Beyond Net Zero Energy: A Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon Emissions and Environmental Sustainability in Buildings(A-Review)

Author

G. Lokesh , B. Jagadeesh , Ch. Bharadhvaj , K. Meghana , G. Varshini


Abstract

 Buildings are energy intensive and can emit GHGs during their construction and throughout their lifespan. This paper collates the results of five research papers focused on: Net-zero energy buildings, Life-cycle carbon, Solar PV, Heating & Cooling options, and City-scale planning. Finally, the studies reveal that it is not necessarily the case that a building would have zero emissions for its entire life if it produced sufficient amounts of renewable electricity to offset its annual energy consumption. Materials, construction, transport, equipment replacement, maintenance and demolition also are important. A case study performed in Ahmedabad, India, showed 866 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over 60 years despite the building's net zero operational energy status in the case study. In Canada, research has shown that emissions can be reduced with heat pumps and solar panels, however, the optimal system can vary depending on local climate and costs. A city-wide study, using geographic information systems and building information modelling, has revealed significant life-cycle effects in transitioning to 'urban Net zero'. The study concluded that the rooftop solar panels could supply a significant amount of electricity demand in the apartment buildings in Jordan and the study cases were deemed to be cost-effective. The collection of papers provide an approach that can be implemented: minimise energy use, select appropriate equipment, utilise renewable energy, consider lower impact material and evaluate all life cycle stages. There's also a need for improved local information and straightforward guidelines. This paper is an article-based discussion, and is not based on new experimental measurement.


Keywords

Net zero energy buildings; life cycle assessment (LCA); life cycle carbon emissions; embodied carbon; renewable energy; energy efficient HVAC systems; building sustainability.



Full Text:

Download Paper PDF


References


  1. Abu Qadourah, J. (2022). Energy and Economic Feasibility of Rooftop PV systems in apartment buildings in Jordan. Results in Engineering, 16, 100642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2022.100642
  2. Jain, M., & Rawal, R. (2022). LCA of emissions from a net zero building in India.  Buildings and Cities, 3(1), 398–416. https://doi.org/10.5334/bc.194
  3. Kathiravel, R., Zhu, S., & Feng, H. (2024). A fuzzy approach for LCA of net-zero energy residential buildings equipped with different HVAC systems in Canadian climate. Energy & Buildings, 306, 113905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2024.113905
  4. Li, S.-Y., Widén, J., & Shadram, F. (2025). A systematic literature review towards achieving life cycle net-zero energy/emissions (LCNZE) buildings. Journal of Building Engineering, 114, 114387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.114387
  5. Li, Y., & Feng, H. (2025). A spatial LCA approach for urban level Net Zero Energy (NZEB) buildings in Canada based on GIS and BIM. Applied Energy, 388, 125649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125649

Share your valuable work from Social Media Buttons