The embodied air pollutant emissions and water footprints of buildings in China: a quantification using disaggregated input–output life cycle inventory model

Chang, Yuan; Huang, Zhiye; Ries, Robert; Masanet, Eric

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.11.014

Cited by 90 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Such benchmark provides a macro-level perspective to examine the reliability of results obtained in present study. Given the emission intensity provided by Chang et al (2015) for the category of urban residential and office buildings, the result obtained from the uncertainty analysis framework in this study was also acceptable and reasonable. Process-based 0.645-0.887* Note: "RC" represents the reinforced concrete frame; "SF" represents the steel-framed structure "FSS"…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…Given the geographic and structural similarities of these buildings, the estimated GHG emission intensity was highly consistent with the findings summarized in Table 8, especially with the building cases analyzed in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Chang et al (2015) conducted a disaggregated I-O analysis to quantify the GHG emission for different types of buildings at the national average level. Such benchmark provides a macro-level perspective to examine the reliability of results obtained in present study.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Uncertainty analysis for measuring greenhouse gas emissions in the building construction phase: a case study in China

Hong

Shen

Peng

et al. 2016

Journal of Cleaner Production

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Uncertainty analysis is useful in determining whether the results of life cycle assessment are sufficiently reliable and valid when making optimal decisions. However, only a few studies have measured carbon emissions by considering the inherent uncertainty during building construction phase that may result in the misinterpretation of critical parameters. To address such weakness, a multi-method-based uncertainty analysis framework was developed in view of the basic characteristics of the construction practice. This framework integrated the deterministic and probabilistic approaches to facilitate the uncertainty assessment in quantifying carbon emissions and to provide insights into the sensitive construction activities from the uncertainty perspective. The developed framework was examined through a mix-use project in Guangzhou China. Results showed that the uncertainties in the measurement method and geographic representativeness are the major uncertainty sources for the building construction phase. The total greenhouse gas emission for the target building was 8791.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent with a 9.8% coefficient of variation (CV), which was in line with the result calculated by the deterministic method and with the result extrapolated based on the data collected from China. The results of the scenario analysis showed that the proportion of 1% in contribution analysis and the CV of 18% in uncertainty analysis can be regarded as the baseline for determining the critical input parameters. Policy implications and practical suggestions were provided to improve the reliability of quantifying greenhouse gas emissions during the building construction phase.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uncertainty analysis for measuring greenhouse gas emissions in the building construction phase: a case study in China

Hong

Shen

Peng

et al. 2016

Journal of Cleaner Production

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“…Buildings, building materials, and systems are also evaluated [35][36][37][38]. Other more recent studies have focused on building renovation [39][40][41], prefabricated buildings [42,43], construction [42,44,45], hybrid building footprint [46], public buildings [47], operational carbon (heating), cooling, hot water, and embedded carbon (material supply, production, transport) [48,49]. The built environment is recognized as a major factor in resource use and environmental impacts.…”

Section: A Brief Litterature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Overcost of Single Family Houses in Insular Context: A Comparative LCA Study of Reunion Island and France

Ayagapin¹,

Praene²

2020

Sustainability

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The building and public works sector is, in France as in Europe, a major consumer of raw materials for both the manufacture of products and the construction of buildings and structures. This sector has a direct impact on the natural and built environment. This effect is even more pronounced in the case of isolated territories, such as islands. The latter have their own constraints (geographical location, production of the local grid mix) and particularities: very small territory, massive importation of goods in all fields, such as food, automobile, building, and others). In this study, we focus on the building branch of the construction industry, which covers housing (single-family houses and apartment blocks). The study is based on the analysis of about twenty single-family houses built in metropolitan France and Reunion Island. The construction standards for these two regions comply with European standards (CE) and French regulations. However, in the case of Reunion Island, a tropical island, it applies in particular to the Thermal, Acoustic, and Ventilation Regulations for New Buildings in Overseas Departments and Regions (RTAA DROM). The approach that is used for the environmental assessment of single-family homes is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), from cradle to grave. The results initially showed that there is an additional environmental cost in the construction sector between France and Reunion Island. This is initially due to the choice of origin of materials and products, which can greatly contribute to the impacts of construction. Secondly, to the use of the countries’ electricity mix, which also contributes, in part, to the impact of the construction of these single-family homes during the assembly and transformation of the products. Finally, this additional cost also differs according to the transport used (sea, air, rail, road). For the Global Warming Potential (GWP) indicator, in our study we note that the additional environmental cost is 37% higher in Reunion Island. This figure explains the additional impact of the 218 kg-CO2eq/m2 of built-up area built for Reunion Island. This study is one of the first analyses demonstrating the additional environmental cost that exists between mainland France and overseas France. Thus, the results demonstrate the importance of creating a specialized and regionalized database for the case of remote islands. Thus, this database would allow for professionals to have a precise environmental assessment, not on a national but on a regional scale. This document also provides a framework and guideline for policy decision-making in the overseas islands.

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“…In which the nonresidential buildings refer to plant, education, warehouse, office, commercial, hospital, hotel, and other buildings. The key building material categories are divided into steel, concrete, cement (non-concrete use), wood, brick, sand, gravel, limestone, glass, and ceramic tiles (Chang, 2016).…”

Section: Research Boundarymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The primary referred data sources are standards of the consumption of major materials for construction projects (Building Construction Manual, 2003; Zhao et al, 2014), Statistical Yearbook (National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. 2001-2017) and published literatures(Chang, 2016;Han and Xiang, 2013;Huang et al, 2013;Huang et al, 2017). The MI for residential buildings and non-residential buildings are shown inFig.2.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Embodied GHG emissions of building materials in Shanghai

Huang

Chen

McDowall

et al. 2019

Journal of Cleaner Production

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Globally, construction materials are the largest materials flow entering urban areas after water. The tremendous use of building materials poses heavy threats to resources and the environment. In order to better understand the GHG emissions embodied in the abundant building material consumption of Shanghai's buildings and search for approaches to reduce GHG emissions, this study explores the building consumption and the embodied GHG emission in Shanghai's buildings through life cycle assessment. Novel and localized life cycle inventories are applied. Based on our findings, the average annual growth rate of new constructed area in Shanghai was around 10% since 2000 to 2016. Concrete, brick, sand, gravel and cement (non-concrete use) appear as the main materials used. High GHG emission burden materials per kg are revealed to be steel, lime, wood, glass and cement (non-concrete use). Accounting the annual material consumption in 2016, steel, cement (non-concrete use), concrete and brick are found have the highest contribution to embodied GHG emission in Shanghai. The decoupling analysis reveals Shanghai experienced a general trend from non-decoupling to relative decoupling between building material use and GDP in recent 17 years. Findings in this study indicate for the high GHG emission burden materials such as steel and lime, reducing the energy use and using less CO2-intensive energy sources during manufacturing are likely to be the most effective approaches. In terms of the highly consumed building materials such as concrete and brick, the focus should be on reducing consumption or looking for substitute materials with lower GHG burden per unit.

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The embodied air pollutant emissions and water footprints of buildings in China: a quantification using disaggregated input–output life cycle inventory model

Cited by 90 publications

References 25 publications

Uncertainty analysis for measuring greenhouse gas emissions in the building construction phase: a case study in China

Uncertainty analysis for measuring greenhouse gas emissions in the building construction phase: a case study in China

Environmental Overcost of Single Family Houses in Insular Context: A Comparative LCA Study of Reunion Island and France

Embodied GHG emissions of building materials in Shanghai

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