Life cycle assessment of advanced building materials towards NZEBs

¹ IRES-Innovation in Research and Engineering Solutions, Rue Koningin Astridlaan 59B, 1780 Wemmel, Belgium
² HTWK Leipzig-Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, PF 30 11 66, 04251 Leipzig, Germany
³ TUHH-Institute of Thermal Separations Processes, Eissendorfer Strasse 38, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
⁴ RI.SE Research Institutes of Sweden, Brinellgatan 4, 50115 Borås, Sweden

^* Corresponding author: epk@innovation-res.eu

Abstract

Buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption annually in Europe, along with the respective greenhouse gas emissions. To mitigate these impacts, intensive research is ongoing in the sector of the Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs). However, as it is expected that the operational energy of future buildings becomes greener and more efficient, impacts related to the embodied energy of building materials becomes of more significance. Thus, choices on building materials are of crucial importance as they affect the energy performance of the building envelope and its environmental impacts. The objective of this study was to implement preliminary Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on new advanced building materials, with the final scope to achieve lower embodied carbon in NZEBs. The materials examined are concretes and aerogels for wall façades. Design of sustainable advanced materials and building envelope components is expected to improve the overall energy performance of buildings, including NZEBs. The study findings provide clear evidence on the necessity for further research on the topic, as lack of embodied impacts’ data of novel materials is presented in literature and adds to the discussion around NZEBs.