Parametric contribution of building form to whole life carbon decision making

Existing buildings generate 30% of global emissions due to the energy required to heat, cool and power them. Mass improvements of building fabric efficiency and heating/cooling systems is therefore imperative. Fast-running modelling approaches are thus necessary to identify appropriate interventions for the global building stock.

This paper presents a new parametric formulation to determine the best whole life carbon intervention as a function of building form. We demonstrate that buildings of inefficient form have greater potential for energy savings, providing a useful prioritisation tool for future planning decisions.

We present results as a novel graphical tool, which can be utilised to identify the lowest carbon scenario for any building form across a combination of building storeys and glazing ratios. This is applied to a cool-temperate climate, comparing a retrofit scenario, to the option of replacement with new construction.

Finally, we apply the formulation to a subset of the UK educational building stock, assessing 15,193 forms. For this scenario, we conclude that retrofit always results in lower whole life carbon compared to replacement with attainable new construction standards. This work provides practical assistance with early-stage decision making and theoretical understanding of how form influences energy consumption and whole life carbon emissions.