Rand Ekman – Embodied Energy

- 01 Mar 2012

  • http://blog.mcclureco.com Dan Kerr

    The life cycle chart is very interesting. Can you explain the methodology used to determine embodied energy over time? It seems a monumental task compared to estimating and tracking operational energy.

  • Rand Ekman

    The amount of embodied energy in a building remains relatively (maintenance and replacement notwithstanding) constant throughout the life-cycle of a building, but it progressively becomes a smaller percentage of the overall building energy footprint as operational energy continues to accrue. Certain materials (i.e. floor, wall, ceiling finishes and building modifications) will need to be maintained, replaced or modified during the 50-year life of the building, so the disposal and replacement of these materials will add to the building’s overall embodied energy. At this point, embodied energy can be tracked by calculating the initial quantities of materials used on a project and then applying average life-cycle factors provided by manufacturers for each product.

    Rand

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