Table 5.1: Simulation inputs
- Page 45 and 46: - 45 -Table 5.3: Areas of office en
- Page 47 and 48: - 47 -Modifying the design to achie
- Page 49 and 50: - 49 -• Standards New Zealand (NZ
- Page 51 and 52: - 51 -6 Life Cycle Assessment6.1 In
- Page 53: - 53 -6.2.3.3 Impact AssessmentThe
- Page 57 and 58: - 57 -For more information see:http
- Page 59 and 60: - 59 -6.3.3 Inventory Analysis6.3.3
- Page 61 and 62: - 61 -Table 6.2: Net tonnes CO 2 eq
- Page 63 and 64: - 63 -Growing timber takes up CO 2
- Page 65 and 66: - 65 -6.3.4 Impact AssessmentTotal
- Page 67 and 68: - 67 -8000700060005000GWP (t CO2 eq
- Page 69 and 70: - 69 -As explained above, carbon st
- Page 71 and 72: - 71 -Figure 6.10: Total embodied e
- Page 73 and 74: - 73 -Table 6.9: Total GWP of each
- Page 75 and 76: - 75 -8,0007,0006,0005,000GWP (t CO
- Page 77 and 78: - 77 -45000400003500030000GWP (kg C
- Page 79 and 80: - 79 -assumed to be identical for t
- Page 81 and 82: - 81 -6.4.3.2 Green Star Recycling
- Page 83 and 84: - 83 -Table 6.16: Green Star result
- Page 85 and 86: - 85 -The contribution of initial e
- Page 87 and 88: - 87 -results, the reutilisation sc
- Page 89 and 90: - 89 -7.1.1 Platform and Balloon Co
- Page 91 and 92: - 91 -buildings has been analysed a
- Page 93 and 94: - 93 -Figure 7.5: Construction sche
- Page 95 and 96: - 95 -8.2 Source and Availability o
- Page 97 and 98: - 97 -It would be incorrect, howeve
- Page 99 and 100: - 99 -8.5 Additional Opportunities
- Page 101 and 102: - 101 -example, removal of CCA trea
- Page 103 and 104: - 103 -The Waste Minimisation Bill
- 55 -6.3.2.2 System BoundariesThe system boundaries applied in this study were “cradle to grave”, which means that allimpacts <strong>of</strong> manufacturing the building products, their transport, the use phase <strong>of</strong> the building,and the disposal <strong>of</strong> the product after its useful life were considered. Upstream processes suchas the production <strong>of</strong> diesel used in transport as well as the emissions <strong>of</strong> the truck have beentaken into account, including all related environmental impacts. This also applies to theprovision <strong>of</strong> natural gas for heating and electricity.The actual construction and demolition <strong>of</strong> the building are not taken into account because theyare considered to be negligible (Kellenberger and Althaus, 2008).The results <strong>of</strong> the study are shown for the following stages <strong>of</strong> the life cycle:• production <strong>of</strong> building materials• transport to building siteo base scenario: building located in Christchurcho alternative scenarios: Wellington and Auckland• use <strong>of</strong> building over 60 yearso maintenanceo electricity for lighting, heating, appliances and coolingo natural gas for heating and hot water• transport <strong>of</strong> demolition materials to landfill or recycling• end-<strong>of</strong>-lifeo base scenario: landfill• including operation <strong>of</strong> landfill, e.g. bulldozers to shift material onlandfill.• carbon storage (sequestration) <strong>of</strong> timber, taking into account somedecay and release <strong>of</strong> carbon in form <strong>of</strong> carbon dioxide or methane.o reutilisation scenario – combustion <strong>of</strong> all timber in cogeneration to produceheat and electricity which displace electricity from the NZ grid and heat fromnatural gas as well as recycling <strong>of</strong> all structural concrete and steel.All stages <strong>of</strong> the life cycle as well as the scenarios are described in detail in the inventoryanalysis.6.3.2.3 Data QualityTwo aspects with regard to data quality need to be considered:• input – output data, i.e. quantities <strong>of</strong> materials used and transport distances• life cycle inventory data, i.e. emissions and energy required for the production <strong>of</strong> thematerials or generation <strong>of</strong> electricityThe data quality for both aspects <strong>of</strong> this research report can be described as high quality data.The input-output data is based on calculations - because the study has been undertaken forfour theoretical buildings, the material consumption could not be measured on site.
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