How green is your house: labelling catalogue house’s CO2 emissions with aid of LCA
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Architecture and urban design (MPARC), MSc
Publicerad
2022
Författare
Lundblad, Patricia
Ribeck, Julia
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Of Sweden’s 4.8 million households, almost two million consist of privately owned detached houses. The
Swedish catalogue house market produces around 4000 new houses every year. This is an industry that
contributes to the building sector’s large share of Sweden’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this,
the catalogue house manufacturers lack information about the environmental impact of their houses.
With this year’s new law from Boverket requiring new larger buildings to be climate declared, it will also
become important for catalogue house manufacturers in the future to exhibit their house’s CO2 emissions.
The purpose of this study is to examine and understand how to communicate the environmental impact
of catalogue houses. The aim is to create environmental labelling of the house’s CO2 emissions with aid of
life cycle assessment. Together with the labelling, a design proposal for a CO2 optimised catalogue house
is created. Both new materials, building components, latitudes and houses lifespans are investigated.
Main research question examines how customers of catalogue houses can be influenced to make more
sustainable choices by communicating the house’s CO2 footprint in an understandable way with the help
of LCA. The thesis subject is explored by using the methods research for design and research on design.
Interviews, literature studies, document analysis and study of existing certifications is being conducted.
Case studies of catalogue houses, reference project and carbon footprint calculations are executed with
the tool CAALA to help apply the information of CO2 footprint into a labelling system.
The result shows that CO2 footprint can be communicated with aid of labelling in an understandable
way for a catalogue house customer. The houses can also be compared to each other with the aid of
traffic light label bars. By changing the building materials and constructions to CLT-wood and foamglas a
significant reduction of CO2 emissions can be done. The roof and foundation are the building parts that
emit most CO2. The most green house calculated is a house with a small roof and foundation area, even
though that house has the biggest living area.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Life cycle assessment, catalogue houses, climate declaration, carbon labelling