Search results for "Embodied Energy"

Energy life-cycle approach in net zero energy buildings balance: operation and embodied energy of an Italian case study

2014

Abstract The paper starts from the results of one of the six case-studies of the SubTask B in the International Energy Agency joint Solar Heating and Cooling Task40 and Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Annex 52, whose purpose is to document state of the art and needs for current thermo-physical simulation tools in application to Net Zero Energy Buildings. The authors extend the Net Zero Energy Buildings (Net ZEB) methodological framework, introducing the life-cycle perspective in the energy balance and thus including the embodied energy of building and its components. The case study is an Italian building, tailored to be a Net ZEB, in which the magnitude of the deficit…

Integration of Building Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment: A TRNSYS Application

2016

Abstract The study proposes a tool developed within the TRNSYS environment aimed at integrating its building simulation features during the use phase with a Life Cycle Assessment approach. The tool can be used to investigate the relevance of each life-cycle step of the building on the primary energy consumption and global warming potential. The Life Cycle stages can be modelled with different approaches: direct input of the embodied energy and global warming potential values for each life cycle step as defined in the EN 15978, use of an internal database of embodied energy and global warming potential of construction materials and energy systems, direct connections of building simulation ou…

Power flow management controller within a grid connected photovoltaic based active generator as a finite state machine using hierarchical approach wi…

2020

Abstract Grid integration of photovoltaic (PV) system with a hybrid energy storage can help not only in increasing more penetration of PV system into the network but also in improving the power system dynamics and control in addition to helping the demand side management. In this work, a PV system with a hybrid energy storage including a battery array and a super capacitor bank is going to work as an active generator with innovative load management and power flow control strategies for managing the active power demand locally considering the grid constraints. This work proposes an architecture for a PV based active generator, which can provide active power in controlled manner while maintai…

Measure the Embodied Energy in Building Materials: An Eco-Sustainable Approach for Construction

2019

This paper highlights how the use of materials and building components often implicates the growth of embodied energy necessary to their construction, which is not always adequately compensated by a decrease of operational energy because incorporated energy can be almost half of the total energy used in a building’s life cycle and, sometimes, it even exceeds operational energy. The paper highlights how searching only for “operational” energy efficiency does not sufficiently guarantee environmental sustainability of the intervention. The intervention is heavily influenced by embodied energy whose knowledge must drive, since the beginning, the decision-making process towards more sustainable …

Energy and environmental analysis of a mono-familiar Mediterranean house

2008

Posa e recupero di cavi sottomarini per telecomunicazioni: energia e materiali in gioco.

2005

Undersea cables for telecommunications are put out after 20 to 25 years of service in order to be replaced by new type ones that can yield a better service. As a rule, decommissioned cables are retrieved for the part stretching from the shoreline to the line (-30 m). This operation is useful from the environmental standpoint, as at the price of an energy expenditure of about 3 MJ/m an amount of materials having embodied energy as high as 72 times of it are recovered. Still, the larger part of an undersea cable lies offshore and is usually left on the site, so the actual energy recovery is small – just about few units per cent – compared with the energy (embodied + used for laying) required …

Marble quarrying: an energy and waste intensive activity in the production of building materials

2008

Marble represents an important component of Italian buildings, where it is often utilized as a covering for bottom surfaces, despite its relatively high price. Moreover, it characterizes several public buildings, for which it is by far the most important decorative material, also because of its structural features and its long durability. Unfortunately, marble quarrying is an energy intensive activity that requires relevant amounts of electric and thermal energy sources; in addition, the extraction of the marble blocks from the mountain sides does involve a noticeable quantity of explosives, particularly in sites where traditional working methods are utilized. Another important feature of t…

Earth Bricks with Halloysite Nanoclay: Research and Experimentation for the Sustainability of Materials

2021

This paper illustrates the experimentation activities on rammed earth and nanotechnologies. The experimental research was carried out with the aim of improving the performance of rammed earth bricks with clay nanotubes, creating a ‘new material’ with reduced embodied energy and low CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Specifically, the analysed performances are related to the compressive strength that expand their area of use as a building material.

Energy retrofit of a single-family house: Life cycle net energy saving and environmental benefits

2013

Abstract When a building undergoes a retrofit project, the goal of assessing energy and environmental performances of retrofit actions is a complex matter. Building and its environment are complex systems in which all sub-systems are strongly interdependent and influence the overall efficiency performance. In the following paper, starting from a literature review of building life-cycle studies, the authors highlight that there is a strong interplay among all the phases of a building life-cycle, as each one can affect one or more of the others. In detail, starting from the results of a “cradle to grave” life cycle study of an existing Mediterranean single-family house, a set of retrofit acti…

Multi-Objective Building Envelope Optimization through a Life Cycle Assessment Approach

2019

This work describes a methodology for the identification of the optimal features for the envelope of a residential building. The optimization process allows minimizing operating energy consumption, investment costs and life cycle energy and environmental embodied impacts. A dynamic model for the estimation of building energy consumption during its use phase has been employed, while literature data were adopted for embodied energy and global warming potential impacts. The considered variables refer to the envelope of the building, i.e. external walls and roof insulation and external walls thermal mass. The model was obtained combining EnergyPlus building energy simulator and MOBO, a versatil…