Embodied energy is the energy required to build a product from raw materials, including manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal. Buildings have a large amount of embodied energy, and it is advisable to use materials with a lower environmental impact to reduce overall energy.
Embodied energy is the energy required to build a product from the raw material. It takes into account the individual components of the product and the energy requirement to produce it. Embodied Energy is viewed as a life cycle assessment, where materials derived from nature are tracked through the manufacturing process, product development, eventual disposal, and return to nature.
A home or office building has a large amount of embodied energy. All parts of the building require raw materials from nature, such as wood, aluminum and glass. The energy required to manufacture individual parts, such as the roof, windows, and floor, adds to the total embodied energy of the structure.
Transporting individual parts from the factory to the job site requires additional energy. The trucks and machinery needed to move the parts, as well as the manpower needed to operate the equipment, add to the building’s total energy. Another factor is the fuel needed to run the trucks and equipment.
Installing parts of a house or building in the workplace also increases total energy. The tools and materials used to connect parts, such as a hammer, nail or bolt, require energy to manufacture. The workers who construct the building also contribute to the overall embodied energy.
After construction, the maintenance required to operate the building also adds to the embodied energy. Parts needing replacement will be manufactured using additional energy. Repairs also use raw materials, especially when replacing roofs or adding a driveway.
Once the structure has reached its natural limit or lifespan, deconstruction and recycling of materials takes place. This also adds to the embodied energy of the structure. Energy is needed to demolish the building, load trucks with debris and haul the material to a disposal site. This is generally the last bit of energy that is considered when determining the total energy needs of a facility.
In general, the less energy embodied in a structure, the more environmentally friendly. It is advisable to build houses with materials with a lower environmental impact. For example, a hardwood floor requires less energy than a concrete floor. Even a roof made with galvanized corrugated sheet requires more energy than a roof made with concrete tiles. The overall energy to build a house should be as low as possible.
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