Risk based life cycle assessment conceptual framework for energy supply systems in large buildings

Abstract

This paper proposes an environmental assessment framework that integrates the conventional life cycle assessment (LCA) with risk assessment for the purpose of evaluating energy conservation systems in buildings from environmental and societal perspectives. The inclusion of the potential risks raised by the different stakeholders in this framework will help the LCA professionals to identify accurate system boundaries of their study. This research addresses some limitations of frameworks presented so far by providing process activity modeling, using Type-zero method of integrated definition language, IDEF0, as a tool to describe each phase of its application. The proposed framework considers the LCA risk-based analysis in three modules namely; (i) establish of the life cycle stages, (ii) identify risk indicators and perform risk assessment, and (iii) manage risks through applying the risk assessment results to the life cycle of building's energy system. The risk based life cycle assessment (RBLCA) framework proposed here is further explained in a case study of performing RBLCA for a hybrid energy supply system (HESS) that supplies power to a hotel building. This approach allows us to investigate unfavorable impacts and risks of using HESS as way for energy conservation.