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The effect of material choice on the total energy need and recycling potential of a building

Thormark, Catarina LU (2006) In Building and Environment 41(8). p.1019-1026
Abstract
Minimizing the use of energy is a central task in sustainable building. Minimizing the use of natural resources and maximizing the recycling potential are other important tasks to take into consideration. In low-energy buildings, the embodied energy accounts for a considerable part of the total energy use of the building. Therefore, it is also imperative to pay attention to the choice of building materials used. This article presents how material choice may affect both embodied energy and recycling potential in one of the most energy efficient apartment-type housing projects in Sweden (calculated energy for operation is 45 kWh/m(2) floor area per year). Initially, the embodied energy was 40% of total energy needed for a lifetime expectancy... (More)
Minimizing the use of energy is a central task in sustainable building. Minimizing the use of natural resources and maximizing the recycling potential are other important tasks to take into consideration. In low-energy buildings, the embodied energy accounts for a considerable part of the total energy use of the building. Therefore, it is also imperative to pay attention to the choice of building materials used. This article presents how material choice may affect both embodied energy and recycling potential in one of the most energy efficient apartment-type housing projects in Sweden (calculated energy for operation is 45 kWh/m(2) floor area per year). Initially, the embodied energy was 40% of total energy needed for a lifetime expectancy of 50 years. Through material substitution, the embodied energy can be decreased by approximately 17% or increased by about 6%. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Building and Environment
volume
41
issue
8
pages
1019 - 1026
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000236564300005
  • scopus:33644908478
ISSN
1873-684X
DOI
10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.04.026
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
40cffc54-4285-4fc7-ac07-ff530a303859 (old id 414589)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 17:15:14
date last changed
2022-04-23 03:41:46
@article{40cffc54-4285-4fc7-ac07-ff530a303859,
  abstract     = {{Minimizing the use of energy is a central task in sustainable building. Minimizing the use of natural resources and maximizing the recycling potential are other important tasks to take into consideration. In low-energy buildings, the embodied energy accounts for a considerable part of the total energy use of the building. Therefore, it is also imperative to pay attention to the choice of building materials used. This article presents how material choice may affect both embodied energy and recycling potential in one of the most energy efficient apartment-type housing projects in Sweden (calculated energy for operation is 45 kWh/m(2) floor area per year). Initially, the embodied energy was 40% of total energy needed for a lifetime expectancy of 50 years. Through material substitution, the embodied energy can be decreased by approximately 17% or increased by about 6%. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Thormark, Catarina}},
  issn         = {{1873-684X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1019--1026}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Building and Environment}},
  title        = {{The effect of material choice on the total energy need and recycling potential of a building}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.04.026}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.04.026}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}