Life Cycle Cost Analysis Method Research Articles

The Application of Life Cycle Cost Analysis Method for Green Retrofitting of Mosque Building to Improve Investment Performance

The Application of Life Cycle Cost Analysis Method for Green Retrofitting of Mosque Building to Improve Investment Performance

Estimating Optimal Cost, Insulation Layer Thickness, and Structural Layer Thickness of Different Composite Insulation External Walls Using Computational Methods

All the modern gadgets and space conditioning in buildings consume lots of energy. Energy consumption can be optimized using Composite Insulation External Walls (CIEW) built from mortar plaster and structural and insulation layers. This study aimed to improve the overall performance of CIEW by optimizing the structural and insulation layer thickness. The objective was to minimize the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and maximize the Life Cycle Savings (LCS) of CIEW. The nonlinear Least Squares Estimation (LSE) optimization technique for optimizing LCC and LCS of CIEW was used in the study. The study considered three insulation materials—Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), Rock Wool (RW), and Glass Wool (GW)—across three heat sources, including Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB), Grate-Fired Boiler (GFB), and Air-Source Heat Pump (ASHP). The Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) methodology suggested by Huang using a traditional optimization technique was used as a basis for mathematical formulations and result comparison. The payback period of CIEW with optimal structural and insulation layer thickness was computed. The findings revealed that applying the LSE method enabled greater economic efficiency than the LCCA method, with an up to 9.12% increase in LCS value and an up to 7.41% decrease in LCC value. The research also revealed significant correlations between insulation and structural layer thicknesses and economic parameters.

Influence of degree days calculation methods on the optimum thermal insulation thickness in life-cycle cost analysis for building envelopes in Mediterranean and Semi-Arid climates

The life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is one of the most widely used and validated methods to identify the optimum insulation thickness of the building envelope. This method depends on two parameters—heating and cooling degree days (HDD, and CDD). There are various methods for HDD and CDD calculation, the results of which vary significantly depending on the climatic zone. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the optimum expanded polystyrene insulation thicknesses of a typical wall in Andalusia, Spain, obtained by the LCCA method to demonstrate variations and uncertainties of the results of the LCCA method based on HDD and CDD calculated by the “hourly”, UKMO, and ASHRAE methods, and with different base temperatures in the conditions of Mediterranean and Semi-Arid climates. On average, the HDD values calculated by using the ASHRAE method were lower, by 12.5%, than those calculated using UKMO and the “hourly” method. The CDD values calculated using the ASHRAE method were lower, by 29%, than those obtained using UKMO and the “hourly” method. Consequently, the optimum insulation thicknesses determined based on CDD and HDD calculated using the ASHRAE method were, on average, 14% underestimated compared with the thicknesses obtained using the UKMO and “hourly” methods. The results obtained showed that with an increase in the continentality of the climate, it becomes crucial to correctly use one or another method for calculating degree days to determine the optimum insulation of the building envelope using the LCCA method, which, in turn, requires the development of validation methods.

Mathematical and thermo-economic analysis of thermal insulation for thermal energy storage applications

Thermal energy storage (TES) is vital for achieving carbon neutrality in the energy sector. To achieve high storage efficiency, insulation with satisfactory performance is required. However, in the field of TES, limited attention has been paid to thermal insulation wherein the exergy loss under periodic operation conditions must be considered. In this study, we derived an analytical solution for the transient heat conduction equation and obtained a concise and explicit expression of the average exergy loss rate under a typical operation mode, where the variation of the internal temperature is a rectangular wave function. The effects of parameters such as the operation temperature, Biot number, Fourier number, insulation thickness, thermal conductivity, and volumetric heat capacity were discussed, and the insulation thickness was optimized by using the life-cycle cost analysis method. The transient effect caused by temperature fluctuations is expected to increase exergy loss. In addition to thermal conductivity, volumetric heat capacity has a considerable influence on insulation performance. In a real-world case, if the transient effect is ignored, the estimated exergy loss is 15.4%–62.5% smaller when the insulation thickness varies from 0.1 to 0.4 m, with the optimal thickness being 27.5% larger, resulting in an additional economic cost of 1.86%.

Leveraging Infrastructure BIM for Life-Cycle-Based Sustainable Road Pavement Management.

The latest developments in the field of road asphalt materials and pavement construction/maintenance technologies, as well as the spread of life-cycle-based sustainability assessment techniques, have posed issues in the continuous and efficient management of data and relative decision-making process for the selection of appropriate road pavement design and maintenance solutions; Infrastructure Building Information Modeling (IBIM) tools may help in facing such challenges due to their data management and analysis capabilities. The present work aims to develop a road pavement life cycle sustainability assessment framework and integrate such a framework into the IBIM of a road pavement project through visual scripting to automatically provide the informatization of an appropriate pavement information model and evaluate sustainability criteria already in the design stage through life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis methods. The application of the proposed BIM-based tool to a real case study allowed us (a) to draw considerations about the long-term environmental and economic sustainability of alternative road construction materials and (b) to draft a maintenance plan for a specific road section that represents the best compromise solution among the analyzed ones. The IBIM tool represents a practical and dynamic way to integrate environmental considerations into road pavement design, encouraging the use of digital tools in the road industry and ultimately supporting a pavement maintenance decision-making process oriented toward a circular economy.

LCA and LCCA Methods in Apple Orchard Management, Conventional and Organic


 The paper aims to establish a framework based on the method of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and LCCA (Life Cycle Cost Analysis) in order to select the best parameters of apple technology by identifying the particularities of fruit production technologies and providing practical recommendations on how to approach the two methods. The methodology of the paper is the use of LCA and LCCA methods, as techniques for assessing the environmental elements associated with the technological process and the economic indicators. The paper was meant to be part of a project whose purpose is to develop a decision and management instrument for the fruit farm Istrița, USAMV of Bucharest. The results consist in a technological and economic structure suitable for application to the selected apple tree technologies, in conventional and ecological system.

Sustainable Assessment of Concrete Repairs through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA)

Nowadays, a vast number of concrete structures are approaching the end of their expected service life. The need for maintenance and repair is high due to the continued deterioration of the existing building inventory and infrastructure, resulting in a large need for concrete repair in the near future. Reinforcement corrosion is the most important deterioration mechanism, causing (i) severe concrete damage (cracking along reinforcement and the spalling of the cover concrete) and (ii) loss in steel section. Therefore, appropriate repair techniques for corrosion damage are the main focus of this review paper. With the European transition towards a circular economy and with sustainable development goals in mind, it is also important to consider the environmental impact along with the technical requirements and life cycle cost. In order to improve the sustainability of concrete structures and repairs over their life cycle, life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) should be applied. However, more research efforts are needed in this field for further development and refinement. This literature review tries to adress this need by compiling existing knowledge and gaps in the state-of-the-art. A comprehensive literature survey about concrete repair assessment through LCA and LCCA is performed and showed a high potential for further investigation. Additionally, it was noticed that many differences are present between the studies considering LCA and/or LCCA, namely, the considered (i) structures, (ii) damage causes, (iii) repair techniques, (iv) estimated and expected life spans, (v) LCCA methods, (vi) life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods, etc. Therefore, due to the case specificity, mutual comparison is challenging.

PENANGANAN JALAN PADA TEROWONGAN GEURUTEE DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS

In Indonesia, especially in Aceh, the type of flexible pavement is more dominant than rigid pavement, better than rigid reinforcement of 24.15%. By further reducing the asphalt raw material that exists on the earth and many flexible pavement constructions increase faster than the age of the plan. For this reason, it is necessary to conduct a study to obtain an illustration of the cost of road repairs during the life of the plan, known as Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) for both types of pavement. The purpose of this study was to obtain a way of handling costs and a higher age level between flexible pavements with rigid pavement based on the LCCA method. This research will be carried out on the Lintas Barat Selatan National road KM 60 + 450 / K.027 with a simulation (prediction) of road handling and costs during the service life of the plan (40 years) which began since construction, construction, routine maintenance, continuous maintenance / periodic until firm (recycling) of the two types of pavement. The life cycle cost analysis using the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) method shows a trend that occurs between the types of pavement where the flexible pavement value on each of the three discount factors shows a higher value compared to rigid pavement, with an average difference of choice that is equal to Rp. 16,359,761,474, - with a decrease in value of 25%. Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is Rigid Pavement.

Comparison and Validation of Models for the Design of Optimal Economic Pipe Diameters: A Case Study in the Anseba Region, Eritrea

An optimal design for a pressurized flow pipe network is characterized by being economical and contributing the least amount of losses during water transmission through the system. The diameter of a pipe in a network system that delivers the desired effect with the minimum amount of waste and expenses is referred to as an optimal pipe size. The Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) model is widely recognized as the recommended standard technique to estimate the optimal pipe size for any pipe flow network system. Numerous empirical formulas have been proposed to simplify the computations required in this economic analysis model. This study seeks to compare the various empirical models that have been proposed by different authors based on a variety of physical variables involved in fluid flow dynamics. Eleven different empirical equations were chosen in order to select the optimal diameter for the network at the Hamelmalo Agricultural College farm located in the Anseba region of Eritrea for the distribution of water to the different sub-plots. The estimated diameters were compared to the standard diameter calculated using the standard LCCA method. This comparison was based on the estimated total head losses and economic analysis of the pipe diameters chosen for such network. Moreover, a statistical analysis was conducted to obtain the best-fit recommended modeled diameter for the network. The Bresse’s model performance was the most adequate when compared with the LCCA model.

Comparative Analysis of Combined Heating Systems Involving the Use of Renewable Energy for Greenhouse Heating

The continued use of fossil fuels is contributing to severe environmental pollution and the establishment of an abnormal climate; consequently, alternative renewable energy sources are being actively investigated worldwide. Further, following global trends, numerous countermeasures aimed at improving carbon neutrality, promoting sustainable agriculture, and reducing fossil fuel dependence are being implemented in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the application of renewable energies for greenhouse heating in the Republic of Korea. Three hybrid systems, numbered 1–3, were constructed using a pellet boiler, hydrothermal heat pump, and solar heat collection system, respectively. Thereafter, the heating performance, combined heat efficiency, energy consumption per temperature lifting, and energy cost per temperature lifting of the systems were compared. The combined thermal efficiency results showed no significant differences. However, in terms of energy consumption and cost, hybrid system 1 demonstrated 25.7 and 24.1% savings, respectively, compared with the other systems. Moreover, based on economic analysis via the net present value and life cycle cost analysis methods, the system reduced costs by 29.2 and 27.7%, respectively, compared with conventional fossil fuel boilers. Thus, hybrid system 1 was identified as the most economical system.

Life Cycle Cost Assessment of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks

In the Development of construction materials Sustainable use of natural resources has become a necessity in India. In this project work, an LCA study is carry out for an AAC block production for environmental assessment. In addition to the LCA, the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis is also applied for economic assessment. The LCA is performed according to ISO 14040. Firstly, a cradle to gate LCA method performed for one meter cube of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Block. The LCCA method include in the OpenLCA software which is choose to calculate impact categories i.e. abiotic depletion, global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, Eco toxicity, ozone depletion potential and photochemical oxidation potential. The last few decades, several approaches have been developed by agencies and institutions for Bricks Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). The LCC analysis was performed by developing a price model for internal and external cost categories within the software.

Life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis for geotechnical engineering: review and research gaps

Geotechnical engineering work contributes to the total environmental impact and monetary cost occurring from the construction sector. Decisions made regarding geotechnical engineering aspects have a profound effect on the environmental impact and the monetary cost of the structure during its life cycle. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) are established methods for assessing the environmental impacts and monetary cost from construction works. This paper presents the results from a literature review of 56 published papers regarding the current situation of the use of LCA and LCCA methods in geotechnical engineering. It is found that only limited research has been published in applying LCA and LCCA to geotechnical engineering structures. Further research should focus on developing a framework using LCA and LCCA for geotechnical engineering structures and also identify and fill data gaps in computer software databases. This would help geotechnical engineers in their daily work to reduce the environmental impact and monetary costs throughout the life cycles of the designed structures.

Optimisation of retrofit wall insulation: An Irish case study

Ireland has one of the highest rates of emissions per capita in the world and its residential sector is responsible for approximately 10% of total national CO2 emissions. Therefore, reducing the CO2 emissions in this sector will play a decisive role in achieving EU targets of reducing emissions by 40% by 2030. To better inform decisions regarding retrofit of the existing building stock, this study proposes Optimum Insulation Thicknesses (OIT) for typical walls in 25 regions in Ireland. The calculation of OIT includes annual heat energy expenditure, CO2 emissions, and material payback period. The approach taken is based on Heating Degree Day (HDD) and life cycle cost analysis methods for different combinations of insulation material, heat energy type, and Irish wall configuration. Results indicate that OIT increases with increased HDD and varies up to 30% from lower to higher HDD regions in Ireland. The type of wall materials, configuration, insulation type, and heat energy type all have a significant impact on annual cost saving potential (up to 170 €/m2) and carbon emission (up to 50 kg/m2). The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique is used to compare the significant mean difference between combinations under OIT and cost savings.

A life cycle cost analysis method accelerating IoT implementation in SMEs

The implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in the manufacturing industry is continuing to grow, as shown by the extensive research, development, and standardization regarding IoT technology. However, a deficiency of IoT-related knowledge and experience is still a serious barrier to decision-making in IoT implementation, especially in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study develops a method to clarify the impact of IoT implementation on life cycle costs to support decision-making of IoT implementation in SMEs. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can foster an understanding of the economic impacts of the IoT implementation through the calculation of return on investment.

Investigation of Energy Saving Potential in Buildings Using Novel Developed Lightweight Concrete

In this study, three different composite materials were produced from mixtures of natural and waste materials in different proportions. The produced composites were used to determine the insulation thickness of exterior walls of buildings located in 12 provinces selected from the four different climate zones of Turkey. The selection of provinces was made according to Turkish standard TS 825. The produced materials are thermal insulation elements that can be used instead of construction elements, such as brick, on the exterior walls of the buildings. In this study, only the heating of the buildings was considered and the number of heating degree days of the provinces was taken into account to determine the insulation thickness. The life cycle cost analysis method was used to determine the optimum insulation thickness. It was determined that the optimum insulation thickness values calculated for four different fuel types for the selected provinces varied between 0.170 m and 1.401 m. The annual energy requirement for the unit surface area of the exterior walls of the insulated buildings was determined to be 11,213–965,715 kJ·m−2 per year. Moreover, it was determined that the insulation costs ranged between $ 22,841 m−2 and $ 114,841 m−2, and the payback period ranged from approximately 2.5 to 6.5 years. It was concluded that using these new types of materials in the determined regions were advantageous in terms of thermal insulation, fire resistance, mechanical properties, production costs, extra labor costs, and optimum insulation thickness.

KELAYAKAN FINANSIAL NEAR ZERO ENERGY BUILDING DENGAN PERATURAN KEMENTERIAN ENERGI DAN SUMBER DAYA MINERAL NO. 49 TAHUN 2018 MENGENAI INSENTIF ENERGI TERBARUKAN

Industri konstruksi dan bangunan bertanggung jawab atas lebih dari 35% konsumsi energi di dunia dan menghasilkan hampir 40% emisi gas rumah kaca seperti CO2. Emisi CO2 berasal dari konsumsi energi bangunan dimana lebih dari 65% yang masih bersumber dari bahan bakar fosil. Near Zero-Energy Building (nZEB) adalah sistem bangunan yang memiliki efisiensi energi tinggi dan dapat menghasilkan listrik secara mandiri dari sumber energi terbarukan, sehingga mengurangi biaya operasional dari tagihan listrik tahunan secara signifikan di dalam umur pakainya. Pembangunan berkonsep ini akan menambah biaya konstruksi awal untuk penerapan desain hemat energi dan sistem pembangkit energi terbarukan pada bangunan. Kelayakan finansial bangunan dengan desain seperti ini diukur dengan metode analisis Life Cycle Cost yang juga memperhitungkan biaya operasional sepanjang umur pakainya. Insentif energi terbarukan merupakan faktor penting dalam analisis kelayakan finansial karena insentif ini secara langsung mengurangi biaya operasional (biaya listrik tahunan) bangunan. Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM) telah menerbitkan peraturan baru mengenai besaran insentif yang diberikan kepada pemilik bangunan yang memasang pembangkit listrik dari sumber terbarukan. Perlu ada kajian mengenai dampak finansial dari diterbitkannya peraturan baru ini terhadap nilai finansial nZEB sebagai sebuah sistem bangunan utuh yang terintegrasi dengan pembangkit energi dari sumber terbarukan, terutama bangunan pemukiman padat. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah membandingkan kelayakan finansial nZEB yang menggunakan peraturan tahun 2013, dengan Peraturan Kementerian ESDM no. 49 tahun 2018, pada bangunan pemukiman padat berkonsep desain nZEB. Penelitian ini menemukan nilai kelayakan finansial konsep desain nZEB di bawah peraturan insentif tahun 2013 lebih besar daripada di bawah peraturan tahun 2018.

Optimal insulation thickness of common classic and modern exterior walls in different climate zones of Iran

Insulation thickness optimization has become a prominent factor in building design for energy saving. This study aims to determine ideal insulation thickness of the external wall, energy saving, and payback period of investment in all climate zones of Iran. A classic gray brick wall and three modern walls (Hollow clay block, LECA block, and AAC block) were selected by considering four cardinal orientations. Eight cities were chosen as representatives of all climate zones. Optimization was performed using life-cycle cost analysis method along with a numerical solution to determine the transmission load. Results revealed that the use of thermal insulation in the AAC block wall, which is one of the common modern walls in Iran, is not economical in some cities. The maximum insulation thickness in Iran is not more than 4 cm which is much lower than the reported values for other countries. Also, the figures for energy saving and payback period in Iran are very different. This is due to the economic structure and low energy costs in this country. This study confirms the requirements in reforming regional energy policy and pricing mechanisms as a roadmap for insulation application in building envelope.

Optimization study on laying and installation of conjugated directly-buried heating pipes

The total cost of life cycle for district heating pipes can be significantly reduced by combinatorial optimization of laying and installation parameters. The objective function was established by Life Cycle Cost Analysis method and solved by Genetic Algorithm method of MATLAB in this study. The results show that the total cost, heat loss cost, construction cost and insulation material cost increase with the increases of pipe nominal diameter. The optimal combination of buried depth and insulation thickness were obtained for different pipe diameters.

Rapid multi-objective optimization with multi-year future weather condition and decision-making support for building retrofit

A method of fast multi-objective optimization and decision-making support for building retrofit planning is developed, and lifecycle cost analysis method taking into account of future climate condition is used in evaluating the retrofit performance. In order to resolve the optimization problem in a fast manner with recourse to non-dominate sorting differential evolution algorithm, the simplified hourly dynamic simulation modeling tool SimBldPy is used as the simulator for objective function evaluation. Moreover, the generated non-dominated solutions are treated and rendered by a layered scheme using agglomerative hierarchical clustering technique to make it more intuitive and sense making during the decision-making process as well as to be better presented.The suggested optimization method is implemented to the retrofit planning of a campus building in UPenn with various energy conservation measures (ECM) and costs, and more than one thousand Pareto fronts are obtained and being analyzed according to the proposed decision-making framework. Twenty ECM combinations are eventually selected from all generated Pareto fronts. It is manifested that the developed decision-making support scheme shows robustness in dealing with retrofit optimization problem and is able to provide support for brainstorming and enumerating various possibilities during the decision-making process.

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) in Road Organization Application in Supiori Regency of Papua Province

Road plays an important life in human life in the present and in the future. Road serves to connect one area to another. Good road condition can support land transportation, development, economy, and government can run smoothly, and vice versa. Many factors result in road damage so that service life of road is not as planned. The objective of research is to compare two roads: Aminweri-Yendoker Street constituting the road in Supiori Regency Biak-Korem-Supiori Street constituting the national road connecting Biak and Supiori Regencies. This research employed Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to assess road damage level and condition and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to determine the economic cost during the road’s service life. The result of assessment using PCI method showed medium PCI score of 51.6 for Regency road and 69.3 for National road. Using LCCA method, the most efficient road management to achieve the service life of the two roads can be determined.