Optimizing the life cycle of an office building at semiarid region

Abstract

Energy consumption by occupants during utilization phase concerns the increase of global warming potential and a shortage of energy resources. Energy consumption in an effective way decreases the risk of global warming. Use of materials with high embodied energy and embodied carbon in building components may improve the energy performance of the building, but it can ameliorate global warming. The issue of Life Cycle is quite new in the Middle East, so is it effective or does it work in developing countries. One of the goals of this study is to use three different wall types in a two-story office with close embodied energy and U-value (overall heat transfer coefficient) and compare the performance of each wall in the building from the Life Cycle point of view. Subsequently, analyzing the importance of other factors such as embodied carbon and transportation in choosing appropriate material in the construction sector. According to this study, even in countries like Iran (‘‘which holds the world's fourth-largest proved crude oil reserves and the world's second-largest natural gas reserves’’) with very low amount of database about the embodied energy, the right material should be chosen to reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emission.   Key words: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), office, embodied energy.