Carbon Emissions Analysis of Modular House Construction

Abstract

Amidst the pressing issue of the climate crisis, the concern of housing backlog requires sustained and intensive growth in housing construction. To address this challenge while also considering environmental impacts, the Indonesian Government has prepared various strategies, one of which involves adopting a modular construction approach. This method is believed to be fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly. Despite its perceived benefits, some critics argue that the environmental advantage of the modular construction approach remains unclear, as it increases transportation activity. This study dives into the process of modular house construction and quantifies the environmental impacts of each stage involved in the process. It is found that the environmental impacts of all stages in the construction process amount to 1588.44 kgCO2. Among these stages, the raw materials extraction stage holds the largest contribution share, accounting for 94% of the total emissions. In contrast, stages related to transportation activity have a relatively low contribution share, which is 2.5%. To mitigate this impact, practitioners could optimize building design, reduce the use of high embodied carbon materials, and improve workers' competency.