A new decision support system for the integrated assessment of thermal insulation solutions with emphasis on recycling potential is presented in this paper. The suggested system comprises three main assessment factors: primary energy consumption, the environmental impact and the financial cost; each and every factor is analytically assessed during the four distinct stages of a thermal insulation solution's life cycle. The calculation of the aforementioned factors takes place using analytical algorithms, formulated in such a way that have led to the development of the integrated, holistic decision-making support tool, namely ib3at. Using ib3at it becomes feasible to optimize the end-of-life management of thermal insulation solutions, but also to select, during the design phase of a new building, the optimal thermal insulation solution for each building element. The ib3at is applied for common thermal insulation practices, used widely in new constructions as well as in the renovation of existing buildings.
Buildings in Europe account for one third of the total energy related CO2 emissions and even higher in some countries depending on the fuel mix of energy consumption [1], [2] and [3]. Another major environmental impact of buildings is the production of construction and demolition waste (CDW) that have a major impact on landfills. According to the European agency, CDW account for 10–33% of the total waste stream. For this particular waste stream, demolition phase accounts for 40–50%, renovation procedures for 30–50% and construction procedure only for 10–20%, of the total waste [4]. The building stock presents a low turnover rate due to the high number of existing buildings and their lifetime of 50 and frequently more than 100 years. It is characteristic that 70% of the residential buildings are over 30 years old of which about 35% are more than 50 years [1] and [5]. In addition demographics in Western and Central Europe are a factor that contributes to the saturation of the demand in the residential building sector, leading to the current trend of emphasising in renovation and refurbishment of the existing housing stock [6]. It is therefore clear that the largest potential for improving energy performance of the building stock lies in the existing buildings and it is essential to focus on sustainable construction practices towards the minimisation of energy consumption and environmental impact also in these constructive activities [7], [8] and [9].
To assist and promote sustainability in construction, an integrated decision support system (DSS), namely ib3at, is presented for the assessment of thermal insulation solutions (TIS) during their life cycle, placing special emphasis on their recycling potential.
A new integrated decision support system for the assessment of thermal insulation solutions during their life cycle has been developed and tested. The system comprises three main assessment factors, namely primary energy consumption, the environmental impact and the financial cost, each and every part of which is analytically assessed during the four distinct stages of the life cycle of a thermal insulation solution. The calculation of the aforementioned features takes place using analytical algorithms. These algorithms have been developed in such a way that, depending on the desired outcome, they can be used, either autonomously or in a joint fashion.
The formulated algorithms, combined with databases specifically created that contain data that stem from the industrial and construction sector, led to the development of an integrated, holistic decision-making support tool, namely ib3at. It can be used, either as a complete set, or as distinct subsets, by a plethora of users, like architects, engineers, developers, demolition firms, public authorities, etc., pursuing their respective aims. Using ib3at, it becomes feasible to pursue, and optimize in a parametrical sense, the end-of-life management of thermal insulation solutions, but also, working in the opposite direction, to select during the design phase of a new building the optimal thermal insulation solution for each building element, taking into account energy, economic and environmental criteria.
The ib3at was applied for the integrated evaluation of the most common thermal insulation practices implemented in four building elements. As the results indicate, the use of expanded polystyrene as an insulation material is the optimal solution whether it refers to external walls and pilotis floors construction (as part of an external thermal insulation composite system), or to flat roof construction with the adoption of the inverted roof technique.
Extension of ib3at with additional assessment factors and its proper transformation in order to be used for the evaluation of windows, buildings as a whole and HVAC systems, is forthcoming.
