Building Life Research Articles

Supporting sustainability assessment of building element materials using a BIM-plug-in for multi-criteria decision-making

The environmental crisis requires the immediate implementation of accurate and robust sustainable solutions throughout the building life cycle. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is a scientifically recognised method that integrates the triple dimensions of the life cycle approach, and thereby enabling the evaluation of the performance of mitigation strategies implemented in building projects. However, implementing the LCSA in buildings is limited by the weighting of environmental, economic, and social dimensions to select the best option regarding the numerous materials available. In order to fill this knowledge gap, the paper aims to present the developed Smart BIM3LCA tool, which supports multi-dimensional assessment during the project´s early design steps. Automatic integration of the LCSA, a multi-criteria decision-making tool such as TOPSIS, and building information modelling (BIM), was developed to support the selection of building materials. The BIM plug-in was then validated through its application to a multi-family residential building to select the most sustainable materials during the project´s early design stage.

The Influence of Religion on Economic Development

Religion is one of the most important institutions in the process of socialization. Which has a profound effect on a thinking and behavior of individuals and groups. As well Religion affects economic system and is an important part of regulating economic life of individuals, however, nation building and national consciousness are based on the national economy. An important part of the preservation and development of nations is through the economy. Culture, religion and social traditions play an important role in shaping the economic status of nations. This is an important part of sanctified the work, work ethic, and love of work. Some opinion believe that religions have a profound effect on the way of life of individuals and groups. So that the basis of work, production and trade is sanctify mundane efforts. At the same time, it distorts the topics related to squandering and social virtues. This study is qualitative research, the aim of the study is to present the relationship between religion and the economy. As a result of this study, we found that religion and economics are two socio-cultural phenomena, and there is a strong influence and interaction between them. The level of influence and the relationship between them varies from one society to another. Religion also has strong influences on national economic development; therefore, religious discourse can play a powerful role in the process of encouraging the development of work culture and work ethics in societies. Reflecting economic growth in societies.

New paradigms shift in buildings: experimental application of Digital Twin for safety and well-being

Abstract Enhancing durability and service life of buildings and components is pivotal for sustainable development. It constitutes an opportunity to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and life cycle impact of buildings in a climate neutral perspective. Issues strongly introduced and set as priorities by EU policies that highlight the urgent need to tackle them also through deeply heritage renovation and digital transformation in the building sector. Digitalization is a cornerstone of this transformation, instrumental in facilitating and enabling it sustainably. The Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) are directly associated with new technological potential and emerging technologies. Digital Twin (DT) approach appears alongside these. Its experimentation and widespread application are gaining prominence in innovating Life Cycle Management (LCM) and sustainability practices of buildings. In this scenario the paper explores the role and potentialities of DT approach presenting the experimental application of the DT4SEM. A digital infrastructure that, by integrating Internet of Things (IoT), synchronizes a physical building with its virtual counterpart. The two realities (physical and virtual) remain interconnected through the mutual exchange of data, both in real-time and asynchronously enabling proactive monitoring and analysis of seismic behaviour. The experimental setup involves simultaneously Big Data analytics, simulation tools and deploying sensors within the sample building. Data is then fed into the virtual DT model, allowing for continuous comparison and analysis to detect anomalies and predict potential risks. This approach facilitates enhanced decision-making, performance optimization and sustainability improvements across the building’s lifecycle: a new vision for built environment management that evolves from a process resulting in a sequence of operative phases into a complex digital infrastructure. The design of the DT4SEM and the current application for seismic monitoring in buildings, results from a collaborative effort involving the academic spinoff BIG srl, the startup Sysdev, the company Berna Engineering srl, and ACCA Software spa.

Structural build-up of 3D printed earth by drying

In recent years, the potential of earth materials in construction has emerged as a sustainable pathway, offering environmental benefits compared to traditional methods. When used in raw form, earth materials can be recycled at the end of a building life, reducing construction waste. In parallel, integrating additive manufacturing into the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector has brought about a shift in construction dynamics, combining efficiency with precision. This paper bridges the study of 3D printing with earth-based fresh mortars, emphasising the capabilities of the “Forced Layer Drying” (FLD) technique in the additive manufacturing process to increase the mechanical performance of the printing mortar.This paper begins by defining the requisite rheological properties for successful 3D printing. A chosen material for this paper is speswhite kaolin. An instrumental aspect of our research is exploring an established model for the drying rate of saturated porous media, such as earth and concrete, and its application to predict the evaporation rate of saturated earth-based mortar in 3D printing with forced drying conditions. The Wind-Tunnel experiment was conducted to validate this model, examining the interplay of airflow speed and temperature on the evaporation rate. Further deepening this study, the soil water content and undrained shear strength are correlated, specifically based on models derived from oedometer geotechnical standard tests. This facilitated a comprehensive understanding of porous earth-based materials in various moisture scenarios. Our findings confirm that airflow, temperature, and the geometry of the printed object play instrumental roles in affecting evaporation rate, consequent mechanical performance, and structural build-up of the material. The paper wraps up by offering insights into the practical application of 3D printing using earth-based mortars, with a special focus on FLD technique.

LCA-based environmental impacts outlook towards the future of construction in emerging countries

Abstract The construction sector is globally acknowledged as carbon-intensive, prompting urgent action especially in BRICS countries due to the high-contribute and continuous urban growth. Here, advocating for sustainable practices throughout the entire building life cycle is imperative, for extending building lifespans without locking in operational energy inefficiencies and using construction materials and techniques geared to resource efficiency and circularity. Following the hotspots prioritization, life cycle perspective and stepwise approach, the paper offers thus a preliminary exploration on low-carbon projection scenarios for the construction value chain, focusing on China as leading CO2 emitter. Top priority is directed towards cement/concrete supply chain, delving into the increasing recycled material content during production, the implementation of prefabrication construction, and the adoption of environmentally responsible practice for managing waste at the end of life. The percentage shares on the global carbon emissions make evidence of potential for reducing environmental impacts by switching from standard to the basic sustainable practices commonly pursued to achieve carbon neutrality targets. Findings do not pretend to be exhaustive (detailed analysis are needed), but rather prompt action towards the shift in mindset and market transition, notifying increased responsibility to stakeholders and LCA as a powerful decision-making support.

Unravelling complexity toward circularity: a system-dynamics based approach

Abstract This paper employed the System Dynamics (SD) methodological tool to investigate the intricate dynamics of transitioning to the circular economy, as a climate change mitigation strategy, in the building sector while focusing on stakeholder dynamics throughout the building life cycle. This paper’s methodological approach used a two-stage approach, encompassing problem articulation and formulation of dynamic hypothesis. In the problem articulation stage, this paper identified the stakeholder dynamics in the building life cycle thanks to a comprehensive critical literature review. This paper then delved deeper into the stakeholder dynamics in the formulation of dynamic hypothesis stage. The results revealed that the stakeholders are interdependent while working together to address common concerns. Furthermore, the results emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration and communication in overcoming barriers to the circular economy transition in the building sector. Thus, this paper aims to contribute to the understanding of stakeholder dynamics while streamlining the decision-making process and suggesting potential solutions for the effective implementation of the circular economy in the prevailing linear state of the building sector to pave the way for a collaborative and communicative approach to climate change mitigation. While recognizing the limitations, this paper suggests future research for a more comprehensive analysis of the complex system’s dynamics.

EU building stock characterization for whole life cycle assessment: Data challenges and key insights

Abstract The building sector plays an important role in achieving the climate objectives of the EU Green Deal. While prioritizing measures to reduce operational energy and GHG emissions has proven beneficial, it has shifted burdens by increasing embodied emissions. Quantifying and regulating emissions throughout the entire building life cycle is therefore crucial. An ongoing DG GROW project is investigating strategies to reduce life cycle GHG emissions within the EU. Various steps are being carried out to achieve the research goals: identification of data needs and sources, baseline analysis of the existing whole life carbon emissions of the EU building stock, modelling of future scenarios. This paper elaborates on the building stock characterization, demonstrating innovation through its level of granularity. Firstly, key data sources are chosen to provide the desired granularity. Secondly, archetypes are defined based on the data sources. Thirdly, attributes are chosen to describe the building stock in terms of geometry, building element composition, energy use, etc. The paper concludes by discussing challenges related to collecting attribute information and managing data gaps. The insights derived offer valuable recommendations for establishing a future data repository dedicated to environmental LCA of the EU building stock.

LCA and economic cradle-to-gate analysis on the reuse of a temporary building.

In recent decades, the significant negative environmental impacts of the construction industry have caused a lot of concern, especially from the large number of temporary buildings required for mega projects. Reusing building components can help reduce pollution and preserve resources, but the economic and environmental effects are not well understood. This study has addressed the economic and environmental effects of reusing temporary building elements using life cycle assessment (LCA). The product system and functional unit in the current study is an office building equipment workshop with an area of 80 m2 and the system boundary is from cradle to gate. Life cycle assessment was accomplished using Simapro software and several life cycle assessment methods such as CML-la Baseline, BEES + , and IPCC was used to verify the results. The findings show that reusing disassembled building parts can reduce environmental damage by 79% and environmental damage costs by 77%. These results are important for construction managers seeking to make sustainable decisions that minimize environmental harm. Future research should expand the system boundary to include the entire building life cycle and apply the methodology to a wider range of building types and climates. Developing design guidelines for disassembly and reuse would also help promote sustainable construction practices. Overall, this study provides a robust framework for assessing the environmental and economic impacts of reusing building components, which is crucial for achieving sustainable development in the construction industry.

Deep Learning-Based Intelligent Detection Algorithm for Surface Disease in Concrete Buildings

In this study, the extent of concrete building distress is used to determine whether a building needs to be demolished and maintained, and the study focuses on accurately identifying target distress in different complex contexts and accurately distinguishing between their categories. To solve the problem of insufficient feature extraction of small targets in bridge disease images under complex backgrounds and noise, we propose the YOLOv8 Dynamic Plus model. First, we enhanced attention on multi-scale disease features by implementing structural reparameterization with parallel small-kernel expansion convolution. Next, we reconstructed the relationship between localization and classification tasks in the detection head and implemented dynamic selection of interactive features using a feature extractor to improve the accuracy of classification and recognition. Finally, to address problems of missed detection, such as inadequate extraction of small targets, we extended the original YOLOv8 architecture by adding a layer in the feature extraction phase dedicated to small-target detection. This modification integrated the neck part more effectively with the shallow features of the original three-layer YOLOv8 feature extraction stage. The improved YOLOv8 Dynamic Plus model demonstrated a 7.4 percentage-point increase in performance compared to the original model, validating the feasibility of our approach and enhancing its capability for building disease detection. In practice, this improvement has led to more accurate maintenance and safety assessments of concrete buildings and earlier detection of potential structural problems, resulting in lower maintenance costs and longer building life. This not only improves the safety of buildings but also brings significant economic benefits and social value to the industries involved.

Assessing Quality of Life Indicators in Contemporary Buildings in Kruja, Albania: A Regression Model Approach

Purpose: This article aims to highlight key indicators of residents' quality of life in a specific contemporary building in Kruja, Albania. Design/Method/Approach: A questionnaire with 30 questions was prepared for the inhabitance, and the Binary or Tobit probabilistic models were taken into consideration as part of the methodology, to conclude. The study will further analyze the implications of the inhabitants and their behavior in a specific contemporary building in the city of Kruja. It was examined the statistical significance of each variable (questions) in the models elaborated with EViews 8 software. The stable models that are associated with the “Log-likelihood” statistics were statistically significant at a significance level of p < 5%, or with 95% confidence, based on the model tests. Findings: The study concluded that the most statistically significant quality of life indicators part of the questionnaire is related to the typology of the apartments, methods of cooling during summer, present living conditions, apartment improvement, apartment orientation, and time spent in the living room. Furthermore, the study reveals that most of the quality-of-life indicators (part of the questionnaire) are not statistically important, so they will not be considered part of the models created in the article. The study reveals that increasing the living space and improving orientation is crucial to enhance the satisfaction of apartment inhabitants. When apartment sizes increase and orientation is improved, residents are more likely to opt for fans over air conditioners to reduce electricity costs and avoid installing additional cooling facilities during summer. They believe that better living conditions require larger apartments, additional water supply, increased electrical costs, and more time spent in the living room. The inhabitants also emphasize the importance of reducing moisture levels, decreasing window opening frequency, and increasing time spent with family. Interestingly, a one-degree improvement in summer cooling methods (e.g., switching from air blowers to air conditioning) corresponds to a one-degree improvement in winter heating methods (e.g., switching from gas to electricity), leading to a heightened need for clean electric heating. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of meeting the physical and spatial needs of the residents to enhance their overall satisfaction and quality of life. Urban policies significantly impact housing affordability, quality, transport systems, environmental sustainability, and social equity, affecting overall living standards and economic growth. Cities must create well-designed policies that consider residents' needs and study findings to ensure sustainable development and citizen welfare. Theoretical Implications: Gujarati’s (Basic Economics) theory was developed in the article. Practical Implications: This study will serve as an indicator to analyze the further improvements that might occur in the specific building (not just in the city of Kruja), considering the main quality of life indicators. Originality/Value: The article will serve as a base for further analysis of resident’s behavior and their social impact in the community in order to be aware of their needs for further developments in the construction field. Research Limitations/Future Research: The findings depend profoundly on the type of building the residents are living in. The research stream that can be inspired by the research is strongly related to mathematical regression models, statistics, and probability. Paper Type: Empirical JEL Classification: C25, I31, O18, R21, R23

A randomized controlled trial of a virtual community-based mental health and substance use program in the Philippines

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the delivery of a virtual community-based mental health and substance use program for Filipino drug users during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach It used a randomized control longitudinal design with data collected prior to the program and every two months for 10 months. The programs focused on building recovery skills, life skills and family modules. Program length ranged from a brief intervention of three sessions to 24 sessions depending on whether clients were low risk, moderate risk or those arrested for drug use. Findings Results revealed significant improvements in recovery skills of participants in the treatment group compared to those in the control group. Mental health illness symptoms decreased for both control and treatment groups; however, no differences were found in recovery capital and cravings. Research limitations/implications The lack of significant changes in certain variables, such as recovery capital, requires more data to understand the barriers to enable greater recovery. The study was limited to virtual delivery of rehabilitation services conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies may wish to compare modalities of online and onsite delivery to enable a comparison of effectiveness. Practical implications Results suggest the feasibility of virtual delivery of mental health and substance use treatment implemented by trained paraprofessionals. However, it also highlights the necessity to build the capacity of service providers and address connectivity challenges. Social implications Stigma and discrimination prevent people who use drugs from seeking treatment. Virtual delivery of mental health and substance use treatment can provide a platform where people can seek help while maintaining some privacy. Originality/value The study provides evidence from under-represented populations – persons who use drugs in the Philippines.

Impact of concrete durability improvement on building life cycle carbon emissions: a case study of residential buildings in Northwest China.

Building carbon emissions (CE) have become the focus of the current topic, but there is still no mature typical building life cycle theory method from the perspective of building materials, and the research on the relationship between building durability and building life cycle is still insufficient. To this end, this study established a detailed calculation method for building carbon emissions (CE) and divided the building life cycle (BLC) into three stages: manufacturing, use, and demolition according to the result analysis. In addition, a durability improvement and carbon reduction scheme of "partition, resistance, and repair" is proposed, and the carbon emission reduction index of effectiveness index is proposed. The proposed method is applied to the case of residential buildings in Northwest China. The main conclusions are as follows: the CE of residential buildings are more dependent on the use stage. If the centralized heating system is adopted, the CE in the operation stage account for 80-90%. If the air conditioning refrigeration and heating system is adopted, the CE in the operation stage account for about 50%. Using the method of improving the durability of buildings to extend the service life of buildings is very significant for building carbon reduction (RC); the effectiveness index proposed in this paper includes key indicators such as total CE, service life, and building area. Compared with the traditional index, the effectiveness index is more accurate and comprehensive. CR is the focus of green building, but the impact of economy needs to be considered in practical engineering. In the future research, durability, CE, and economy need to be considered comprehensively for careful study.

Bridging theory and practice: Stakeholder insights on circular economy in the building life cycle

The world strives for sustainable development to minimize environmental impact and resource consumption, where circular economy (CE) is emerging as a promising approach to address environmental, economic and social challenges associated with the Architecture Engineering Construction (AEC) industry. This study focuses on the implementation of circular economy principles in the End-of-Life (EoL) phase of existing buildings, aiming to identify gaps between theory and practice, specifically for reuse and recycle processes in AEC. The focal point are business models, processes and the regulatory framework in Austria. The research methodology employs semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders involved in activities within the EoL value chain, including architects, contractors, material suppliers, waste management organizations, demolition companies and regulatory authorities. Based on a literature review which addresses seminal issues for the implementation of CE in the building life cycle, this study compares findings from 12 interviews and the results from literature research, identifying gaps between theory and practice, with recommendations for a path forward.

Comparative life cycle assessment of hospital waste management scenarios in Isfahan, Iran: Evaluating environmental impacts and strategies for improved healthcare sustainability

This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of hospital waste management scenarios in Isfahan, Iran. Daily hospital waste generation totals 20 tons, with 44 % infectious and 56 % non-infectious waste. The non-infectious stream comprises 40 % food waste. Pyrolysis, chemical disinfection, composting, and material recovery were evaluated across ten environmental impact categories using TRACI 2014 methodology. Composting and material recovery reduce smog-forming emissions by 126.79 kg O3 eq/ton and 129.02 kg O3 eq/ton, respectively, and fossil fuel depletion by 255.04 MJ surplus/ton and 471.97 MJ surplus/ton compared to incineration. Chemical disinfection of infectious waste shows lower global warming potential (859.89 kg CO2 eq/ton) than pyrolysis (1483.15 kg CO2 eq/ton). The third scenario, prioritizing composting and material recovery, minimizes ecotoxicity with lowest emissions of cadmium (0.33 g/ton) and nickel (16.23 g/ton) to air, and arsenic (0.003 g/ton) and chromium (0.28 g/ton) to water. This study addresses a rarely assessed system in LCA literature, offering valuable insights for improving waste management in similar contexts worldwide. Recommendations include developing regulatory frameworks, investing in infrastructure, promoting collaboration, implementing training programs, and adopting circular economy principles. The research contributes to building life cycle thinking capability within the Iranian healthcare sector through stakeholder engagement, workshops, and public dissemination of findings.

A multi-life cycle assessment of external wall insulation strategies in an Irish domestic retrofit

European Union (EU) policy and initiatives are driving both building renovation and the uptake of low-embodied carbon and circular design in the construction sector. The European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast (2021) introduces global warming potential (GWP) methodology, and the future state will likely be embodied carbon targets for which life cycle assessment (LCA) of buildings will be required. External wall insulation (EWI) will have an important role to play in meeting targets. In this context, this paper compares the carbon emission payoff of three alternative EWI strategies that address conventional, low-carbon and circular solutions to EWI respectively, in the retrofit of an existing dwelling. The circular strategy is based on design for disassembly (DfD). Whereas standard LCA is based on a single building life cycle, the literature reviewed shows that the environmental impact assessment of DfD requires a multi-life cycle approach. In the absence of standardised methods for assessment, four multi-cycle LCA methods are selected and applied holistically in a case study investigation. Three allocation methods, 100:0, linear degressive (LD) and enhanced linear degressive (CELD), provide a range of emissions from ‘conservative’ to ‘best case’ over three building life cycles and the fourth method, the Van Gulck method, assesses the benefits of circularity through the concept of ‘multi-cycling’ based on one building life cycle. As each method of assessment will deliver different results, carbon emission payoff is not a fixed value. Findings show that with multiple use, the circular strategy pays off due to avoided production emissions and benefits from end-of-life (EoL) processes that DfD facilitates, that the upfront carbon cost of the circular strategy is minor relative to the carbon emission savings that reuse brings, and that the margin of improvement relative to the alternative strategies increases with each subsequent reuse.

Flexural behavior of corroded RC beams repaired with high performance cementitious mortar under cyclic loading

AbstractThe understanding of the cyclic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) elements is of vital importance in relation to the extent of the service life of buildings and infrastructures. Steel rebar corrosion plays a major role in this regard because it significantly affects the overall structural integrity, especially under cyclic loads, leading to reduced stiffness and load‐bearing capacity of structural elements. Cyclic condition has the potential to accelerate the corrosion‐induced cracking and spalling, the effectiveness of the bond strength between rebar and concrete, and also the ductility and energy dissipation characteristics of the structure. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a high‐performance thixotropic repairing cementitious mortar in improving the fatigue behavior of RC elements through a multiscale experimental approach. First, at the material scale of concrete specimens, two different concrete classes together with the repairing one‐component, pre‐blended, thixotropic cementitious mortar, were tested under incremental cyclic condition. Based on the results obtained from material scale, four reinforced concrete beams were exposed to different levels of accelerated corrosion by means of the impressed current technique and, subsequently, repaired by bonding a layer of the thixotropic high‐performance mortar onto the tension side. Finally, beams were tested under incremental cyclic four‐point bending test to investigate the fatigue behavior in terms of crack onset, propagation and energy dissipation. The resulting cyclic properties and cracking behavior of the structural elements were related to the level of corrosion achieved through the accelerated test and the effectiveness of the structural repair mortar was proven. In terms of code compliance, the repairing mortar was able to fulfill the requirements of frequent and quasi‐permanent combination of loads, remaining below all the threshold values provided by the Italian NTC2018 and Eurocode.

Experimental study on energy saving and thermal insulation of AAC walls and sandwich structures

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) materials are increasingly being recognized as an effective method of improving the thermal efficiency of buildings. This paper uses a bolted AAC sandwich wall with rock wool to measure the indoor temperature enhancement and energy savings achieved by applying AAC and autoclaved aerated concrete sandwich (AACS) to building surfaces without ventilation. In addition, the energy efficiency and insulation of sintered brick (S) walls, AAC walls, and AACS walls in three test rooms are discussed in the fall and winter seasons. The study showed that the average daytime room temperatures of the AAC and AACS walls were reduced by 9.11 % and 14.31 %, and the heat load levelling was reduced by 28.41 % and 46.76 % compared to the S walls. The study concluded that compared to the S wall, AAC and AACS walls were reduced by 0.64 W and 0.8 W, respectively, and CO2 emissions were reduced by 11.78 g/m2day and 14.69 g/m2day.Under the premise that the building life cycle is 50 years, the energy consumption of the building electricity bill is saved by 157.14 RMB/m2 and 195.84 RMB/m2 for AAC wall and AACS wall, respectively, compared with S wall. Therefore, AAC shows a growing trend in the building material market due to its low-carbon insulation, green energy saving, and policy support, and it should be promoted in the construction industry.

Advancing Circular Buildings: A Review of Building Strategies for AEC Stakeholders

The uptake of a circular economy (CE) in the building sector is challenging, primarily due to the complexity associated with the design process and the dynamic interaction among architects, engineers, and construction (AEC) stakeholders. The standard and typical design process and construction methods raise concerns about building life cycles. Buildings should not only fulfill current needs, but one also needs to consider how they will function in the future and throughout their lifetime. To address these complexities, early planning is required to guide designers in holistically applying systems thinking to deliver CE outcomes. This paper outlines a critical review of CE implementation in buildings, with a proposed trifecta of approaches that significantly contribute to the development of circular buildings (CBs). The findings outline a proposed visualized framework with a conceptual formula that integrates CE design strategies to simplify and enhance AEC stakeholders’ perception of the circularity sequence in buildings. By strategically integrating loop-based strategies with the value retention process (VRP) and design for X (DFX) strategies, along with efficient assessment tools and technologies, it becomes feasible to embrace a CE during the design phase. The outcome of this review informs AEC stakeholders to systematically and strategically integrate the critical dimensions of a CE throughout the building life cycle, striking a balance between environmental concern, economic value, and future needs.

Thermophysical properties and energy efficiency of a sustainable construction materials produced from local natural waste

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is crucial for reducing energy demand and moderating the environmental impact due to its large energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Integrating waste into construction materials can offer sustainable and cost-effective solutions for energy-efficient buildings. This study aims to develop new construction materials (plasterboards) formed by gypsum and natural wastes (5% in mass) including Posidonia-Oceanica, sawdust, sheep's wool, and cork granules to substitute filasse in conventional plasterboards. The main objective of this work is to evaluate and compare the thermal properties of the composite materials manufactured and to determine energy saving, optimal insulation thickness and environmental impact when adding the developed plasterboards in the envelope of an office building in a Mediterranean climate. An experimental study is performed to evaluate the thermo-physical properties and a numerical simulation is conducted using design builder software to discuss the energy efficiency of these materials. Results shows that the incorporation of natural waste reduces the thermal conductivity and can reduce heating and cooling needs compared to conventional plasterboard. Specially, plasterboard made with Posidonia-Oceanica fibers which exhibits a reduction of 32 % in thermal conductivity. It achieves an improvement in energy efficiency of 8 % when it is used in roof ceiling. When used as coating-panels in building walls with a thickness of 24 cm, it achieves about 17 % of energy saving. In addition, this study determines the optimum insulation thickness leading to minimize the sum of the insulation investment and the energy costs over the building's lifetime. Four values of building’s lifespan were chosen (10, 20, 30 and 50 years). Results show that for a 10-year building life, the optimum insulation thickness is 9cm, whereas for a longer building life (50 years), the optimum insulation thickness is 19cm. It saves 15.64kWh/m2 of energy required for heating and 2.09kWh/m2 needed for cooling and reduces of about 8.8tons ofCO2 emitted. The use of natural waste as fillers to prepare plasterboards showed a good effectiveness. It provides important energy saving and reduces CO2 emissions. Creating effective insulating materials using local natural waste, could be a valuable step towards establishing a sustainable development approach.

Integrating effects of overheating on human health into buildings’ life cycle assessment

PurposeDue to climate change, the severity and length of heat waves are increasing, and this trend is likely to continue while mitigation efforts are insufficient. These climatic events cause overheating inside buildings, which increases mortality. Adaptation measures reduce overheating but induce environmental impacts, including on human health. This study aims to integrate the overheating-related effects on human health in building LCA to provide a design aid combining mitigation and adaptation.MethodsIn a novel approach, an existing building LCA tool is utilised to evaluate life cycle impacts, including damage to human health expressed in DALYs. The overheating risk is then evaluated using an existing dynamic thermal simulation (DTS) tool and prospective climatic data. Overheating is expressed as a degree-hour (DH) indicator, which integrates both the severity (temperature degrees over a comfort threshold) and the duration (hours). By assuming proportionality between DALYs and DH × area in a first step, the 2003 heat wave mortality data, 2003 climatic data, and a simplified model of the national residential building stock were used to identify a characterisation factor, which can then be used to evaluate DALYs corresponding to any building using DH obtained by thermal simulation.ResultsThe proposed overheating model not only allows to derive a characterisation factor for overheating to be used in building LCA but also provides practical insights. The first estimation of the characterisation factor is 1.35E-8DALY. DH-1.m-2. The method was tested in a case study corresponding to a social housing apartment building in France built in 1969 without insulation. The thickness of insulation implemented in the renovation works was varied. For this specific case study, the contribution of overheating is significant, ranging from 1.1E-5DALY.m-2.y-1 to 2.2E-5DALY.m-2.y-1, comparable to the contribution of heating. DTS and LCA results found an optimal thickness, minimising the human health indicator in DALYs. This underscores the potential of active cooling to reduce human health impacts, especially if it consumes electricity produced by a photovoltaic system integrated in the building.ConclusionCombining DTS and LCA makes it possible to evaluate damage indicators on human health, including building life cycles (e.g., material and energy) and overheating-related impacts. An application on a case study shows this method’s feasibility and gives a first order of magnitude of overheating health impacts induced by buildings. A more sophisticated model could replace the assumed proportionality between DALYs and DH.