Woo, J (2021) A new blockchain framework for existing building energy performance measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV): A pathway for the building sector to participate in the carbon credit market. PhD thesis, University of Florida, USA.
Abstract
The threats posed by climate change to Earth’s ecosystems, human health, and the global economy are self-evident, and the building sector has contributed significantly to creating this problem. Due to a lack of a secure and accurate measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) system, reducing the building sector’s carbon emissions has not been embraced by building owners, government, and the carbon credit markets for decades. However, many countries tried to include buildings as their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) mitigation sectors under the Paris agreement. MRV has been considered critical to supporting and tracking climate change mitigation actions. Therefore, several researchers conducted studies about adopting digital MRVs, even Blockchain Technology, into their energy management. Blockchain technology is a newly introduced technology in 2008, mainly related to cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple. Recently, Blockchain extends its horizon to various areas such as supply management, data security. The purpose of this dissertation is to integrate Blockchain into the building energy performance (BEP) MRV. 18Blockchain can provide BEP MRV with accountability, immutability, transparency, and affordability. This dissertation proposes an architecture and framework for a blockchain digital BEP MRV for existing buildings’ retrofitting project with a comprehensive literature review and methodology. It has a four-layered architecture: data acquisition, data processing, data registration, and user interface. Moreover, this study uses Hyperledger Fabric as a blockchain platform for the MRV. The primary feature of the proposed blockchain MRV is automatic data measurement using smart sensors, IoT, or building automation systems. Once aggregating energy consumption data for 12 months is finished, the data will be transmitted to the blockchain network. The smart contract calculates the amount of energy savings and carbon emissions autonomously and distributes the result to building owners, energy-saving auditors, and carbon credit auditors. After auditors verify the data correctness, all network players can see the impact of carbon emission reduction of the project. This study uses three buildings finished remodeling around five years ago as its case studies. The research outcomes of this dissertation enrich the knowledge of building energy efficiency and performance. Furthermore, this study bridges a substantial gap in the body of knowledge by integrating Blockchain into BEP MRV. The result of this study facilitates the building sector’s participation in the carbon credit market by securing a robust, immutable, accountable, and affordable digital MRV system. The proposed framework delivers a fast, reliable, transparent, and affordable BEP MRV.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Kibert, C J |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | accountability; automation; blockchain; carbon emissions; case studies; climate change; energy consumption; energy efficiency; energy performance; government; market; markets; measurement; participation; security; sensors |
| Index terms: | blockchain, transparency, data acquisition, energy management, dissertation, automation, markets, energy performance, smart contract, energy consumption, Paris, energy-saving, owner, platform, carbon emission, case study, energy efficiency, climate change, retrofitting, affordability, body of knowledge, mitigation, data processing, methodology, accountability, literature review, user interface, building automation, human health |
| Subjects: | computing systems, data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, energy systems, data science, sustainability and energy, professional development, renovation and retrofit, public and environmental health, sociology, climate science, research dissemination and communication, knowledge management, economic analysis, digital technology, Geography, automation and robotics, financial risk, digital design, research methods, human-computer interaction, liability law |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Stakeholder Management, Legal Issues, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Health and Safety, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here