Environmental assessment of domestic solar hot water systems: a case study in residential and hotel buildings: A case study in residential and hotel buildings
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2015-02-01
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Abstract
Domestic solar hot water systems (SHWS), which are used to reduce domestic energy use, represent one of the most widely known technologies of solar thermal applications. Taking into account the sizing of these systems during its design phase, it is also important to consider the effects on the environment of their use from a life cycle perspective. An evaluation method based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is used in this paper to analyse the environmental implications of SHWS considering the production, use, maintenance and end-of-life stages. As a case study, 32 different types of SWHS to meet the hot water demand (HWD) of 2 dwellings and 2 hotels, located in the region of Aragón in Spain, are studied. The aim of the case study is to compare the environmental performance of SHWS and to select the best environmentally friendly solution while considering their energy pay-back time (EPBT). From an environmental point of view, comparing the results obtained in all cases studies, e.g., in terms of kg CO2 eq, the use of biomass as fuel for the auxiliary system in each SHWS considered provides the greatest environmental benefit in comparison with the other fuels, usually followed by the use of natural gas. However, in terms of the EPBT, because biomass is the fuel with lowest environmental impact and associated embodied energy, the avoided embodied energy due to the solar contribution in SHWS is the lowest in the biomass case, thereby resulting in a higher value of the EPBT.
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Publisher Copyright: © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Life Cycle Assessment , Environmental impact assessment , Building energy systems , Domestic solar hot water systems , Eco-efficiency , Energy savings , Life Cycle Assessment , Environmental impact assessment , Building energy systems , Domestic solar hot water systems , Eco-efficiency , Energy savings , Assessment , Building energy systems Domestic solar hot water systems Eco-efficiency Energy savings , Cycle , Life , Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment , Building and Construction , General Environmental Science , Strategy and Management , Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering , SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy , SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production , SDG 13 - Climate Action , SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth , SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure , Funding Info , This paper was developed from the results obtained in the framework of the "UrbiLCA" project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - SUDOE Interreg IV B, the ECOURBAN project "Methodology for the energy and environmental impact assessment and the ecodesign of urban areas", co-financed by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (Spanish National Plan for Scientific Research. Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011 - Ref. number ENE2010-19850) coordinated by CIRCE, and the RENIA project "Design and development of a software application for assessment, eco-design and environmental communication used in building solar systems", co-financed by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (Spanish National Plan for Scientific Research. Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011 - Ref. number IPT-120000-2010-26). , This paper was developed from the results obtained in the framework of the "UrbiLCA" project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - SUDOE Interreg IV B, the ECOURBAN project "Methodology for the energy and environmental impact assessment and the ecodesign of urban areas", co-financed by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (Spanish National Plan for Scientific Research. Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011 - Ref. number ENE2010-19850) coordinated by CIRCE, and the RENIA project "Design and development of a software application for assessment, eco-design and environmental communication used in building solar systems", co-financed by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (Spanish National Plan for Scientific Research. Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011 - Ref. number IPT-120000-2010-26).
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Zambrana-Vasquez , D , Aranda-Usón , A , Zabalza-Bribián , I , Jañez , A , Llera-Sastresa , E , Hernández , P & Arrizabalaga , E 2015 , ' Environmental assessment of domestic solar hot water systems: a case study in residential and hotel buildings : A case study in residential and hotel buildings ' , unknown , vol. unknown , pp. 29-42 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.06.035