Dynamic Versus Static Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Renovation for Residential Buildings

Abstract

Currently, a life cycle assessment is mostly used in a static way to assess the environmental impacts of the energy renovation of buildings. However, various aspects of energy renovation vary in time. This paper reports the development of a framework for a dynamic life cycle assessment and its application to assess the energy renovation of buildings. To investigate whether a dynamic approach leads to different decisions than a static approach, several renovation options of a residential house were compared. To identify the main drivers of the impact and to support decision-making for renovation, a shift of the reference study period—as defined in EN 15643-1 and EN 15978—is proposed (from construction to renovation). Interventions related to the energy renovation are modelled as current events, while interventions and processes that happen afterwards are modelled as future events, including dynamic parameters, considering changes in the operational energy use, changes in the energy mix, and future (cleaner) production processes. For a specific case study building, the dynamic approach resulted in a lower environmental impact than the static approach. However, the dynamic approach did not result in other renovation recommendations, except when a dynamic parameter for electricity production was included.

Dynamic LCA methodology to support post-occupancy decision-making for carbon budget compliance

“…A recommendation stays true with every LCA method however, the earlier in the building's life cycle, the more flexibility and possibilities are presented to the decision-makers. Indeed, the effectiveness of any CMM depends on the remaining building life cycle, as found in [38].…”

“…Nevertheless, to our knowledge, only Van de Moortel et al [38] have investigated how DLCA influences the decision-making process during building renovation. Their work involved multiple scenarios, including variations in energy mix, degradation of airtightness, and occupant behaviour.…”

“…But these choices cannot be made in isolation, as they also stressed the importance of considering the building's remaining service life post-renovation. This consideration stems from the need for the 'investment' in embodied GHG emissions (EE) to be offset by the reduction in operational emissions (OE) over time [38].…”

Application of sensitivity analysis on building dynamic lifecycle assessment of GHG emissions: a French case study

“…The urgency of addressing the climate crisis has intensified, and as buildings account for 37% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [1], it is crucial to ensure the compliance of the building sector with carbon budgets through comprehensive lifecycle assessments (LCAs) [2]. Traditionally, building LCAs have employed a static approach, which disregards temporal variations throughout the building's multidecade lifecycle, thus limiting the accuracy of the assessments [3]. A more holistic understanding of a building's environmental impact can be achieved through Building Dynamic LCA (DLCA), which accounts for temporal elements such as variations in the national electricity mix, component ageing, and the effects of climate change [4].…”

Exploring the Significance of Heritage Preservation in Enhancing the Settlement System Resilience

“…Social equity and accessibility includes designing neighborhoods that encourage walkability, green spaces, and community engagement [11][12][13][14]. Life cycle assessment involves evaluating the environmental, economic, and social impacts at each stage and making informed decisions to minimize the negative effects [15,16].…”