Energy and Environmental Evaluation of Non-Transparent Constructions of Building Envelope for Wooden Houses

Abstract

The contribution of embodied energy (EE) and greenhouse gas emissions to building materials and structures has been recognized as significant, especially for nearly-zero energy-efficient buildings. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the composition of non-transparent structures of building envelopes from energy and environmental perspectives using the life-cycle assessment method. The study assesses environmental indicators such as EE from non-renewable resources and CO2eq and SO2eq emissions from proposed assemblies of building structures for nearly-zero energy wooden houses. Material compositions are also calculated in terms of selected thermal-physical aspects (U-value, phase shift of thermal oscillation, relaxation time) to ensure the reduction of energy consumption during building operation. All results are compared using a multi-dimensional evaluation approach through mathematical methods. The multi-criteria decision analysis demonstrates that material optimization of building structures is possible to ensure a marked reduction of the energy consumption and carbon footprint of buildings.

Keywords

• wooden houses
• building materials
• construction
• environmental impacts
• thermal-physical parameters
• multi-criteria decision analysis