sustainability

The paper deals with a complete procedure for the calculation of material embodied energy inthe building sector using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach; the calculation of embodied energy for building material and components during the design phase takes into account both material durability and frequency of maintenance interventions. As a case study an evaluation of embodied energy for three different types of external walls is reported: external insulation coated, single stratum and multi strata.

The proceedings of this conference cover the following topics: building design process; commissioning, operation and maintenance; controls and measurement; energy and building; heat pump and panel heating and cooling; HVAC systems and equipment; IAQ and ventilation; indoor air pollution; miscellanea; modelling and simulation; museums and historical buildings; noise control and lighting; passive/evaporative cooling and refrigeration; refrigeration and passive cooling, heat pumps, panel heating and cooling; refrigerant substitution issue; and thermal comfort.

The use of superinsulation is normally associated with climates that are colder and less temperate than that of Auckland, New Zealand. However, if life-cycle energy analysis is undertaken, which incorporates operating and embodied energies and the energy of replacement parts over the life of the building, it can be shown that superinsulation of standard New Zealand lightweight construction more than halves the life-cycle energy of a typical house.

It is the aim of this article to explain the testing procedures developed at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and to evaluate the potential natural ventilation and daylighting applications that have arisen from this research. The objectives for research into this field were to reduce energy costs and increase the sustainability of building stock. From the results of these experiments actual and potential designs are illustrated and discussed in this article.