Solar Decathlon 2022 Design Challenge Embodied Energy Report

This project is an independent research project for a collaborative student group participating in the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2022 Design Challenge. In this report, I examined how wood building materials can be used to lower the embodied energy of the University of Texas at Austin's (UTSOA) 14 living unit design.

Abstract

This paper studies the embodied energy of building materials, including interior design finishes, in the University of Texas at Austin (UTSOA) 2022 Solar Decathlon Challenge project to determine whether wood building materials are effective in minimizing embodied carbon and meeting net-zero energy project goals. Embodied energy refers to the sum of energy, including that of embodied carbon and emission of greenhouse gases, required to bring a product from production to disposal. Minimizing energy loads reduces the embodied energy of a product (Souza 2021). According to the Global Status Report in 2017, buildings and construction account for 39% of the world's atmospheric CO2 emissions and 36% of global final energy use. As pressures rise globally to reach carbon neutrality, decreasing the embodied energy and carbon of building materials is essential in meeting net-zero goals. The UTSOA project, comprised of 14 living units, aims to use well researched, efficient systems in conjunction with locally sourced materials with low embodied energies to achieve near net-zero energy.

The UTSOA unit building materials were evaluated using Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) V3.0 Beta embodied carbon equivalent values, the total sum of all greenhouse gas emissions produced in the lifecycle assessment of a product. Common building materials were then assessed using these embodied carbon equivalent values to determine the appropriate materials in minimizing the project's embodied energy impact.

Keywords: embodied energy, embodied carbon equivalent, life cycle assessment, wood, net-zero energy

Research Conclusion

Wood has ample potential as a sustainable construction material. Building material advances, such as engineered wood products, allow wood to surpass its previous durability, recyclability, and production limitations. Using wood throughout the design process and extensively in the interior design and molding reduces the embodied carbon impact and demonstrates an organic, sustainable aesthetic. By prioritizing wood as our primary building material, the UTSOA design can lower its embodied carbon and energy footprint and achieve net-zero energy goals.