Abstract
Building refurbishment plays a key role in the de-carbonization of the European building stock. Whilst the renewal of the thermal envelope increases energy efficiency during the operational phase, the type of material is highly relevant for the overall environmental impact of the refurbishment. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is most widely used for external thermal insulation systems but is also a material based on fossil resources. Thus, alternatives made from renewable raw materials must be more widely used in order to reach the climate goals. However, comparable data on long-term material effects over the life cycle are needed for developers and planners to make informed decisions. In a Viennese case study for the largest social housing property manager in Europe, two different façade systems have been analyzed to assess the overall environmental impact of the materials. In a comprehensive life cycle assessment, a Multi-Active Façade system based on recycled paper has been compared with a conventional external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) using EPS. It shows that whilst the evaluation during the operational phase alone results in a similar ecological footprint of the ETICS, the analysis over the whole life cycle provides a clear positive indication for the novel Multi-Active Façade.
Highlights
In the European Union the renovation rate is currently about 1%, which means that it would take 100 years to renovate the European building stock [1]
In the latest amendment of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) [10], which mainly defines the legislative actions to be taken by the member states related to energy efficiency in buildings, a long-term renovation strategy is required in order to decarbonize the building stock by 2050
In Austria the OIB Guideline No.6 of the Austrian Institute of Construction Engineering [11] is one of the key documents transferring the EPBD into local requirements
Summary
In the European Union the renovation rate is currently about 1%, which means that it would take 100 years to renovate the European building stock [1]. In the latest amendment of the EPBD [10], which mainly defines the legislative actions to be taken by the member states related to energy efficiency in buildings, a long-term renovation strategy is required in order to decarbonize the building stock by 2050. These legal framework conditions subsequently influence the building regulations and norms on a member state level. Building certification schemes, which provide voluntary structures for building assessments already go beyond the regulatory norms and standards They include aspects such as land use and water as well as factors related to the materials used in the buildings. The discussion delivers a review of the approach and provides an outlook on how this methodology might be implemented in the future
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