Improving Energy Consumption in Building Products Using Life Cycle Assessment and Energy Analysis

Modern building products have the potentials to save energy and improve environmental impacts in comparison to conventional products. However, in order to reduce of the energy and environmental impacts of any building product, its materials and energy consumption must be evaluated over its entire life cycle. This study analyzed the energy consumption associated with the total life cycle of the building products. It reviewed the literatures and information provided in existing life cycle assessment studies and reports to develop a comprehensive analysis of the life cycle energy for the building products. The analysis comprised three main phases: manufacturing, transportation, and operation. The results confirmed that the life cycle energy analysis could assign the useful metrics for equal comparison the products types and reduced uncertainty throughout quantifying the energy consumption and environmental impacts of the entire life cycle of the building products. Moreover, the life cycle energy analysis provided the facility of continuing improvements to efficiency and operating lifetime of the building products.