An integrated assessment method for the sustainability of the opaque building envelope in residential buildings with Italian GBC-HOME certification

ABSTRACT

Sustainability in the construction and renovation of buildings is a requirement that in recent years is becoming particularly important in decision-making processes, in order to promote sustainable development in the construction sector, through methodologies and design approaches aimed at decarbonising building processes. This paper investigates the criteria and approaches adopted in a series of case studies in order to develop a useful tool to identify the ‘sustainable compromise’. This study proposes, through the comparison of the application of two methods (TOPSIS and COMPROMISE), the analysis of the materials used in the design of the opaque building envelope, considering a series of performance and environmental characteristics (including the minimisation of the embedded carbon content). The results obtained make it possible to define, among 6 stratigraphic solutions identified in the same climatic area, the one that best meets the requirements underlying sustainable development (social, environmental and economic).

KEYWORDS:

• building envelope
• sustainable construction
• energy performance
• life cycle costing
• low-carbon building

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 $P_{ij}^{\left(r\right)}$, where $r=\left\{Ru,Rc,Re,Sm\right\}$, corresponds to the weight associated with the end of life score