Environmental impact assessment of on-site and off-site construction logistics activities – A case study analysis from Norway

Construction site activities are one of the main contributors to GHG emissions in the construction industry. There are several on-going initiatives on finding low and zero emission solutions for reducing GHG emission from construction sites. The objective of this paper is to investigate the emission reduction potential from fossil and emission free on-site and off-site construction logistic activities based on actual data collected from a case study from Oslo. The paper firstly presents definitions and step wise approach for fossil free and emission free construction site activities. Then, GHG emission calculation from the logistic activities using LCA methods and scenario analysis to evaluate the environmental performance of fossil and emission free solutions considered in the selected case study. The results illustrated the GHG emission reduction potential from electrification of construction machineries and transport of material, collaboration between construction site for more efficient use and reuse of excavated masses, modal shift for transport of materials as well as the importance of clear description of the system boundary and background data. Availability of electric machinery, electrified means of transport and sufficient electricity supply, lack of requirements for low-emission material transport solutions, lack of data for LCA studies are identified as some challenges. Moreover, the study highlighted the potential contribution of increased demand for emission free solutions through public procurement to facilitate a change in the industry by overcoming these barriers.publishedVersio

Level(s) compared to European and Norwegian standards for life cycle assessment of buildings

Launched in 2021, the EU Level(s) calculation method for Global Warming Potential (GWP) of buildings could get increasing attention and complement the standards that are currently used in Europe and Norway, EN 15978 and NS 3720. To understand the possibility and consequences of using Level(s) in Norway, we assess how the Level(s) GWP calculation method differs from EN 15978 and NS 3720, and whether it is more specific and provides more guidance. Comparing fifteen methodological aspects, eleven were treated differently in the three methods. Both Level(s) and NS 3720 are based on EN 15978, hence they provide more, though different, specifications and guidelines than EN 15978 for most of the aspects, such as scope of building elements, life cycle stages to include, and reference study period. Level(s) provides more guidance for the development of scenarios for the operational and end-of-life stages, and for assessing data reliability. NS 3720 lists the scope of building elements in detail and accounts for operational transport (stage B8). Overall, a building GWP calculated with NS 3720 would need some adjustment to reflect the prescriptions of Level(s). These findings inform LCA assessors about key differences, supporting the broader use of Level(s) in Norway as in Europe, and helping towards a harmonization of NS 3720 to Level(s).publishedVersio

Barriers, success factors, and perspectives for the reuse of construction products in Norway

Reuse of construction materials and products has great potential to reduce the environmental footprint of a building. However, the way buildings are designed and constructed rarely considers closed loop materials systems and the implementation of reuse in building projects is associated with many hurdles. Various professionals might experience different challenges or might be affected to different degrees. The objective of this paper is to provide an insight into experiences and perspectives of professional actors involved in projects with a focus on reuse in Norway. A series of interviews with manufacturers, architects, contractors, environmental consultants, and public institutions was conducted to (i) identify barriers and success factors for reuse in pilot projects, (ii) capture the issues that seem most pressing for different actors, (iii) identify which actors in the value chain need to be more included into reuse processes, and (iv) define and prioritise necessary actions to advance reuse in Norway. The results suggest that reuse in Norway could be greatly advanced by more communication and cooperation between different actors in the value chain. Especially manufacturers can play an important role and need to be more involved in reuse processes. Planning for and practical execution of reuse will benefit from well-functioning research infrastructure. However, legislation needs to be adjusted in favour of reuse. Currently being one of the greatest barriers as experienced by most actors, it has the potential to become the greatest enabler for the reuse of materials and products in the Norwegian building sectorpublishedVersio

A Sustainability Assessment Framework for On-Site and Off-Site Construction Logistics

Urban areas pay increasing attention to new construction and infrastructure works, mainly due to the rapid global rise in urbanisation. In the long run, these works have a positive correlation with the economic and social attractiveness of cities. Construction strongly relies on logistics activities, which cannot be neglected in the environmental equation. An important aspect in tackling the negative effects of construction logistics (CL) lies in understanding the source and mitigation potential of the impacts incurred. However, currently, limited robust impact assessments are available for this sector. Given the lack of these rigorous assessments, it is difficult to evaluate the environmental criteria concerned, especially when comparing innovative CL solutions. In this paper, we present a holistic sustainability assessment framework designed for CL activities based on life cycle approaches, which covers four main iterative steps: (1) goal and scope definition, (2) data identification and availability, (3) scenario and setup evaluation and (4) environmental impact assessment. To measure both the off-site and on-site CL impact, two distinct and complementary methodologies are used: External Cost Calculations and Life Cycle Assessment. The framework was implemented on a pilot case in the Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium). It provides a holistic view of CL impacts for policy evaluations and implementations on the project, portfolio or city level. The results show that off-site zero-emission construction vehicles are the way forward if cities want to achieve environmental goals by 2035. However, market readiness for high-capacity vehicles must be considered. Otherwise, the positive effects on air pollution, climate change and noise are offset by a saturation of the road transport network and its associated congestion and infrastructure damage costspublishedVersio

Potentials for emission reduction and value creation in the rehabilitation of existing building stock using input-output analysis

Given that most of the world’s building stock for the next 30 years already exists today, renovation of existing buildings and infrastructure represent an important pathway towards a more sustainable future. The aim of this paper was twofold: 1) to evaluate potentials for waste reduction, efficient resource utilization, economic advantages and GHG emission reduction in rehabilitation in comparison with building new, 2) demonstrate the usefulness of input-output analysis in evaluation of value creation and employment potential, and environmental effects of changes in the building stock. A macroeconomic, input-output model developed by SINTEF is used in a methodology to make comparative assessments on future scenarios on building and renovation strategies. Preliminary results show how the strategies analysed provide pros and cons when different macroeconomic indicators (value added, GHG emissions, energy efficiency) are considered. Future works will improve technical data and macroeconomic assumptions, as integrate policy analysis into the methodology.publishedVersio

Adaptive reuse of industrial heritage building – comparative life cycle assessment using a case study

Materials production dominates the total Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the construction industry. On the other hand, most existing building stocks are expected to last for the next 30 years, which can contribute to increasing resource efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and creating social, cultural, and economic values for society. Therefore, it becomes vital to investigate the environmental impacts of adaptive reuse of existing buildings using a life cycle approach. The objective of this study is to explore the environmental performance of adaptive reuse of an industrial heritage building compared to new construction using a life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The environmental impacts of the selected case study are evaluated using four scenarios, with two adaptive reuse scenarios, a warehouse or an office building and two new construction scenarios, a new warehouse or a new office building. One-Click LCA is used as an LCA tool, and the scenarios are compared by total carbon footprint, life cycle models, GHG emissions per building elements and material types. The results show that among the four scenarios, the adaptive to warehouse scenario is the best adaptation option with considerably lower environmental impact, followed by the adaptive office scenario. This paper highlights that adaptation of existing industrial heritage buildings, with the least materials replacement option, is worthwhile. The further evaluation needed for the study's limitation is also highlighted for data efficiency and potential for further research.publishedVersio

A chronological development of a framework for emission free construction sites in Norway

The building and construction sector is responsible for 3.4% of total GHG emissions in Norway. Around 95% of these emissions arise from the combustion of fossil fuels for the operation of construction machinery and transport. This highlights the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources for the operation of construction sites. To facilitate this transition, a new concept is emerging in Norway, called emission free construction sites. To fully implement this concept, a clear and consistent definition of emission free construction sites and a commonly agreed stepwise approach to decarbonisation of construction activities is required. This paper presents a chronology of the development of emission free construction sites in Norway to further develop a framework. First, a review of experiences from different research and on-going national activities are presented as a background. The results from applying this framework on construction sites in Norway are presented and issues around harmonisation of definitions, standards, and system boundaries are discussed. The results of this paper are relevant for actors within the construction industry that are interested in reducing GHG emissions from construction works. In conclusion, this paper presents the first steps towards the decarbonisation of construction sites in Norway and demonstrates how Norway has become a testbed for the electrification of construction machinery on construction sites.publishedVersio

Towards emission free construction sites in Northern Norway: Results from a regional survey

The concept of emission free construction sites (EFCS) has emerged as a prioritised measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Norwegian construction activities. EFCS have been evaluated through several pilot projects in Southern Norway, whilst none are found in Northern Norway. This study aims to investigate the major barriers and success factors for developing EFCS-projects in Northern Norway through a digital survey amongst construction industry representatives. The results indicate that major barriers for EFCS implementation are related to limited access and capacity of electricity and power supply, and limited availability and high costs of emission free technologies. Similar challenges are identified from EFCS projects in Southern Norway, making the cold climate, poor infrastructure, and remote conditions in Northern Norway an amplifier of these challenges. The identified success factors are to a large extent aligned with the major barriers, emphasizing improved power supply and charging infrastructure, as well as increased availability of emission free technologies. Predictable and equal requirement specifications in public tenders that reward those who invest in emission free technology are requested, emphasizing the importance of implementing requirements. Further work is needed to gather experience from EFCS pilots in cold and remote areas.publishedVersio

A Norwegian ZEB Definition Guideline

The objective of this report is to provide a comprehensive and consistent guideline for the Norwegian definition of Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) and the associated calculation methodologies. The guidelines described in this report build upon the article "A Norwegian Zero Emission Building Definition”, the report “A Norwegian ZEB Definition - Embodied Emissions” as well as other relevant national and international work. The guidelines explain the methodology used within the ZEB Research Centre, focusing upon operational energy use calculations and life cycle emission calculations for materials. Furthermore, the guidelines illustrate the ZEB definition and methodology with selected examples from the ZEB pilot case studies. This guideline is useful for designers and developers involved in the planning and design of zero emission buildings. The guideline can also be used as a point of reference for the setting of future standards and regulations on low carbon buildings.publishedVersio

User perspectives on reuse of construction products in Norway: Results of a national survey

Construction industry is one of the main contributors to the world's emissions and material footprints. Reuse of construction products is one way to lower the sector's embodied emissions and increase resource utilisation. The aim of this study is to identify the main drivers and challenges affecting reuse of construction products as well as assess success factors, reuse potential, and potential measures which should be considered to overcome these obstacles. An online national survey was conducted on reuse of construction products among actors from the Norwegian construction industry. The valid responses obtained from 260 participants show ‘emission reduction’ as the most important driver for reuse of construction products by all user groups. Even if regulatory and economic components were listed under drivers in the survey questions, they were considered as barriers rather than drivers by some of the respondents. All user groups, except suppliers of reused products, rated ‘lack of documentation’ as the most important barrier, and ‘good planning’ as the most important success factor. Suppliers of reused products rated ‘high cost’ and ‘good planning’ as the most challenging and the most important success factor for reuse, respectively. The findings also reveal different perceptions and levels of optimism among actors. Most respondents were optimistic about availability of reusable products (within less than 5 y), but least optimistic about finding cheaper reusable products in the near future (assuming it might take 9 to 17 y). Laws and regulations, testing, documentation and certification, and economic subsidies are mentioned as the top three measures to address the current barriers. Concerning the definition of the term ‘Reuse’, the findings indicate a lack of common understanding – and the need to create a clear description and a harmonised definition. The findings from the study show the need to take several actions to address the current challenges of reuse.publishedVersio