The Experts below are selected from a list of 141 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Amip Shah - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The life cycle assessment of a UK data centre
    The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Beth Whitehead, Deborah Andrews, Amip Shah
    Abstract:

    Purpose Data centres are high-energy consumers, and historical assessment of their environmental Impact has focused largely on energy consumption. Widely adopted assessment methods consider either single issues or do not comprehensively assess links between issues. One exception is the CLEER Model, which compares life cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Cloud-based and present-day services. However, there remains the need to verify components for inclusion in a data centre life cycle assessment (LCA), assess quality and quantity of secondary data, benchmark an existing data centre LCA, assess non-Cloud-based services for multiple Impacts, and establish facility areas that are sensitive to change. Methods A hybrid approach, combining process-based and economic input output (EIO) data, was used to perform the screening LCA of an existing UK data centre. The study includes the definition of the goal and scope, modelling assumptions, a life cycle inventory, results and interpretation and a sensitivity check. Results and discussion The dominance of the information technology (IT) operational phase to the overall Impact and the severity of the Impact on human health are concluded. Due to the use of free cooling, the IT-Embodied Impact is greater than the combined mechanical and electrical operational Impact. Electricity production dominates the total life cycle Impact; however, the second most significant Impact derives from the disposal of metal refining waste products during the manufacture of IT components and electricity distribution networks. The release of carcinogens is one of the largest contributors to the whole life cycle Impact and is almost equal in value between the Embodied and operational phases. Finally, a sensitivity check found that a Swedish facility optimised for operational energy efficiency with a 1.25-year server refresh resulted in an Embodied Impact almost double the operational. Conclusions It was concluded that current LCI data, software packages and project data allow for a sufficiently accurate data centre LCA model. The results support the need to broaden environmental Impact reduction to beyond operational energy consumption for cooling and that building environmental assessment methods (BEAMs) should consider more Embodied Impacts. It is concluded also that three parameters are sensitive to design changes that influence the overall Impact: operational energy for the IT equipment, cooling and power delivery; the energy mix; and the amount of IT equipment across the facility’s lifetime. The results present a clear need to monitor life cycle Impact, develop further tools to compare different design/operation options and functional units, improve data and develop an LCA-based BEAM.

  • The life cycle assessment of a UK data centre
    The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Beth Whitehead, Deborah Andrews, Amip Shah
    Abstract:

    Purpose Data centres are high-energy consumers, and historical assessment of their environmental Impact has focused largely on energy consumption. Widely adopted assessment methods consider either single issues or do not comprehensively assess links between issues. One exception is the CLEER Model, which compares life cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Cloud-based and present-day services. However, there remains the need to verify components for inclusion in a data centre life cycle assessment (LCA), assess quality and quantity of secondary data, benchmark an existing data centre LCA, assess non-Cloud-based services for multiple Impacts, and establish facility areas that are sensitive to change. Methods A hybrid approach, combining process-based and economic input output (EIO) data, was used to perform the screening LCA of an existing UK data centre. The study includes the definition of the goal and scope, modelling assumptions, a life cycle inventory, results and interpretation and a sensitivity check. Results and discussion The dominance of the information technology (IT) operational phase to the overall Impact and the severity of the Impact on human health are concluded. Due to the use of free cooling, the IT-Embodied Impact is greater than the combined mechanical and electrical operational Impact. Electricity production dominates the total life cycle Impact; however, the second most significant Impact derives from the disposal of metal refining waste products during the manufacture of IT components and electricity distribution networks. The release of carcinogens is one of the largest contributors to the whole life cycle Impact and is almost equal in value between the Embodied and operational phases. Finally, a sensitivity check found that a Swedish facility optimised for operational energy efficiency with a 1.25-year server refresh resulted in an Embodied Impact almost double the operational. Conclusions It was concluded that current LCI data, software packages and project data allow for a sufficiently accurate data centre LCA model. The results support the need to broaden environmental Impact reduction to beyond operational energy consumption for cooling and that building environmental assessment methods (BEAMs) should consider more Embodied Impacts. It is concluded also that three parameters are sensitive to design changes that influence the overall Impact: operational energy for the IT equipment, cooling and power delivery; the energy mix; and the amount of IT equipment across the facility’s lifetime. The results present a clear need to monitor life cycle Impact, develop further tools to compare different design/operation options and functional units, improve data and develop an LCA-based BEAM.

Beth Whitehead - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The life cycle assessment of a UK data centre
    The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Beth Whitehead, Deborah Andrews, Amip Shah
    Abstract:

    Purpose Data centres are high-energy consumers, and historical assessment of their environmental Impact has focused largely on energy consumption. Widely adopted assessment methods consider either single issues or do not comprehensively assess links between issues. One exception is the CLEER Model, which compares life cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Cloud-based and present-day services. However, there remains the need to verify components for inclusion in a data centre life cycle assessment (LCA), assess quality and quantity of secondary data, benchmark an existing data centre LCA, assess non-Cloud-based services for multiple Impacts, and establish facility areas that are sensitive to change. Methods A hybrid approach, combining process-based and economic input output (EIO) data, was used to perform the screening LCA of an existing UK data centre. The study includes the definition of the goal and scope, modelling assumptions, a life cycle inventory, results and interpretation and a sensitivity check. Results and discussion The dominance of the information technology (IT) operational phase to the overall Impact and the severity of the Impact on human health are concluded. Due to the use of free cooling, the IT-Embodied Impact is greater than the combined mechanical and electrical operational Impact. Electricity production dominates the total life cycle Impact; however, the second most significant Impact derives from the disposal of metal refining waste products during the manufacture of IT components and electricity distribution networks. The release of carcinogens is one of the largest contributors to the whole life cycle Impact and is almost equal in value between the Embodied and operational phases. Finally, a sensitivity check found that a Swedish facility optimised for operational energy efficiency with a 1.25-year server refresh resulted in an Embodied Impact almost double the operational. Conclusions It was concluded that current LCI data, software packages and project data allow for a sufficiently accurate data centre LCA model. The results support the need to broaden environmental Impact reduction to beyond operational energy consumption for cooling and that building environmental assessment methods (BEAMs) should consider more Embodied Impacts. It is concluded also that three parameters are sensitive to design changes that influence the overall Impact: operational energy for the IT equipment, cooling and power delivery; the energy mix; and the amount of IT equipment across the facility’s lifetime. The results present a clear need to monitor life cycle Impact, develop further tools to compare different design/operation options and functional units, improve data and develop an LCA-based BEAM.

  • The life cycle assessment of a UK data centre
    The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Beth Whitehead, Deborah Andrews, Amip Shah
    Abstract:

    Purpose Data centres are high-energy consumers, and historical assessment of their environmental Impact has focused largely on energy consumption. Widely adopted assessment methods consider either single issues or do not comprehensively assess links between issues. One exception is the CLEER Model, which compares life cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Cloud-based and present-day services. However, there remains the need to verify components for inclusion in a data centre life cycle assessment (LCA), assess quality and quantity of secondary data, benchmark an existing data centre LCA, assess non-Cloud-based services for multiple Impacts, and establish facility areas that are sensitive to change. Methods A hybrid approach, combining process-based and economic input output (EIO) data, was used to perform the screening LCA of an existing UK data centre. The study includes the definition of the goal and scope, modelling assumptions, a life cycle inventory, results and interpretation and a sensitivity check. Results and discussion The dominance of the information technology (IT) operational phase to the overall Impact and the severity of the Impact on human health are concluded. Due to the use of free cooling, the IT-Embodied Impact is greater than the combined mechanical and electrical operational Impact. Electricity production dominates the total life cycle Impact; however, the second most significant Impact derives from the disposal of metal refining waste products during the manufacture of IT components and electricity distribution networks. The release of carcinogens is one of the largest contributors to the whole life cycle Impact and is almost equal in value between the Embodied and operational phases. Finally, a sensitivity check found that a Swedish facility optimised for operational energy efficiency with a 1.25-year server refresh resulted in an Embodied Impact almost double the operational. Conclusions It was concluded that current LCI data, software packages and project data allow for a sufficiently accurate data centre LCA model. The results support the need to broaden environmental Impact reduction to beyond operational energy consumption for cooling and that building environmental assessment methods (BEAMs) should consider more Embodied Impacts. It is concluded also that three parameters are sensitive to design changes that influence the overall Impact: operational energy for the IT equipment, cooling and power delivery; the energy mix; and the amount of IT equipment across the facility’s lifetime. The results present a clear need to monitor life cycle Impact, develop further tools to compare different design/operation options and functional units, improve data and develop an LCA-based BEAM.

Deborah Andrews - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The life cycle assessment of a UK data centre
    The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Beth Whitehead, Deborah Andrews, Amip Shah
    Abstract:

    Purpose Data centres are high-energy consumers, and historical assessment of their environmental Impact has focused largely on energy consumption. Widely adopted assessment methods consider either single issues or do not comprehensively assess links between issues. One exception is the CLEER Model, which compares life cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Cloud-based and present-day services. However, there remains the need to verify components for inclusion in a data centre life cycle assessment (LCA), assess quality and quantity of secondary data, benchmark an existing data centre LCA, assess non-Cloud-based services for multiple Impacts, and establish facility areas that are sensitive to change. Methods A hybrid approach, combining process-based and economic input output (EIO) data, was used to perform the screening LCA of an existing UK data centre. The study includes the definition of the goal and scope, modelling assumptions, a life cycle inventory, results and interpretation and a sensitivity check. Results and discussion The dominance of the information technology (IT) operational phase to the overall Impact and the severity of the Impact on human health are concluded. Due to the use of free cooling, the IT-Embodied Impact is greater than the combined mechanical and electrical operational Impact. Electricity production dominates the total life cycle Impact; however, the second most significant Impact derives from the disposal of metal refining waste products during the manufacture of IT components and electricity distribution networks. The release of carcinogens is one of the largest contributors to the whole life cycle Impact and is almost equal in value between the Embodied and operational phases. Finally, a sensitivity check found that a Swedish facility optimised for operational energy efficiency with a 1.25-year server refresh resulted in an Embodied Impact almost double the operational. Conclusions It was concluded that current LCI data, software packages and project data allow for a sufficiently accurate data centre LCA model. The results support the need to broaden environmental Impact reduction to beyond operational energy consumption for cooling and that building environmental assessment methods (BEAMs) should consider more Embodied Impacts. It is concluded also that three parameters are sensitive to design changes that influence the overall Impact: operational energy for the IT equipment, cooling and power delivery; the energy mix; and the amount of IT equipment across the facility’s lifetime. The results present a clear need to monitor life cycle Impact, develop further tools to compare different design/operation options and functional units, improve data and develop an LCA-based BEAM.

  • The life cycle assessment of a UK data centre
    The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Beth Whitehead, Deborah Andrews, Amip Shah
    Abstract:

    Purpose Data centres are high-energy consumers, and historical assessment of their environmental Impact has focused largely on energy consumption. Widely adopted assessment methods consider either single issues or do not comprehensively assess links between issues. One exception is the CLEER Model, which compares life cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Cloud-based and present-day services. However, there remains the need to verify components for inclusion in a data centre life cycle assessment (LCA), assess quality and quantity of secondary data, benchmark an existing data centre LCA, assess non-Cloud-based services for multiple Impacts, and establish facility areas that are sensitive to change. Methods A hybrid approach, combining process-based and economic input output (EIO) data, was used to perform the screening LCA of an existing UK data centre. The study includes the definition of the goal and scope, modelling assumptions, a life cycle inventory, results and interpretation and a sensitivity check. Results and discussion The dominance of the information technology (IT) operational phase to the overall Impact and the severity of the Impact on human health are concluded. Due to the use of free cooling, the IT-Embodied Impact is greater than the combined mechanical and electrical operational Impact. Electricity production dominates the total life cycle Impact; however, the second most significant Impact derives from the disposal of metal refining waste products during the manufacture of IT components and electricity distribution networks. The release of carcinogens is one of the largest contributors to the whole life cycle Impact and is almost equal in value between the Embodied and operational phases. Finally, a sensitivity check found that a Swedish facility optimised for operational energy efficiency with a 1.25-year server refresh resulted in an Embodied Impact almost double the operational. Conclusions It was concluded that current LCI data, software packages and project data allow for a sufficiently accurate data centre LCA model. The results support the need to broaden environmental Impact reduction to beyond operational energy consumption for cooling and that building environmental assessment methods (BEAMs) should consider more Embodied Impacts. It is concluded also that three parameters are sensitive to design changes that influence the overall Impact: operational energy for the IT equipment, cooling and power delivery; the energy mix; and the amount of IT equipment across the facility’s lifetime. The results present a clear need to monitor life cycle Impact, develop further tools to compare different design/operation options and functional units, improve data and develop an LCA-based BEAM.

Harpa Birgisdottir - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Widening understanding of low Embodied Impact buildings: Results and recommendations from 80 multi-national quantitative and qualitative case studies
    Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019
    Co-Authors: Alice Moncaster, Freja Nygaard Rasmussen, Tove Malmqvist, Aoife Anne Marie Houlihan Wiberg, Harpa Birgisdottir
    Abstract:

    This paper publishes the results from a major five year International Energy Agency research project which investigated the reduction of Embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions over the whole life (‘cradle to grave’) of buildings. Annex 57 collated and analysed over 80 detailed quantitative and qualitative building case studies from the participating nations. For many years the multiple variations in methodological approach of case studies to assess the whole life Embodied Impacts of buildings have presented a major challenge for politicians and other decision makers. Any real change in design and construction practice has also proved elusive. This paper describes a modified research synthesis and meta analysis as a novel and valid method for drawing meaningful conclusions from large sets of significantly diverse studies. The quantitative analyses consider Embodied Impacts of the product stage, replacement, and end of life stages, of new and refurbished buildings, and of different building assemblies and construction materials. The product stage is shown to dominate in most cases, with the median value around two thirds of the whole life Embodied Impacts, with replacements the next highest with a median figure of around 25%; however replacements in five studies were over 50% of the whole life Impacts. It should be noted that several life cycle stages are still missing from these studies. The case studies included eleven refurbishment projects, in which energy efficient measures and low carbon technologies were retrofitted to existing buildings; for these projects the median product stage Impact was found to be just under half that for the new build projects. While further research is required to compare the operational energy use in the new and refurbished buildings, this suggests that such energy refurbishments have a significantly lower Impact than new buildings. Several other studies considered the Impacts from technical equipment and internal fixtures and fittings, both frequently excluded, and demonstrated that they can be responsible for up to 45% of the whole life Embodied greenhouse gases and up to 48% of the whole life Embodied energy. Finally, the paper combines the analysis of the quantitative case studies with that of qualitative studies, to explore the Impact of contextual factors at both policy and project level in significantly reducing the Embodied environmental Impacts of buildings. The case studies have shown that planning authorities, major clients, developers, and individual designers, can all play an important role in reducing Embodied Impacts through encouraging innovation. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy makers, designers and LCA modelers which will support and effect real reductions in the whole life Embodied Impacts of buildings.

  • iea ebc annex 57 evaluation of Embodied energy and co2eq for building construction
    Energy and Buildings, 2017
    Co-Authors: Harpa Birgisdottir, Alice Moncaster, Aoife Anne Marie Houlihan Wiberg, Changu Chae, Keizo Yokoyama, Maria Balouktsi, Thomas Lutzkendorf, Tove Malmqvist
    Abstract:

    Abstract The current regulations to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from buildings have focused on operational energy consumption. Thus legislation excludes measurement and reduction of the Embodied energy and Embodied GHG emissions over the building life cycle. Embodied Impacts are a significant and growing proportion and it is increasingly recognised that the focus on reducing operational energy consumption needs to be accompanied by a parallel focus on reducing Embodied Impacts. Over the last six years the Annex 57 has addressed this issue, with researchers from 15 countries working together to develop a detailed understanding of the multiple calculation methods and the interpretation of their results. Based on an analysis of 80 case studies, Annex 57 showed various inconsistencies in current methodological approaches, which inhibit comparisons of results and difficult development of robust reduction strategies. Reinterpreting the studies through an understanding of the methodological differences enabled the cases to be used to demonstrate a number of important strategies for the reduction of Embodied Impacts. Annex 57 has also produced clear recommendations for uniform definitions and templates which improve the description of system boundaries, completeness of inventory and quality of data, and consequently the transparency of Embodied Impact assessments.

Lu Aye - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Multi-scale life cycle energy analysis of residential buildings in Victoria, Australia – A typology perspective
    Building and Environment, 2021
    Co-Authors: Greg Foliente, Seongwon Seo, Behzad Rismanchi, Lu Aye
    Abstract:

    Abstract The residential building sector is a substantial contributor to energy use in Australia. In existing studies, life cycle energy (LCE) of residential buildings is seldom evaluated from the multi-scale perspective and such considerations rarely consider building typologies. This study presents a bottom-up framework to evaluate the LCE of residential buildings at multiple scales, including the component, building and regional levels. This framework can synthetically connect LCE between different scales and assess inter-scale Impact in the built environment. In this framework, residential building typologies are classified by Embodied Impact attributes (housing type, construction year, and construction type) and operational Impact attributes (occupancy schedule, fuel type, and climate zone). In this paper, the framework is further applied to evaluate the LCE of residential buildings in the context of Victoria, Australia. The research results provide valuable references about energy intensities of various residential building typologies. The research findings suggest that operational energy (OE) of new housing has reduced significantly because of the improvement of technologies and the energy-saving requirement by the government. As a result, the proportion of Embodied energy (EE) in dwelling's life cycle has increased from 9% to 35% (old dwellings) to 66%–71% for dwellings built after 2011. At the regional scale, the LCE is composed of 79% OE and 21% EE in Victoria. The largest part of OE is contributed by the energy use for heating (39%), and appliances are the second most energy consumers (32%). Meanwhile, the energy Embodied in concrete accounts for the largest part (908 PJ) of total EE. The comprehensive profile and interplay of LCE across different scales can help decision-makers to identify the key contributor to LCE and take targeted measures to improve the energy performance of the built environment.