Ranjith Gammampila

Bio: Ranjith Gammampila is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Embodied energy & Roof. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 7 citations.

Life cycle energy of steel and concrete framed commercial buildings

Abstract: The construction and operation of buildings are vastly responsible for significant environmental impacts, predominantly through resource consumption, waste production and greenhouse gas emission. Environmental issues continue to become increasingly significant and hence the building operational energy efficiency and the energy required for construction and consequently, for the material production, are getting greater importance. The commercial buildings in general consumes significant amount of materials in construction and consumes significant amount of energy during operation. Therefore it is essential to determine both embodied energy and operational energy. This paper quantifies and compares the embodied energy and operational energy of concrete and steel framed structures, which are commonly used in commercial buildings. A typical high rise office building in Melbourne has been chosen for this exercise. The studied building is a fifty storey with a flat roof and the total net-lettable area of 75 570 square meters. The embodied energy contribution of the substructure, the super structure with the structural elements namely foundation, beams, columns roof, facades and stairs are investigated. The results shown that the structural building materials, concrete (with steel reinforcement) represents the largest component of embodied energy for concrete frame structure while the steel framed structure examined showed the beams represent the largest component of embodied energy. It was fond that there is no significant difference in operational energy.

Carbon footprint and embodied energy consumption assessment of building construction works in Western Australia

Abstract: The Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) is currently leading a new approach to the delivering and operating of infrastructure through a more careful examination of the carbon footprint of construction activities. Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, this paper presents life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy analysis of the Engineering Pavilion (hereinafter referred to as Building 216), at Curtin University Western Australia. The University utilises a Building Management System (BMS) to reduce its overall operational energy consumption. This LCA analysis employed a ‘mining to use’ approach, in other words, the analysis takes into account all of the stages up to the utilisation stage. The life cycle GHG emissions and embodied energy of Building 216 were calculated to be 14,229 tonne CO2-e and 172 TJ, respectively. This paper identified the ‘hotspots’, or the stages in production and operation of Building 216 that were the cause of the majority of the GHG emissions. From this, proposals for further improvements in environmental management may be made. The usage stage of the building produces 63% less GHG emissions than the University average, due to the implementation of the BMS. This system has played a significant role in reducing the total embodied energy consumption of the building (i.e., 20% less than the University average).

A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of concrete and steel-prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction structures in Malaysia

Abstract: In recent years, off-site volumetric construction has been promoted as a viable strategy for improving the sustainability of the construction industry. Most prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) structures are composed of either steel or concrete; thus, it is imperative to carry out life cycle assessments (LCAs) for both types of structures. PPVC is a method by which free-standing volumetric modules-complete with finishes for walls, floors, and ceilings-are prefabricated and then transferred and erected on-site. Although many studies have examined these structures, few have combined economic and environmental life cycle analyses, particularly for prefinished volumetric construction buildings. The purpose of this study is to utilize LCA and life cycle cost (LCC) methods to compare the environmental impacts and costs of steel and concrete PPVCs "from cradle to grave." The results show that steel necessitates higher electricity usage than concrete in all environmental categories, while concrete has a higher emission rate. Steel outperforms concrete by approximately 37% in non-renewable energy measures, 38% in respiratory inorganics, 43% in land occupation, and 40% in mineral extraction. Concrete, on the other hand, performs 54% better on average in terms of measures adopted for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Steel incurs a higher cost in the construction stage but is ultimately the more economical choice, costing 4% less than concrete PPVC owing to the recovery, recycling, and reuse of materials. In general, steel PPVC exhibits better performance, both in terms of cost and environmental factors (excluding GHG emissions). This study endeavors to improve the implementation and general understanding of PPVC.

The Embodied Impact of Existing Building Stock

Abstract: This chapter provides the reader with a better understanding of the life cycle environmental impacts, with a focus on the embodied impact of existing building stock. A systematic literature review is conducted to paint a clear picture of the current research activities and findings. The major components of embodied impact and parameters influencing the embodied impact are outlined and explained. Lastly, this chapter discusses the major barriers for the embodied impact assessment, and a potential analysis framework is proposed at the end.