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Journal ArticleDOI

A State of the Art of the Overall Energy Efficiency of Wood Buildings-An Overview and Future Possibilities.

08 Apr 2021-Materials (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)-Vol. 14, Iss: 8, pp 1848
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a review of the state of the art of wood constructions with a particular focus on energy efficiency, which could serve as a valuable source of information for both industry and scholars.
Abstract: The main goal of this study was to review current studies on the state of the art of wood constructions with a particular focus on energy efficiency, which could serve as a valuable source of information for both industry and scholars. This review begins with an overview of the role of materials in wood buildings to improve energy performance, covering structural and insulation materials that have already been successfully used in the market for general applications over the years. Subsequently, studies of different wood building systems (i.e., wood-frame, post-and-beam, mass timber and hybrid constructions) and energy efficiency are discussed. This is followed by a brief introduction to strategies to increase the energy efficiency of constructions. Finally, remarks and future research opportunities for wood buildings are highlighted. Some general recommendations for developing more energy-efficient wood buildings are identified in the literature and discussed. There is a lack of emerging construction concepts for wood-frame and post-and-beam buildings and a lack of design codes and specifications for mass timber and hybrid buildings. From the perspective of the potential environmental benefits of these systems as a whole, and their effects on energy efficiency and embodied energy in constructions, there are barriers that need to be considered in the future.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a hierarchical system of sustainability indicators and an assessment framework, developed by the authors, to assess the sustainability of modern high-rise timber buildings using multi-criteria assessment methods.
Abstract: As woodworking and construction technologies improve, the construction of multi-storey timber buildings is gaining popularity worldwide. There is a need to look at the design of existing buildings and assess their sustainability. The aim of the present study is to assess the sustainability of modern high-rise timber buildings using multi-criteria assessment methods. The paper presents a hierarchical system of sustainability indicators and an assessment framework, developed by the authors. Based on this framework, the tallest timber buildings in different countries, i.e., Mjostarnet in Norway, Brock Commons in Canada, Treet in Norway, Forte in Australia, Strandparken in Sweden and Stadthaus in UK, were compared across the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic/technological, and social). Research has revealed that none of the buildings is leading in all dimensions of sustainability. However, each building is unique and has its own strengths. Overall multi-criteria assessment of the buildings revealed that the Brock Commons building in Canada has received the highest rank in all dimensions of sustainability. The paper contributes to the theory and practice of sustainability assessment and extends the knowledge about high-rise timber buildings. The proposed sustainability assessment framework can be used by both academics and practitioners for assessment of high-rise timber buildings.

12 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors assess the carbon emission footprint of using mass-timber products to build a mid-rise low-energy residential building in central Chile (CCL).
Abstract: While high-rise mass-timber construction is booming worldwide as a more sustainable alternative to mainstream cement and steel, in South America, there are still many gaps to overcome regarding sourcing, design, and environmental performance. The aim of this study was to assess the carbon emission footprint of using mass-timber products to build a mid-rise low-energy residential building in central Chile (CCL). The design presented at a solar decathlon contest in Santiago was assessed through lifecycle analysis (LCA) and compared to an equivalent mainstream concrete building. Greenhouse gas emissions, expressed as global warming potential (GWP), from cradle-to-usage over a 50-year life span, were lower for the timber design, with 131 kg CO2 eq/m2 of floor area (compared to 353 kg CO2 eq/m2) and a biogenic carbon storage of 447 tons of CO2 eq/m2 based on sustainable forestry practices. From cradle-to-construction, the embodied emissions of the mass-timber building were 42% lower (101 kg CO2 eq/m2) than those of the equivalent concrete building (167 kg CO2 eq/m2). The embodied energy of the mass-timber building was 37% higher than that of its equivalent concrete building and its envelope design helped reduce space-conditioning emissions by as much as 83%, from 187 kg CO2 eq/m2 as estimated for the equivalent concrete building to 31 kg CO2 eq/m2 50-yr. Overall, provided that further efforts are made to address residual energy end-uses and end-of-life waste management options, the use of mass-timber products offers a promising potential in CCL for delivering zero carbon residential multistory buildings.

8 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors quantify the contribution of initial embodied impacts to the environmental impacts of wall assemblies' life cycle for the exterior walls of an office building in Quebec City (Canada).

6 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors quantify the contribution of initial embodied impacts to the environmental impacts of wall assemblies' life cycle for the exterior walls of an office building in Quebec City (Canada).

6 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Bio-based membranes with enhanced vapour permeability for use within building envelopes have immense potential as durable, eco-friendly, weather resistant barriers for the building industry as they can adapt to varying humidity conditions, thus allowing entrapped water vapor to pass through and escape the building, eventually prolonging the building life.
Abstract: This study focuses on the development of advanced water-resistant bio-based membranes with enhanced vapour permeability for use within building envelopes. Building walls are vulnerable to moisture damage and mold growth due to water penetration, built-in moisture, and interstitial condensation. In this work, breathable composite membranes were prepared using micro-fibrillated cellulose fiber (CF) and polylactic acid (PLA). The chemical composition and physical structure of CF is responsible for its hydrophilic nature, which affects its compatibility with polymers and consequently its performance in the presence of excessive moisture conditions. To enhance the dispersibility of CF in the PLA polymer, the fibers were treated with an organic phosphoric acid ester-based surfactant. The hygroscopic properties of the PLA-CF composites were improved after surfactant treatment and the membranes were resistant to water yet permeable to vapor. Morphological examination of the surface showed better interfacial adhesion and enhanced dispersion of CF in the PLA matrix. Thermal analysis revealed that the surfactant treatment of CF enhanced the glass transition temperature and thermal stability of the composite samples. These bio-based membranes have immense potential as durable, eco-friendly, weather resistant barriers for the building industry as they can adapt to varying humidity conditions, thus allowing entrapped water vapor to pass through and escape the building, eventually prolonging the building life.

5 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Moher et al. as mentioned in this paper introduce PRISMA, an update of the QUOROM guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which is used in this paper.
Abstract: David Moher and colleagues introduce PRISMA, an update of the QUOROM guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses

62,157 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Robust Envelope Construction Details for Buildings of the 21st Century (ROBUST) project as mentioned in this paper was supported by the Research Council of Norway, AF Gruppen, Glava, Hunton Fiber as, Icopal, Isola, Jackon, maxit, Moelven ByggModul, Ramboll, Skanska, Statsbygg and Takprodusentenes forskningsgruppe through the SINTEF/NTNU research project.

1,127 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review the range of energy efficiency indicators that can be used, particularly at the policy level, and discuss the specific limitations and appropriate uses of physical thermodynamic, economic-thermodynamic and pure economic indicators.

1,002 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of the basic principles of thermal insulation and to survey the most commonly used building insulation materials, their performance characteristics and proper applications, and the magnitude of energy savings as a result of using thermal insulation vary according to the building type, the climatic conditions at which the building is located as well as the type of the insulating material used.

780 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a comparison of energy in different types of masonry has been made and compared with the energy of conventional reinforced concrete (RC) slab roof, and total embodied energy of a multi-storeyed building, a load bearing brickwork building and a soil-cement block building using alternative building materials has been compared.

652 citations