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Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Performance of Prefabricated Buildings

Author

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  • He Wang

    (School of Environmental Engineering, the University of Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu 8080135, Japan)

  • Yinqi Zhang

    (School of Environmental Engineering, the University of Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu 8080135, Japan)

  • Weijun Gao

    (School of Environmental Engineering, the University of Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu 8080135, Japan
    iSMART, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China)

  • Soichiro Kuroki

    (School of Environmental Engineering, the University of Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu 8080135, Japan)

Abstract

Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the construction industry continue to increase at an annual rate of 1.5%. It is particularly important to understand the characteristics of the building life cycle to reduce its environmental impact. This paper aims to assess the environmental impact of prefabricated buildings and traditional cast-in-situ buildings over the building life cycle using a hybrid model. A case study of a building with a 40% assembly rate in Japan was employed for evaluation. It concluded that the total energy consumption, and carbon emissions of the prefabricated building was 7.54%, and 7.17%, respectively, less than that of the traditional cast-in-situ building throughout the whole life cycle. The carbon emissions reduction in the operation phase reached a peak of 4.05 kg CO 2 /year∙m 2 . The prefabricated building was found to cost less than the traditional cast-in-situ building, reducing the price per square meter by 10.62%. The prefabricated building has advantages in terms of reducing global warming, acid rain, and health damage by 15% reduction. With the addition of the assembly rate, the carbon emissions and cost dropped, bottoming out when the assembly rate was 60%. After that, an upward trend was shown with the assembly rate increasing. Additionally, this study outlined that the prefabricated pile foundations is not applicable due to its high construction cost and environmental impact.

Suggested Citation

  • He Wang & Yinqi Zhang & Weijun Gao & Soichiro Kuroki, 2020. "Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Performance of Prefabricated Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:7:p:2609-:d:336940
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fanrong Ji & Zhaoyuan Luo & Xiancun Hu & Yunquan Nan & Aifang Wei, 2023. "A DPSIR Framework to Evaluate and Predict the Development of Prefabricated Buildings: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Zhanyong Jin & Shuang Xia & Huanhuan Cao & Xiaohan Geng & Zimeng Cheng & Hongbo Sun & Menglin Jia & Qingyue Liu & Jie Sun, 2022. "Evaluation and Optimization of Sustainable Development Level of Construction Industrialization: Case Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Lei Yu & Yang Wang & Dezhi Li, 2023. "Calculating and Analyzing Carbon Emission Factors of Prefabricated Components," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Gao, Hui & Wang, Donglin & Du, Xiaoxu & Zhao, Zhongwei, 2024. "An LCA-BIM integrated model for carbon-emission calculation of prefabricated buildings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    5. Hui Liu & Nazirah Zainul Abidin, 2024. "A Review on Research of Prefabricated Building Costs: Exploring Collaborations, Intellectual Basis, and Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-30, November.
    6. López-Guerrero, Rafael E. & Vera, Sergio & Carpio, Manuel, 2022. "A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the sustainability of industrialised building systems: A bibliographic review and analysis of case studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    7. H.-Ping Tserng & Cheng-Mo Chou & Yun-Tsui Chang, 2021. "The Key Strategies to Implement Circular Economy in Building Projects—A Case Study of Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.
    8. Mengwei Ye & Junwu Wang & Xiang Si & Shiman Zhao & Qiyun Huang, 2022. "Analysis on Dynamic Evolution of the Cost Risk of Prefabricated Building Based on DBN," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-19, February.
    9. Houchao Sun & Yuwei Fang & Minggan Yin & Feiting Shi, 2023. "Research on the Restrictive Factors of Vigorous Promotion of Prefabricated Buildings in Yancheng under the Background of “Double Carbon”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-21, January.
    10. Qianqian Zhao & Junzhen Li & Roman Fediuk & Sergey Klyuev & Darya Nemova, 2021. "Benefit Evaluation Model of Prefabricated Buildings in Seasonally Frozen Regions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-18, November.

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