Carbon and cost critical elements of buildings : a comparative analysis of two office buildings

Victoria, MF, Perera, S, Davies, Alan and Fernando, Nirodha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0747-4703 2017, 'Carbon and cost critical elements of buildings : a comparative analysis of two office buildings' , Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 7 (5) , pp. 460-470.

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Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to identify and compare cost and carbon critical elements of two office buildings and to propose an early design stage cost and carbon control strategy to achieve an optimum balance between building Capital Cost (CC) and Embodied Carbon (EC).
Design/methodology/approach: Case study approach was employed to identify cost and carbon critical elements of two office buildings as it allows an in-depth and holistic investigation. Elemental estimates of CC and EC were prepared from BoQs of the two office buildings by obtaining rates from the UK Building Blackbook. Pareto Principle (80:20 rule) was used to identify carbon and cost critical elements of the two buildings and the significance hierarchies of building elements were compared.
Findings: Substructure, Frame and Services were identified as both carbon and cost critical elements responsible for more than 70% of the total CC and EC in both buildings. Stairs and Ramps, Internal Doors and Fittings, Furnishings and Equipment were identified to be the least carbon and cost significant elements contributing less than 2% of total CC and EC in both buildings. The hierarchy of cost and carbon significance varies between buildings due to the difference in the specification and design.
Originality/value: The increasing significance of dual currency (cost and carbon) demands cost and carbon management during the early stages of project. Hence, this paper suggests that focusing on carbon and cost intensive building elements is a way forward to keep both cost and carbon under control during the early stages of projects.
Keywords: Carbon Hotspots, Capital Cost, Cost Hotspots, Embodied Carbon, Office Buildings.

Item Type:	Article
Schools:	Schools > School of the Built Environment > Centre for Urban Processes, Resilient Infrastructures & Sustainable Environments
Journal or Publication Title:	Built Environment Project and Asset Management
Publisher:	Emerald
ISSN:	2044-124X
Related URLs:	Publisher
Depositing User:	NG Fernando
Date Deposited:	03 Sep 2018 14:12
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 18:51
URI:	https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/48190

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