Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2018) | Viewed by 44228

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Special Issue Editor

Sustainable Engineering Group, School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Interests: sustainable engineering; life cycle assessment; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Buildings are the key components of the society as a complex system. Energy consumption in buildings and for building construction represents more than 30% of global final energy consumption and contributes to nearly 25% of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions worldwide [1]. There are other indirect environmental consequences such as land use changes, loss of bio-diversity, resource scarcity, ozone depletion potential, human toxicity, acidification, and eutrophication associated with an increased demand for construction materials in the building sector. The designer, builders, developers and engineers are thus required to adopt an environmentally responsible approach to their design solutions and construction materials’ specification choices. There are ways to reduce these environmental impacts by considering the use of by-products, recycled materials and clean energy sources in building design. The material choice, building orientation, climatic conditions, building management systems, construction systems (e.g. wood frame, thermal insulating brick, sandwich wall and concrete block with a peripheral insulation), construction practices are key areas to consider to enhance durability and building efficiency. Life cycle assessment has potentially been considered as an environmental management tool to estimate the environmental impacts of the resources applied in the building envelope, floor slabs, and interior walls for green building design and to estimate the amount of environmental impacts that can potentially be mitigated through innovative engineering practices, designs and solutions. This special issue is aimed to cover following topics that are relevant for addressing environmental impacts of the fastest growing building sector.

  • Environmental impacts of building materials
  • Building energy and environments
  • Life cycle assessment and green buildings
  • Environmentally friendly construction practices

References

[1] UNEP, Towards zero-emission efficient and resilient buildings, Global Status Report 2016, prepared by The Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GABC), 2016.

Dr. Wahidul K. Biswas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Building energy management
  • C&D wastes
  • Construction management practices
  • Design and innovation
  • Environmental impacts
  • Life cycle assessment
  • Materials
  • Recycling, reuse and recovery

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 18806 KiB  
Article
Heat Stress Pattern in Conditioned Office Buildings with Shallow Plan Forms in Metropolitan Colombo
by Upendra Rajapaksha
Buildings 2019, 9(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9020035 - 30 Jan 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4606
Abstract
This paper critically evaluates indoor overheating of multilevel office buildings in Colombo—a tropical warm humid city. The work questions the building morphological characteristics on thermal performance and indoor climate, thus the levels of Building Energy Indices (BEI) of air conditioned buildings. Pattern of [...] Read more.
This paper critically evaluates indoor overheating of multilevel office buildings in Colombo—a tropical warm humid city. The work questions the building morphological characteristics on thermal performance and indoor climate, thus the levels of Building Energy Indices (BEI) of air conditioned buildings. Pattern of heat stress on buildings due to building characteristics and its relationship to the BEI were identified. A study of 87 multilevel office buildings contributed to identify two critical cases in shallow plan form with similar morphological characteristics such as wall-to-window ratio, aspect ratio, orientation, occupant and equipment density, and façade architecture. A comprehensive thermal performance investigation on these two critical cases quantified the heat stress patterns on their facades and thus indoor thermal environments. Indoor air temperature during office hours in 3 m × 3 m multizones across the depths and lengths in these two buildings showed deviations up to 10.5 °C above the set point temperature level (24 °C). Findings highlight the severity of heat stress on air conditioned indoor environments and the need to address this issue for energy sustainability of urban office buildings in the tropics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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10 pages, 2822 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Functionalized Aggregate: Enhanced Concrete Performance in Environmental Remediation
by Amer Hakki, Lu Yang, Fazhou Wang, Ammar Elhoweris, Yousef Alhorr and Donald E. Macphee
Buildings 2019, 9(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9020028 - 22 Jan 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3660
Abstract
Engineering of effective photocatalytically active structures is of great importance as it introduces a solution for some existing air pollution problems. This can be practically achieved through the bonding of particulate photocatalysts to the surface of construction materials, such as aggregates, with a [...] Read more.
Engineering of effective photocatalytically active structures is of great importance as it introduces a solution for some existing air pollution problems. This can be practically achieved through the bonding of particulate photocatalysts to the surface of construction materials, such as aggregates, with a suitable stable binding agent. However, the accessibility of the photocatalytically active materials to both the air pollutants and sunlight is an essential issue which must be carefully considered when engineering such structures. Herein, different amounts of commercial TiO2 were supported on the surface of quartz sand, as an example of aggregates, with a layer of silica gel acting as a binder between the photocatalyst and the support. The thus prepared photocatalytically active aggregates were then supported on the surface of mortars to measure their performance for NOx removal. The obtained materials were characterized by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis Absorption Spectroscopy. Very good coverage of the support’s surface with the photocatalyst was successfully achieved as the electron microscopic images showed. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the chemical bonding, i.e., interfacial Ti–O–Si bonds, between the photocatalyst and the silica layer. The photocatalytic activities of the obtained composites were tested for photocatalytic removal of nitrogen oxides, according to the ISO standard method (ISO 22197-1). The obtained aggregate-exposed mortars have shown up to ca. four times higher photocatalytic performance towards NO removal compared to the sample in which the photocatalyst is mixed with cement, however, the nitrate selectivity can be affected by Ti–O–Si bonding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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23 pages, 1783 KiB  
Article
Impact of Service Life on the Environmental Performance of Buildings
by Shahana Y. Janjua, Prabir K. Sarker and Wahidul K. Biswas
Buildings 2019, 9(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9010009 - 02 Jan 2019
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5324
Abstract
The environmental performance assessment of the building and construction sector has been in discussion due to the increasing demand of facilities and its impact on the environment. The life cycle studies carried out over the last decade have mostly used an approximate life [...] Read more.
The environmental performance assessment of the building and construction sector has been in discussion due to the increasing demand of facilities and its impact on the environment. The life cycle studies carried out over the last decade have mostly used an approximate life span of a building without considering the building component replacement requirements and their service life. This limitation results in unreliable outcomes and a huge volume of materials going to landfill. This study was performed to develop a relationship between the service life of a building and building components, and their impact on environmental performance. Twelve building combinations were modelled by considering two types of roof frames, two types of wall and three types of footings. A reference building of a 50-year service life was used in comparisons. Firstly, the service life of the building and building components and the replacement intervals of building components during active service life were estimated. The environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA) was carried out for all the buildings and results are presented on a yearly basis in order to study the impact of service life. The region-specific impact categories of cumulative energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and land use are used to assess the environmental performance of buildings. The analysis shows that the environmental performance of buildings is affected by the service life of a building and the replacement intervals of building components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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19 pages, 2101 KiB  
Article
Industrial Data-Based Life Cycle Assessment of Architecturally Integrated Glass-Glass Photovoltaics
by Jeeyoung Park, Dirk Hengevoss and Stephen Wittkopf
Buildings 2019, 9(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9010008 - 29 Dec 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 9492
Abstract
Worldwide, an increasing number of new buildings have photovoltaics (PV) integrated in the building envelope. In Switzerland, the use of coloured PV façades has become popular due to improved visual acceptance. At the same time, life cycle assessment of buildings becomes increasingly important. [...] Read more.
Worldwide, an increasing number of new buildings have photovoltaics (PV) integrated in the building envelope. In Switzerland, the use of coloured PV façades has become popular due to improved visual acceptance. At the same time, life cycle assessment of buildings becomes increasingly important. While a life cycle inventory for conventional glass-film PV laminates is available, this is not the case for glass-glass laminates, and in particular, coloured front glasses. Only conventional glass-film PV laminates are considered in databases, some of which are partly outdated. Our paper addresses this disparity, by presenting life cycle inventory data gathered from industries producing coloured front glass by digital ceramic printing and manufacturing glass-glass PV laminates. In addition, we applied this data to a hypothetical façade made of multi-coloured glass-glass laminates and its electricity generation in terms of Swiss eco-points, global warming potential, and cumulative energy demand as impact indicators. The results of the latter show that the effect of the digital ceramic printing is negligible (increase of 0.1%), but the additional glass (4% increase) and reduction of electricity yield (20%) are significant in eco-points. The energy pay-back time for a multi-coloured PV façade is 8.1 years, which decreases by 35% to 5.3 years when replacing the glass rain cladding in an existing façade, leaving 25 years for surplus electricity generation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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37 pages, 3334 KiB  
Article
Life-Cycle Asset Management in Residential Developments Building on Transport System Critical Attributes via a Data-Mining Algorithm
by Umair Hasan, Andrew Whyte and Hamad Al Jassmi
Buildings 2019, 9(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9010001 - 20 Dec 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4782
Abstract
Public transport can discourage individual car usage as a life-cycle asset management strategy towards carbon neutrality. An effective public transport system contributes greatly to the wider goal of a sustainable built environment, provided the critical transit system attributes are measured and addressed to [...] Read more.
Public transport can discourage individual car usage as a life-cycle asset management strategy towards carbon neutrality. An effective public transport system contributes greatly to the wider goal of a sustainable built environment, provided the critical transit system attributes are measured and addressed to (continue to) improve commuter uptake of public systems by residents living and working in local communities. Travel data from intra-city travellers can advise discrete policy recommendations based on a residential area or development’s public transport demand. Commuter segments related to travelling frequency, satisfaction from service level, and its value for money are evaluated to extract econometric models/association rules. A data mining algorithm with minimum confidence, support, interest, syntactic constraints and meaningfulness measure as inputs is designed to exploit a large set of 31 variables collected for 1,520 respondents, generating 72 models. This methodology presents an alternative to multivariate analyses to find correlations in bigger databases of categorical variables. Results here augment literature by highlighting traveller perceptions related to frequency of buses, journey time, and capacity, as a net positive effect of frequent buses operating on rapid transit routes. Policymakers can address public transport uptake through service frequency variation during peak-hours with resultant reduced car dependence apt to reduce induced life-cycle environmental burdens of buildings by altering residents’ mode choices, and a potential design change of buildings towards a public transit-based, compact, and shared space urban built environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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19 pages, 1117 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Evaluation of Carbon Emissions for the Development of High-Rise Residential Building
by Stephen Y. C. Yim, S. Thomas Ng, M. U. Hossain and James M. W. Wong
Buildings 2018, 8(11), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings8110147 - 23 Oct 2018
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7760
Abstract
Despite the fact that many novel initiatives have been put forward to reduce the carbon emissions of buildings, there is still a lack of comprehensive investigation in analyzing a buildings’ life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially in high-density cities. In addition, no [...] Read more.
Despite the fact that many novel initiatives have been put forward to reduce the carbon emissions of buildings, there is still a lack of comprehensive investigation in analyzing a buildings’ life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially in high-density cities. In addition, no studies have made attempt to evaluate GHG emissions by considering the whole life cycle of buildings in Hong Kong. Knowledge of localized emission at different stages is critical, as the emission varies greatly in different regions. Without a reliable emission level of buildings, it is difficult to determine which aspects can reduce the life cycle GHG emissions. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the life cycle GHG emissions of buildings by considering “cradle-to-grave” system boundary, with a case-specific high-rise residential housing block as a representative public housing development in Hong Kong. The results demonstrated that the life cycle GHG emission of the case residential building was 4980 kg CO2e/m2. The analysis showed that the majority (over 86%) of the emission resulted from the use phase of the building including renovation. The results and analysis presented in this study can help the relevant parties in designing low carbon and sustainable residential development in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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14 pages, 1369 KiB  
Article
Impact of Heat Pump Flexibility in a French Residential Eco-District
by Camille Pajot, Benoit Delinchant, Yves Maréchal and Damien Frésier
Buildings 2018, 8(10), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings8100145 - 19 Oct 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3705
Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of load shedding strategies on a block of multiple buildings. It particularly deals with the quantification of the factors i.e., peak shaving, occupants’ thermal comfort or CO 2 emission reduction and how to quickly quantify them. To achieve [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the impact of load shedding strategies on a block of multiple buildings. It particularly deals with the quantification of the factors i.e., peak shaving, occupants’ thermal comfort or CO 2 emission reduction and how to quickly quantify them. To achieve this goal, the paper focuses on a new residential district, thermally fed by heat pumps. Four modeling approaches were implemented in order to estimate buildings’ response towards load shedding. Two schemes were combined in order to study an overall load shedding. This strategy for the neighborhood has proved itself efficient for both peak shaving and thermal comfort. Most of the clipped heating load during the peak period is shifted to low-consumption periods, providing an effective peak shaving. The thermal comfort is guaranteed for at least 96% of the time. For CO 2 emissions reduction, the link between consumption reduction and CO 2 emissions savings should be realized carefully, since shifting the consumption could increase these emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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12 pages, 4860 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Durability Properties of Green Star Concretes
by Faiz Shaikh
Buildings 2018, 8(8), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings8080111 - 17 Aug 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3649
Abstract
This paper presents mechanical and durability properties of green star concretes. Four series of concretes are considered. The first series is control concrete containing 100% ordinary Portland cement, 100% natural aggregates and fresh water. The other three series of concretes are green star [...] Read more.
This paper presents mechanical and durability properties of green star concretes. Four series of concretes are considered. The first series is control concrete containing 100% ordinary Portland cement, 100% natural aggregates and fresh water. The other three series of concretes are green star concretes according to Green Building Council Australia (GBCA), which contain blast furnace slag, recycled coarse aggregates and concrete wash water. In all above concretes compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, elastic modulus, water absorption, sorptivity and chloride permeability are measured at 7 and 28 days. Results show that mechanical properties of green star concretes are lower than the control concrete at both ages with significant improvement at 28 days. Similar results are also observed in water absorption, sorptivity and chloride permeability where all measured durability properties are lower in green star concretes compared to control concrete except the higher water absorption in some green star concretes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact Assessment of Buildings)
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