| Issue |
E3S Web Conf.
Volume 654, 2025
Energy and Sustainability Conference (ESC2025)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 04006 | |
| Number of page(s) | 10 | |
| Section | Urban Sustainability and Smart Cities | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202565404006 | |
| Published online | 21 October 2025 | |
Life cycle assessment of building insulation materials across Italian climatic zones: Global warming potential vs net present value
1 Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Department of Architecture, Via Forno Vecchio 36, Napoli, 80134, Italy
2 Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Department of Industrial Engineering, Piazzale Tecchio 80, Napoli, 80125, Italy
* Corresponding author: gerardomaria.mauro@unina.it
This study presents a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and economic analysis of three insulation materials — expanded polystyrene (EPS), rockwool, and hemp — applied to residential buildings in four Italian climatic zones. Environmental impact is evaluated through Global Warming Potential (GWP), while economic performance is assessed via Net Present Value (NPV) over the life cycle. An automated simulation workflow using EnergyPlus enables the assessment of multiple configurations by varying material properties, thickness, and climatic conditions. Results highlight trade-offs between environmental and economic performance. Compliance with regulatory thresholds can be achieved with varying insulation thickness depending on climate and material. Bio-based solutions like hemp may offer greater environmental benefits, although in most climates they require incentives to be cost-effective. This integrated approach provides useful insights for designers, policymakers, and stakeholders aiming to balance cost-effectiveness with sustainability in building retrofit and construction.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2025
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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