Ding, G and Forsythe, P J (2013) Sustainable construction: Life cycle energy analysis of construction on sloping sites for residential buildings. Construction Management and Economics, 31(3), pp. 254-265. ISSN 1466433X
Abstract
In 2010, the Australian residential construction sector contributed about 28% of the value of all construction and was responsible for 8% of the total energy consumption. Residential construction will continue to increase to cope with the demand due to population growth. Owing to land scarcity, construction on sloping sites has become a common construction method for residential development in Australia. This method has economic benefits but poses environmental issues as it damages topsoil, disturbs natural drainage and groundwater pathways and imposes additional stress on soil under fill. The life cycle energy consumption of the construction process is examined in relation to residential projects on sloping sites on a range of slopes and soil types in New South Wales, Australia. Forty-one detached dwellings were selected and a service life of 60 years assumed for the study. The research findings reveal that the slope for each type of soil has a positive correlation with life cycle energy consumption. As part of the onsite construction process, the results also show that the energy consumption of construction on sloping sites plays a significant factor in the life cycle energy analysis of a building.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction process; detached dwelling; energy consumption |
| Index terms: | residential construction, energy consumption, residential development, land, residential building, service life, onsite, Australia, New South Wales, population, residential project, construction process, drainage, consumption, life cycle energy, sustainable construction, environmental issue, slope, construction method, damages, groundwater |
| Subjects: | construction integration, economic development, sustainable construction, Geography, water management, asset management, geotechnical engineering, building construction, demography, infrastructure and transport systems, construction type, dispute resolution, environmental issues, consumer economics, real estate economics, energy systems |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Sustainability, Stakeholder Management, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Site Management, Legal Issues, Urban Studies |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
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