Evaluation of life cycle carbon impacts for higher education building redevelopment: an archetype approach

An archetype-based approach was taken to generalise case study findings on the life cycle carbon impacts of higher education building redevelopment. For each archetype, the life cycle operational and embodied carbon impacts of carbon reduction interventions and building redevelopment options were analysed. The contribution of embodied carbon to total life cycle carbon impact was also evaluated. A database of English and Welsh university buildings was constructed comprising energy and geometry data. Six archetypes for pre-1985 buildings were then determined based on academic activity and servicing strategy. Buildings were synthesised for each archetype using case study data and the database geometry data. Life cycle carbon models following the BS EN 15978:2011 standard were constructed, calibrated using the database energy data and used to simulate carbon reduction interventions and new-build schemes. Various material systems were considered and design stage uncertainty was factored in. For new-build, average life cycle carbon savings ranged from 37 to 54%, exceeding the range of 25–33% for the best-case refurbishment options. However, in some cases the differences were only slight and within the range of uncertainty. Structural systems and building services dominated material impacts, the latter owing to replacement cycles. The generalised findings were used to provide guidance on higher education carbon management.