A comparative life cycle assessment of alternative constructions of a typical Australian house design

The built environment is acknowledged as a significant cause of environmental impacts. As reductions in impact are sought, the residential construction sector is considered an area where improvements can be achieved. Reducing the impact of residential buildings requires a holistic understanding of the impacts of buildings across the entire building life cycle. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is well suited to the task of quantifying building impacts so is used in this study to assess the impacts of a typical Australian house design, with a view to identifying preferable construction material specifications. Maintaining a focus on building materials, an assessment is undertaken that holds the house design constant and analyses the resulting outcomes when various material/design combinations are employed across three Australian climate zones. The results identified provide new insights into the scope constructors have to alter the lifecycle building performance of a typical Australian house design in three different climate zones. They also reinforce the merit of tighter energy performance standards for buildings, while also suggesting that material related impacts contribute significantly to total life cycle impacts; especially in mild climatic zones. In addition to providing tangible guidance, methodological issues are also explored and areas requiring further research identified.