The impact of building renovation material selection on CO₂ emissions over the entire life cycle
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/mla.2026.27125Abstract
Building renovation is one of the main measures for reducing CO₂ emissions in the construction sector; however, the selection of materials in the renovation of older multi-apartment buildings is often assessed only from the perspective of energy efficiency. This study analyses the environmental impact of façade materials used in the renovation of a multi-apartment building throughout the entire life cycle, comparing conventional insulation and finishing materials with more sustainable alternatives. The assessment is carried out using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in accordance with the methodological principles of the LEVEL(s) framework. The aim of the study is to evaluate how material selection affects the overall CO₂ emissions associated with building renovation. The results showed that the overall life-cycle emission balance of the analysed insulation materials ranges from 41.5 t CO₂ eq. to –920.3 t CO₂ eq., compared to 39.3 t CO₂ eq. in the baseline solution. The lowest emission values were identified in scenarios involving biogenic materials; however, the results are significantly influenced by biogenic carbon accounting and end-of-life scenarios. Each solution and the environmental assessment examines the environmental impact of the proposed measures over their life cycle. Based on the results of the multi-criteria analysis, the systems best suited to the object of study (GDS) are recommended.
Article in Lithuanian.
Pastato renovacijos medžiagų pasirinkimo įtaka CO₂ emisijoms per visą gyvavimo ciklą
Santrauka
Pastatų renovacija yra viena iš pagrindinių priemonių mažinant statybų sektoriaus CO₂ emisijas, tačiau medžiagų pasirinkimas senos statybos daugiabučių atnaujinimo metu dažnai vertinamas tik per energinio efektyvumo perspektyvą. Šiame tyrime analizuojamas daugiabučio namo renovacijos fasado medžiagų poveikis aplinkai per visą gyvavimo ciklą, lyginant tradicines izoliacines ir apdailos medžiagas su tvaresnėmis alternatyvomis. Vertinti taikoma gyvavimo ciklo analizė (GCA), vadovaujantis LEVEL(s) metodiniais principais. Tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti, kaip medžiagų parinkimas veikia bendras renovacijos CO₂ emisijas. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad analizuotų šiltinimo medžiagų bendras gyvavimo ciklo emisijų balansas svyruoja nuo 41,5 t CO₂ ekv. iki –920,3 t CO₂ ekv., palyginti su 39,3 t CO₂ ekv. baziniu sprendiniu. Mažiausi emisijų rodikliai nustatyti biogeninės kilmės medžiagų scenarijuose, tačiau rezultatai reikšmingai priklauso nuo biogeninės anglies apskaitos ir gyvavimo ciklo pabaigos scenarijų.
Reikšminiai žodžiai: renovacija, CO2 emisijos, tvarumas, fasadų medžiagos, gyvavimo ciklo analizė (GCA).
Keywords:
renovation, CO₂ emissions, sustainability, facade materials, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)How to Cite
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Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.
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Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.