Developing an Embodied Energy Database for Construction Materials in India

Rajan Rawal

Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy, CEPT University, India

Yash Shukla

Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy, CEPT University, India
Corresponding Author: yash.shukla@cept.ac.in

Shivani S

Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy, CEPT University, India

Sakshi Nathani

Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation

Sachin Kumar

Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation

Sneha Asrani

Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy, CEPT University, India

Cite this article

Rawal, R., Shukla, Y., Shivani, S., Nathani, S., Kumar, S., Asrani, S. (2024). Developing an Embodied Energy Database for Construction Materials in India. In Proceedings of Energise 2023- Lifestyle, Energy Efficiency, and Climate Action, pp 136–145, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy. https://doi.org/10.62576/WKVZ5438

Highlights

  • Framework for developing an Embodied Energy Database.
  • Using Pedigree matrix -data scoring method to reduce the uncertainties in the data.
  • Integrating crowdsourcing for data collection to help the stakeholders.
  • Optimizing environmental impacts and developing policy guidelines.

Abstract

Optimizing operational energy in buildings can increase the significance of embodied energy and associated carbon emissions. Promoting low embodied energy materials and construction processes is crucial for achieving low-carbon development while reducing operational energy. However, accessing reliable embodied energy data for construction materials in India poses a major challenge for conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to quantify the environmental impact. The proprietary nature of these datasets limits their availability in LCA studies, leading to uncertainties in building LCA results. Thus, this study aims to develop a construction material embodied energy database in India. A uniform data collection framework adapted for the building and construction sector and confidence level measurements for the embodied energy datasets will be used. This database will help reduce uncertainty in LCA studies and support informed decision-making.

Keywords

Embodied Energy, Life Cycle Assessment, Crowdsourcing Database, Construction Materials

References

  1. IEA, “Buildings – sectorial overview,” 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.iea.org/reports/buildings.
  2. Hellström, D., Olsson, A., Nilsson, F., “Embodied Energy – Material Use,” pp. 101-124. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119151036.ch7
  3. UN Environment Programme, 2019 Global Status Report for Building and Construction – Towards a zero-emissions, efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector. 2019.
  4. IEA, “India Energy Outlook 2021,” India Energy Outlook 2021, 2021, doi: 10.1787/ec2fd78d-en. https://doi.org/10.1787/ec2fd78d-en
  5. M. of H. & U. Affairs, “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban.”
  6. BEE, “ECO-NIWAS.”
  7. BEE, “ECBC Commercial.”
  8. IGBC, “Indian Green Building Council.” [Online]. Available: https://igbc.in/igbe/
  9. IRENA. “Record Growth in Renewables Achieved Despite Energy Crisis,” 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.irena.org/News/pressreleases/2023/Mar/Record-9-point-6-Percentage-Growth-in-Renewables-Achieved-Despite-Energy-Crisis#:~:text-Renewable%20Capacity%20Statistics%202023%2C%20released,%20of%20fossil%20fueled%20power%20generation
  10. AEEE, “Mainstreaming thermal comfort for all and resource effeciency in affordable housing,” pp. 0-1.
  11. V. S. MATHUR, M. M. FAROUQ, and Y. H. LABARAN, “The carbon footprint of construction industry: A review of direct and indirect emission,” J. Sustain. Constr. Mater. Technol., vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 101-115, 2021. https://doi.org/10.29187/jscmt.2021.66
  12. W. Huang, F. Li, S. H. Cui, L. Huang, and J. Y. Lin, “Carbon Footprint and Carbon Emission Reduction of Urban Buildings: A Case in Xiamen City, China,” Procedia Eng., vol. 198, no. February 2018, pp. 1007-1017, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.07.146
  13. S. Seo, J. Kim, K. K. Yum, and J. McGregor, “Embodied carbon of building products during their supply chains: Case study of aluminium window in Australia,” Resour. Conserv. Recycl., vol. 105, pp. 160-166, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.10.024
  14. M. Marzouk and N. Elshaboury, “Science mapping analysis of embodied energy in the construction industry,” Energy Reports, vol. 8, pp. 1362-1376, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2021.12.049
  15. BRE Global, “BRE Global Methodology For The Environmental Assessment Of Buildings Using EN 15978: 2011,” PN 326 Rev 0.0, pp. 1- 38, 2018.
  16. ISO 14040, “ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework,” 2006.
  17. I. 14044, “ISO 14044:2006 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements and guidelines,” 2016.
  18. J. L. Casamayor and D. Su, “Integration of detailed/screening LCA software-based tools into design processes,” Des. Innov. Value Towar. a Sustain. Soc., no. January, pp. 609-614, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3010-6_117
  19. Arjun Ram and Piyush Sharma, “A study on Life Cycle Assessment,” Int. J. Eng. Adv. Technol., vol. 6, no. NASET17, pp. 197-201, 2017.
  20. P. DASIC, V. NEDEFF, and S. CURCIC, “Analysis and Evaluation of Software Tools,” no. February, pp. 6-15, 2007.
  21. Ecoinvent, “Ecoinvent.” [Online]. Available: https://ecoinvent.org/
  22. Sphera, “Sphera.” [Online]. Available: https://sphera.com/product-sustainability-software/.
  23. G. Finnveden, “On the limitations of life cycle assessment and environmental systems analysis tools in general,” Int. J. Life Cycle Assess., vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 229-238, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02979365
  24. C. van der Giesen, S. Cucurachi, J. Guinée, G. J. Kramer, and A. Tukker, “A critical view on the current application of LCA for new technologies and recommendations for improved practice,” J. Clean. Prod., vol. 259, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120904
  25. M. Erlandsson and M. Borg, “Generic LCA-methodology applicable for buildings, constructions and operation services – today practice and development needs,” Build. Environ., vol. 38, no. 7, pp. 919-938, 2003. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0360-1323(03)00031-3
  26. D. Yeo and R. D. Gabbai, “Sustainable design of reinforced concrete structures through embodied energy optimization,” Energy Build., vol. 43, no. 8, pp. 2028-2033, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.04.014
  27. F. Stazi, A. Mastrucci, and P. Munafò, “Life cycle assessment approach for the optimization of sustainable building envelopes: An application on solar wall systems,” Build. Environ., vol. 58, pp. 278-288, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.08.003
  28. M. Ashouri, F. R. Astaraei, R. Ghasempour, M. H. Ahmadi, and M. Feidt, “Optimum insulation thickness determination of a building wall using exergetic life cycle assessment,” Appl. Therm. Eng., vol. 106, pp. 307-315, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.05.190
  29. Y. Lu, S. Wang, Y. Sun, and C. Yan, “Optimal scheduling of buildings with energy generation and thermal energy storage under dynamic electricity pricing using mixed-integer nonlinear programming,” Appl. Energy, vol. 147, pp. 49-58, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.02.060
  30. B. Agrawal and G. N. Tiwari, “Life cycle cost assessment of building integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) systems,” Energy Build., vol. 42, no. 9, pp. 1472-1481, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2010.03.017
  31. S. Khan and S. Bhushan, “India’s Building Code Has a Blind Spot for a Whole Category of Emissions,” 2023. [Online]. Available: https://science.thewire.in/environment/india-building-code-embodied-emissions/.
  32. ASHRAY, “ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization Embodied Carbon Codes and Policies Summary Low-Carbon Refrigerants in Code,” pp. 1-5, 2021.
  33. N. Gerrard, “The countries that are amending building codes to limit construction carbon emissions,” 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.international-construction.com/news/the-countries-that-are-amending-building-codes-to-limit-construction-carbon-emissions/8027521.article.
  34. Revit, “Revit.” [Online]. Available: https://www.buildercentral.com/revit-vs-sketchup/%0A.
  35. ASHRAE, “ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II,” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/claytonmiller/ashrae-global-thermal-comfort-database-ii.
  36. 3D Warehouse, “3D Warehouse.” [Online]. Available: https://www.buildercentral.com/revit-vs-sketchup/%0A.
  37. Geoawesomeness, “More than a crowdsourced map: How OpenStreetMap is becoming a mapping standard, and why you should care,” 2018. [Online]. Available: https://geoawesomeness.com/openstreetmap-mapping-standard/.
  38. Google, “Crowdsource by google.” [Online]. Available: https://crowdsource.google.com/about/.
  39. Wikipedia, “Wikipedia.” [Online]. Available: https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit/submission/wikipedia-the-father-of-crowdsourcing/.
  40. B. P. Weidema and M. S. Wesnæs, “Data quality management for life cycle inventories-an example of using data quality indicators,” J. Clean. Prod., vol. 4, no. 3-4, pp. 167-174, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-6526(96)00043-1