A method to evaluate the life cycle environmental impacts of double skin facades in refurbishments

Pomponi, Francesco; Ip, Kenneth; Oxizidis, Simeon

Abstract

Refurbishment of existing buildings represents a major challenge for the UK Government to meet the greenhouse gases (GHG) target. Double Skin Façades are one possible solution for low-carbon façade retrofit of existing non-domestic buildings. Available research mainly focused on the operational energy, overlooking the embodied energy which often accounts for up to 50% of the life cycle energy. Due to the lack of available tools with a specific focus to assess life cycle environmental performances of composite materials, a ISO-compliant method has been developed. A review of current standards and seminal literatures about life cycle assessment of buildings and building façades led to a framework based on elementary life cycle processes and different life cycle stages. Mathematical equations to assess whole-life energy, whole-life carbon, and global warming potential have been derived from those available at a building level. The method proposed diminishes the risk of double counting figures throughout the life cycle study as it follows a consequentiality-based approach. The specific focus on composite materials helps achieve more accurate figures at the material level in the assessment of the life cycle environmental impacts.

Citation

Pomponi, F., Ip, K., & Oxizidis, S. (2014). A method to evaluate the life cycle environmental impacts of double skin facades in refurbishments.

• Conference Name: ARCOM Doctoral Workshop on Sustainable Urban Retrofit and Technologies
• Start Date: Jun 19, 2014
• End Date: Jun 19, 2014
• Acceptance Date: Jun 18, 2014
• Publication Date: Jun 19, 2014
• Deposit Date: Feb 17, 2017
• Keywords: Environmental impact, Life cycle, Refurbishment, Consequential-based approach, Double Skin Façade.
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/686550
• Related Public URLs: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/workshops/2014-06_London.pdf