Life Cycle Assessment of Dynamic Water Flow Glazing Envelopes: A Case Study with Real Test Facilities

Abstract

High initial costs hinder innovative technologies for building envelopes. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) should consider energy savings to show relevant economic benefits and potential to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Life Cycle Energy (LCE) should focus on investment, operation, maintenance, dismantling, disposal, and/or recycling for the building. This study compares the LCC and LCE analysis of Water Flow Glazing (WFG) envelopes with traditional double and triple glazing facades. The assessment considers initial, operational, and disposal costs and energy consumption as well as different energy systems for heating and cooling. Real prototypes have been built in two different locations to record real-world data of yearly operational energy. WFG systems consistently showed a higher initial investment than traditional glazing. The final Life Cycle Cost analysis demonstrates that WFG systems are better over the operation phase only when it is compared with a traditional double-glazing. However, a Life Cycle Energy assessment over 50 years concluded that energy savings between 36% and 66% and CO2 emissions reduction between 30% and 70% could be achieved.

Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Glazing Systems towards Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings: Energy Performance, Thermal Comfort, Cost-Effectiveness, and Environmental Impact Perspectives

“…Some studies consider the life cycle cost (LCC) methodology, which revolves around maximizing design efficiency and reducing the total expenses of construction, operation, and demolition throughout the lifespan of a building. The LCC of the building envelope encompasses the costs incurred during its construction, operation, and demolition [110]. Another study took a broader perspective to investigate the energy, economic, and environmental implications of implementing a novel thermochromic/low-E smart window glazing specifically for the Netherlands.…”

“…-Assessing a glazing solution from a singular perspective may not result in an optimal outcome. Adopting a more comprehensive approach, which goes beyond solely considering payback periods, is essential when evaluating glazing upgrades [31,68,110].…”

Life Cycle Cost of Electricity Production: A Comparative Study of Coal-Fired, Biomass, and Wind Power in China

“…LCC was originally used to calculate the operational and maintenance cost of public procurement in the 20th century [4]. Since the 1980s, LCC has been applied in the field of construction and environmental protection [5][6][7]. In recent years, LCC has been applied in the energy and environment field [8,9].…”