Blay-Armah, Augustine, Mohebbi, Golnaz Mohebbi, Bahadori-Jahromi, Ali ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0405-7146, Fu, Charlie, Amoako-Attah, Joseph and Barthorpe, Mark (2023) Evaluation of Embodied Carbon Emissions in UK Supermarket Constructions: A Study on Steel, Brick, and Timber Frameworks with Consideration of End-of-Life Processes. Sustainability, 15 (20).

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Abstract

Abstract: Buildings and the construction sector as a whole are among the chief emitters of carbon, and the structural system of a building contributes substantially to its embodied carbon emissions. Whereas extensive studies exist into carbon missions, a detailed evaluation of real multipart building systems in brick, steel, and timber (glulam) substitutes is lacking. This paper employs whole life-embedded carbon as a sustainability metric to compare a current UK supermarket building system of steel, brick, and timber. Four construction systems by the supermarket, referred to as CS1, CS2, CS3, and CS4, are used in the investigation. Comparisons are also made between two end-of life treatment methods (recycle and landfill) along with the benefits that can be realised in future construction projects. The outcome from the comparative assessment reveals that there are minor variations in the embodied carbon of building systems used by the supermarket. CS4, while currently presenting marginal gains (approximately 148,960.68 kgCO2eq.) compared to CS1, loses its advantages when recycled contents for future construction projects are considered. The result indicates that CS4 generates about 18% less carbon emission reduction potential than CS1, whilst CS3 generates approximately 16% less than CS1. The findings of this article can enhance the knowledge of embodied carbon estimation and reduction capabilities of timber, steel, and brick buildings. Also, the detailed method for quantifying embodied carbon used in this article can be adopted in similar projects around the world.

Keywords: building systems; embodied carbon emissions; life-cycle assessment (LCA); material selection

Item Type:	Article
Identifier:	10.3390/su152014978
Keywords:	building systems; embodied carbon emissions; life-cycle assessment (LCA); material selection
Subjects:	Construction and engineering
Depositing User:	Ali Bahadori-Jahromi
Date Deposited:	23 Oct 2023 09:12
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2024 16:17
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10431

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