Comparison of embodied energy and environmental impact of alternative materials used in reticulated dome construction

Abstract

The reticulated dome structure is a system composed of linear elements arranged in such a way that the forces are transferred in a three-dimensional manner. These dome structures require less amount of materials to be built when compared to continuous surface domes, thereby, reducing the embodied energy of the structure, i.e., the energy used in the manufacture and transportation of materials. However, selecting materials with high embodied energy can significantly impact the energy use and environmental impact of reticulated domes. In line with sustainable construction practices, use of materials that reduces overall embodied energy of the structure is desirable. This paper compares the embodied energy and related environmental impacts of four alternative materials used to construct these structures namely aluminum, steel, laminated veneer lumber, and laminated bamboo. To estimate the quantities required to construct the dome structure, a finite element-based structural analysis software, MSC Patran/Nastran was used. Using the estimated quantities of alternative materials, detailed life cycle inventory was performed using GaBi software. The results of the environmental impact assessment show that aluminum and steel have higher embodied energy when compared to the other two materials. Furthermore, the results show that bamboo has a negative global warming potential outperforming laminated veneer lumber option. Additionally, a simplified life cycle analysis tool, Athena Impact Estimator, was used to compare results obtained from GaBi analysis. Overall, the results indicate that the use of alternative materials can significantly reduce the embodied energy and provide environmentally sound options to address the current environmental challenges.