A life cycle study of insulation in a case study building with a focus on the effect of the national energy profile

• Published in: Journal of Building Engineering 2021-11, Vol.43, p.103178, Article 103178
• Main Authors: Moradibistouni, Milad, Vale, Brenda, Isaacs, Nigel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Energy efficient buildings; Insulation; Life cycle analysis; National energy profile; Sustainable buildings
• ISSN: 2352-7102; 2352-7102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103178

Buildings consume a considerable share of global energy, mostly from non-renewable sources, and emit a substantial amount of CO2. As this is not aligned with sustainable development goals one of the main changes needed is to make buildings more energy efficient by insulating them from the ambient environment. This article discusses the factors affecting the type and quantity of insulating materials in a residential building made using prefabricated Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), and designed to require near zero space conditioning. A life cycle assessment approach is used to find the most effective level of insulation. The analysis shows it is not appropriate to use the same type of SIPs in different locations, as some relevant factors are context-dependent. The factors considered in this analysis were the design goals, climate characteristics, and most importantly the current and projected profile of the energy used for manufacturing materials and for operating the building. It is important these factors are studied together, as individual investigations can be misleading. •The concept of energy profile in the built environment is introduced and discussed.•Projection regards national energy profile should be included in LCA studies.•The more operational energy consumption is not always equal to more emissions.•Type of energy is as critical as the amount of energy in insulation selection.