Analysis of Embodied Environmental Impacts of Korean Apartment Buildings Considering Major Building Materials

Seungjun Roh, Sungho Tae and Rakhyun Kim
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Seungjun Roh: Sustainable Building Research Center, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan 15588, Korea
Sungho Tae: Sustainable Building Research Center, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan 15588, Korea
Rakhyun Kim: Architectural Engineering, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan 15588, Korea

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: Because the reduction in environmental impacts (EIs) of buildings using life-cycle assessment (LCA) has been emphasized as a practical strategy for the sustainable development of the construction industry, studies are required to analyze not only the operational environmental impacts (OEIs) of buildings, but also the embodied environmental impacts (EEIs) of building materials. This study aims to analyze the EEIs of Korean apartment buildings on the basis of major building materials as part of research with the goal of reducing the EIs of buildings. For this purpose, six types of building materials (ready-mixed concrete, reinforcement steel, concrete bricks, glass, insulation, and gypsum) for apartment buildings were selected as major building materials, and their inputs per unit area according to the structure types and plans of apartment buildings were derived by analyzing the design and bills of materials of 443 apartment buildings constructed in South Korea. In addition, a life-cycle scenario including the production, construction, maintenance, and end-of-life stage was constructed for each major building material. The EEIs of the apartment buildings were quantitatively assessed by applying the life-cycle inventory database (LCI DB) and the Korean life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) method based on damage-oriented modeling (KOLID), and the results were analyzed.

Keywords: embodied environmental impact; apartment building; major building material; life-cycle assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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