Keyhani, Maryam (2025) Whole life embodied carbon assessment and reduction in UK buildings. Post-Doctoral thesis, University of West London.

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Abstract

The UK aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 68% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050, necessitating urgent reductions in carbon emissions from the building sector, which accounts for 39% of energy-related emissions. This research focuses on assessing and mitigating embodied carbon (EC) in residential, educational, and hotel buildings in the UK using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) across the entire building lifecycle to support net-zero targets. The study evaluates EC from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal (modules A1-A5, B2-B4, and C1-C4), addressing critical gaps in current EC assessment methodologies. This study also examines EC savings from current end-of-life strategies in existing UK buildings and their impact on new constructions. As Module A accounts for the highest EC in the case studies, the majority of reduction strategies should focus on this stage.
To enhance accuracy and efficiency, this research integrates Building Information Modelling (BIM) with LCA using Dynamo and Python scripting, enabling automated EC assessment. Dynamo was used to connect the LCA database with Autodesk Revit, creating a smooth link between them. Then, Python scripting was used to automate the EC assessment by organizing and processing the data from the LCA database, making the process faster and more efficient. The study identifies discrepancies between traditional manual assessments and automated approaches, refining methodologies to improve reliability. Additionally, the research explores EC reduction strategies, including the use of low-carbon materials and sustainable design interventions such as green roofing systems, to minimize carbon emissions across different buildings.
The findings demonstrated the accuracy and reliability of the automated method by comparing its results with the traditional manual approach. The automated approach was validated through two case studies: an educational building and a hotel, where the results demonstrated over 98% alignment between the manual and automated methods, with discrepancies consistently below 2%, confirming the reliability of the automation approach. In the educational building, the largest discrepancies, though relatively small, were observed in the ceiling during A5w and C2 (0.77% and 0.74%, respectively), the column during A5w (1.72%), and the foundation during A5w (0.69%). For the hotel building, the most notable differences occurred in windows during B4 (0.78%), doors during B4 (0.75%), ceilings during A4, C2, and C3-C4 (0.72%, 0.67%, and 0.72%, respectively), and foundations during A5w (0.62%). Additionally, the automated method reduced EC assessment time from over 200 hours in manual calculations to just minutes, highlighting its practicality for industry adoption.
The most impactful strategy for reducing EC emissions involves incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) as a replacement for cement. This approach has the potential to achieve a substantial reduction in the EC of concrete within the buildings under investigation, ranging from 60% to 70%. The study reveals that specification strategy can lead to significant Whole Life Embodied Carbon (WLEC) reductions, with the residential building achieving a 22.53% reduction, the college building a 35.17% reduction and the hotel building a reduction of 17.72%.

Item Type:	Thesis (Post-Doctoral)
Identifier:	10.36828/thesis/14030
Subjects:	Construction and engineering > Civil and structural engineering
Depositing User:	Mary Blomley
Date Deposited:	27 Aug 2025 12:41
Last Modified:	28 Aug 2025 10:15
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/14030

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