Embodied Energy Coefficient Quantification and Implementation for an Energy-Conservative House in Thailand
Journal article
Authors/Editors
Strategic Research Themes
Publication Details
Author list: Nattaya Sangngamratsakul, Kuskana Kubaha and Siriluk Chiarakorn
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2024
Journal: Sustainability (2071-1050)
Volume number: 16
Issue number: 10
Start page: 4045
ISSN: 2071-1050
eISSN: 2071-1050
URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/10/4045
Languages: English-United States (EN-US)
Abstract
The increasing rate of population growth and urban expansion has led to a higher demand for fossil fuels, which, in turn, directly generate greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to environmental problems such as global warming and climate change. This study aims to present the total life-cycle energy analysis (LCEA) of a single-family detached house designed with an energy conservation approach. Using a cradle-to-grave scope, this study quantifies the embodied energy in six stages of the building’s life cycle, i.e., initial, transportation, construction, operational, recurrent, and demolition. An input–output (IO)-based method was employed to construct a Thailand-specific embodied energy coefficient for 36 key building materials. This coefficient was then used to quantify both the initial embodied energy and the recurrent embodied energy in this study. The case-study house was broken down into 13 building materials. Concrete was the most consumed material, followed by fiber–cement, steel, and timber, in that order. However, the results of the embodied energy distribution for these materials revealed that fiber–cement ranked first, accounting for 29%. Steel was next, at 21%, followed by concrete at 18%, and, finally, aluminum at 12%. The case-study house had an initial embodied energy of 7.99 GJ/m² and a total life-cycle energy consumption of 0.66 GJ/m²/year. This study provides valuable information on LCEA for residential buildings, fostering public understanding of energy conservation in the Thai context. Furthermore, this study’s results can be applied to establish energy conservation guidelines for residential buildings. These guidelines can help reduce energy resource depletion, carbon emissions, and environmental problems, ultimately contributing to Thailand’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Keywords
Carbon Neutrality, cradle to grave, embodied energy, life cycle energy analysis