Reducing CO2. Are industrialised construction systems better?

Abstract

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributable to the manufacture of the materials used for a standard dwelling in Spain are equivalent to those for 25 years of its use. This data shows that a significant reduction in emissions from the domestic sectors implies not only reducing the energy demand of the buildings - which is the aim of most environmental action - but also reducing the energy input of materials. Many of the proposals for reducing the environmental impact of buildings use industrialised construction systems because it is believed that they are more energy-efficient. This study compares the emissions from the use and manufacture of a conventional construction system for a dwelling with three specific industrialised construction systems. The results show that the use of industrialised system does not necessarily bring about the overall environmental advantages that are often associated with them; indeed, they can even be counter-productive. © 2007 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved.