Developing a new data-driven LCA tool at the urban scale: The case of the energy performance of the building sector

• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2022.115389
• Publication Date: 2022-02-25T01:38:40Z
• Authors: Jacopo Famiglietti; Hashem Amini Toosi; Alice Dénarié; Mario Motta
• Keywords: Relevance

Given the ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets set by European Union and importance of cities in achieving these goals, there is an increasing need to analyze their environmental footprint with a life cycle approach. The assessment considered leading methodology for metrics, permitting holistic perspective cities. Developing complete can be difficult time-consuming, particularly discouraging non-experts. Life software applications are aimed at single product evaluation, making urban scale data management complicated or impractical. novelty this work new tool, utilizing data-driven approach, that allows extensive evaluation buildings (of operational phase). tool expands application method where existing not specifically designed implemented fail mainly due massive processing. was applied city Milan. Approximately 81,000 building units 161,935 energy systems were investigated compared using ecoinvent 3.7 as secondary database Environmental Footprint 3.0 method. results show space heating service main contributor climate change impact category, followed domestic hot water cooling (41.70, 6.50, 5.92 kgCO2eq / m2 year, respectively). Of practical relevance, no scientific research has ever been carried out on plurality scale. Thus, article's also traced innovative outcomes obtained testing Additionally, used establish reliable benchmarks implement policies assess requalification initiatives.