Primary Energy and Carbon Impacts of Structural Frames with Equivalent Design Criteria: Influence of Different Materials and Levels of Prefabrication

Chiara Piccardo (), Camille Steinik, Simone Caffè, Alessio Argentoni and Chiara Calderini ()
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Chiara Piccardo: Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Ghent, Gebroeders de Smetstraat 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Camille Steinik: Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Ghent, Gebroeders de Smetstraat 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Simone Caffè: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of Genoa, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Alessio Argentoni: Tecnostrutture, Via Meucci, 26 I, 30020 Noventa di Piave, Italy
Chiara Calderini: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of Genoa, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genoa, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-22

Abstract: This study aims to analyze the life-cycle primary energy and climate impacts of structural frames, paying particular attention to the design and prefabrication of different structural materials. The study considers an existing single-story office building with a composite concrete–steel structure and compares it with two functionally equivalent structures, i.e., a conventional reinforced concrete structure and a conventional steel structure. The existing building is located in San Felice sul Panaro, Italy. This study integrates dynamic structural analysis and life-cycle assessment (LCA). The study finds that the use of different materials can reduce the life-cycle primary energy use and CO 2-eq emissions by up to 12%. Furthermore, the benefits derived from the recovery and recycling of materials can reduce the primary energy use and CO 2-eq emissions by up to 47% and 36%, respectively. The prefabrication of structural elements can also reduce the primary energy use and CO 2-eq emissions in the construction stage. A sensitivity analysis considers changes in the electricity supply system and shows that the primary energy and CO 2-eq emissions due to prefabrication decrease when assuming marginal electricity based on renewable energies. This analysis supports the development of sustainable structural design to meet the standards concerning the whole-life-cycle carbon emissions of buildings.

Keywords: building structures; structural materials; structural design; prefabrication; LCA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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