MSLCEA FOR GREEN DEVELOPMENTS
Using a multi-scale life cycle energy analysis for the appraisal of green developments.
A case study of the Nightingale Village in Melbourne, Australia.
M A S T E R T H E S I S
Melbourne School of Design – MSD
Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning – ABP
The University of Melbourne
Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning – ABP
The University of Melbourne
© 2019 Alejandro Lara Allende
A B S T R A C T
At least 40% of the total greenhouse gas emissions driving environmental issues are related to the built environment, mostly because of energy coming from fossil fuels. In response, green net-zero energy developments claim an improved environmental performance. Notwithstanding the clear reductions of energy use in green developments during the operational phase, previous studies have identified trade-offs in terms of embodied energy in construction materials and building users transport energy requirements.
This research reconsiders the evaluation of green environmental claims through a life cycle approach. A multi-scale life cycle energy assessment software tool is employed to quantify the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of a case study medium-scale green development in Melbourne, Australia over 50 years. The assessment highlights that there is no scenario presenting net-zero energy or greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, each of the embodied, operational and transport energy requirements represent an important contribution to the life cycle energy. Therefore, all life cycle stages are relevant to the energy and greenhouse gas emissions performance of green developments.
In addition, considering the energy source and the temporal dimension of greenhouse gas emissions should be incorporated in the green development discourse to increase transparency and holistic greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies that ensure an improved environmental performance. Moving forward, this work advocates for the development and implementation of a strategic planning framework that stipulates development standards encompassing all life cycle stages, coupled with a tool to streamline the assessment of life cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
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