LCA Study Investigating the Impact of Construction on Sloping Sites

Forsythe, PJ; Ding, GK

LCA Study Investigating the Impact of Construction on Sloping Sites

Forsythe, PJ

Ding, GK

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Publisher:: Forest and Wood Products Australia (PRA188-1011)
Publication Type:: Report
Citation:: 2011, pp. 1 - 47
Issue Date:: 2011

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Forsythe, PJ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0997-9118	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Ding, GK https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2697-9395	en_US
dc.date.issued	2011	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	2011, pp. 1 - 47	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	978-1-921763-27-4	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/19457
dc.description.abstract	The building sector is increasingly aware of the environmental impact of buildings. In Australia buildings produce approximately 23% of this country's total Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies are helping in the development of sustainable buildings; however, not much has been done on the impact of construction processes including cut and fill excavation. This report provides FWPA, designers and practitioners in the construction industry with an understanding of the environmental impact of cut and fill excavation construction on sloping sites (from 1:10 to 1:2 gradients) in NSW. The study quantifies all the significant LCA inputs and outputs to the cut and fill excavation, retaining wall and associated subsoil drainage works. It also developed an evaluation matrix that compares environmental impacts and GHG emissions. The LCA considered all impacts of the manufacture of building products, their transport, the construction and operating phases, and the final disposal of the product after its useful life. It was evident that a steep slope substantially increases the cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Alternative solutions such as suspended flooring systems may minimise the disturbance to the land and natural habitat.	en_US
dc.publisher	Forest and Wood Products Australia (PRA188-1011)	en_US
dc.title	LCA Study Investigating the Impact of Construction on Sloping Sites	en_US
dc.type	Report
utslib.location	Sydney	en_US
utslib.for	1202 Building	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CBI - Centre for Built Infrastructure
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CCDP - Contemporary Design Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.confidential	false	en_US
pubs.place-of-publication	Sydney	en_US
pubs.rights-statement	This research arises in the field of building. In Australia, buildings produce approximately 23% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Life cycle assessment (LCA) studies are helping designers and practitioners in the construction industry to develop sustainable buildings by assessing all the environmental impacts caused by the manufacture of building products, their transport, the construction and operating phases, and the final disposal of products after their useful life. This research examines the LCA environmental impacts of cut and fill construction for residential buildings on sloping sites in NSW with gradients ranging from 1:10 to 1:2 and a range of soil types. It quantifies all the significant LCA inputs and outputs required in a building’s cut and fill construction, retaining wall and associated subsoil drainage works. It was evident that cut and fill construction on a steep slope substantially increases the cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, with steep rock sites having significantly greater impacts than other soil types. While life cycle assessment has been applied to a wide range of products and activities, an LCA study specifically on excavation could not be found in the literature. As such, the current study contributes new knowledge to the LCA literature. And while the focus is on sloping sites in NSW, the findings are equally applicable to other states.	en_US

Abstract:

The building sector is increasingly aware of the environmental impact of buildings. In Australia buildings produce approximately 23% of this country's total Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies are helping in the development of sustainable buildings; however, not much has been done on the impact of construction processes including cut and fill excavation. This report provides FWPA, designers and practitioners in the construction industry with an understanding of the environmental impact of cut and fill excavation construction on sloping sites (from 1:10 to 1:2 gradients) in NSW. The study quantifies all the significant LCA inputs and outputs to the cut and fill excavation, retaining wall and associated subsoil drainage works. It also developed an evaluation matrix that compares environmental impacts and GHG emissions. The LCA considered all impacts of the manufacture of building products, their transport, the construction and operating phases, and the final disposal of the product after its useful life. It was evident that a steep slope substantially increases the cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Alternative solutions such as suspended flooring systems may minimise the disturbance to the land and natural habitat.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/19457