Embodied energy of Thai urban low-income construction (housing) systems | |
| Author | Tayaporn Poonkasame |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.ET-08-12 |
| Subject(s) | Low-income housing--Energy consumption--Thailand Urban poor--Energy consumption--Thailand Energy consumption--Thailand |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Energy |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. ET-08-12 |
| Abstract | Energy consumption in residential sector can be divided into two types. First, the direct energy, which is consumed through heating, cooling, ventilating, lighting, and electrical devices during operation, and, secondly, the indirect energy (embodied energy), used during the construction process, production of materials and transportation. Embodied energy is key component of seeing the whole picture of energy consumption in residential sector. However, energy consumption in residential sector was mostly calculated from the direct energy, while embodied energy is widely unnoticed. The studies and implementation attempts for energy reduction through indirect energy need to be addressed more seriously to get a complete sustainable action in residential sector. Embodied energy content varies enormously among products and materials through it life cycle. Architects, civil engineers, planners and developers are the key actors for embodied energy conservation since the highest possibility to decrease the energy is at the planning stage. Moreover, conservation energy becomes very important in the context of the present limit greenhouse gas emission into atmosphere, especially in tropical climates where high mass construction is suggested to achieved thermal comfort and lowering cooling load. Moreover, investment and embodied consumption could not be changed through time like operating energy. Embodied energy is getting to have higher share in total energy consumption even it comprises as 15-30 percent at the present. With time and technology adoption to reduce operating energy with building's long-lasting lifetime, embodied energy will be equal to operating energy or become the total energy consumption in household. However, none of the comparative study on the common construction systems in Thailand have made to tackle for embodied energy which soon to be crucial. The poor thermal comfort will increase the energy consumption to achieve satisfy level, mostly by electrical devices, which finally add up greenhouse gas and global warming. Suitable material selection is the key method to achieve passive housing design that is linked to both embodied energy and operating energy. This study focuses in initial embodied energy, the energy which found in the pre-construction stage and construction site, of the four common masonry construction systems of urban low-income housings. Urban low-income housing is the point of interest because it represents the majority of the houses in Thailand and refers to the source of housing problems which need to be solved such as thermal comfort through poor design, materials, and less opportunities to access to green construction products. Three options to reduce indoor temperature were analyzed for different conditions in terms of additional embodied energy and cost. The ultimate outcome is to support urban housing planners (as Community Organizations Development Institute-CODI) to plan for reducing embodied energy in construction systems and integrate the suitable energy-efficient options to houses. Understanding "real" cost of construction, which includes environmental costs is important |
| Year | 2008 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. ET-08-12 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Energy Technology (ET) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kumar, Sivanappan |
| Examination Committee(s) | Mohanty, Brahmanand; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Sthapit, Gyanendra R;Perera, L. A. S. Ranjith |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2008 |