Award Abstract # 1038139
EFRI-SEED: BUILD - Barriers, Understanding, Integration - Life Cycle Development

NSF Org: EFMA
Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI)
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Initial Amendment Date: August 13, 2010
Latest Amendment Date: August 26, 2017
Award Number: 1038139
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Bruce Hamilton
EFMA
 Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI)
ENG
 Directorate for Engineering
Start Date: August 15, 2010
End Date: March 31, 2019 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $2,000,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $2,078,459.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2010 = $1,993,847.00
FY 2016 = $52,981.00

FY 2017 = $31,630.00
History of Investigator:
  • Melissa Bilec (Principal Investigator)
    mbilec@pitt.edu
  • Amy Landis (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Laura Schaefer (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Alex Jones (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Khee Poh Lam (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Stephen Lee (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Pittsburgh
4200 FIFTH AVENUE
PITTSBURGH
PA  US  15260-0001
(412)624-7400
Sponsor Congressional District: 12
Primary Place of Performance: University of Pittsburgh
4200 FIFTH AVENUE
PITTSBURGH
PA  US  15260-0001
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
12
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): MKAGLD59JRL1
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): IUCRC-Indust-Univ Coop Res Ctr,
EFRI Research Projects
Primary Program Source: 01001617DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01001011DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT

01001718DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 018Z
Program Element Code(s): 576100, 763300
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.041

ABSTRACT

The objective of this EFRI-SEED project is to develop a multi-faceted, dynamic life cycle based framework that quantifies the environmental impacts of buildings and aids in decision-making at multiple scales. In order to accomplish this objective, the researchers will determine the barriers to the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) and evaluate solutions to overcome these obstacles, and, in doing so, advance the fundamental science and ultimate applicability of LCA in the A/E/C (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) communities. The proposed research will have a significant impact on greening buildings within the US due to the synergistic nature of the team, which includes partnerships with major green building organizations, and addressing the needs of green buildings with the development of the proposed LCA method. A task-based approach will be pursued. First, barriers and possible solutions to LCA will be identified through surveys and focus groups with partners, members, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Pittsburgh's Green Building Alliance (GBA), as well as leveraging information from active case studies. A multifaceted, dynamic life cycle-based method for high-performance buildings, based on the identified barriers and possible solutions will be developed. A scenario building graphic interface "the BUILD dashboard" will be developed. A specific simulation case study, cogeneration, will be used to illustrate the depth of the framework. A culture of evidence will be created in order to demonstrate how the application of the newly developed dynamic LCA will be successful in overcoming the various barriers.

The team plans extensive education, outreach, and reporting. The partner case studies will provide real-time data to the dynamic LCA and exemplify multiple levels and perspectives of the breadth and depth required for buildings: Phipps Living Building, a net-zero energy building currently under design (representing a high-level, complete building LCA); the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, a green building (representing a new existing building); and Carnegie Mellon University's Intelligent Workspace, an established structure (representing a building with existing sensor system and robust data). Cogeneration systems are also a focus of this proposal and the developed models will cross the building types (representing process and material choices and building system LCA). The PIs' plan for education and outreach includes: incorporation of research into the undergraduate and graduate courses; integration in an existing NSF REU site; capitalizing on Co-PI Landis' RET site to incorporate undergraduates and area high school teachers into the proposed research.

The FY 2010 EFRI-SEED Topic that supports this project was sponsored by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorates for Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and Computer & Information Science and Engineering in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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(Showing: 1 - 10 of 82)
D. Kline, N. Parshook, E. Brunvand, R. Melhem, P. K. Chrysanthis, A. K. Jones "D. Kline, N. Parshook, E. Brunvand, R. Melhem, Holistically Evaluating the Environmental Impacts in Modern Computing Systems" International Green and Sustainable Computing and Systems (IGSC) , 2016
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M "Green Building Rating Systems and Environmental Impacts of Energy Consumption from an International Perspective" Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure , 2014 doi: 10.1061/9780784478745.058
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "Green Building Rating Systems and Whole-Building LCA: A Comparative Study of the Existing Assessment Tools" ASCE Journal of Architectural Engineering , v.23 , 2017 , p.04016015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000222
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "Green Building Rating Systems and Whole-Building LCA: A Comparative Study of the Existing Assessment Tools." ASCE Journal of Architectural Engineering , v.0401601 , 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000222
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "Life-Cycle Thinking and the LEED Rating System: Global Perspective on Building Energy Use and Environmental Impacts" Environmental Science & Technology , v.49 , 2015 , p.4048 http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es505938u
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "Life-Cycle Thinking and the LEED Rating System: Global Perspective on Building Energy Use and Environmental Impacts" Environmental Science & Technology , v.49 , 2015 , p.4048 http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es505938u
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "On-Site Renewable Energy and Green Building Rating Systems: A System-Level Analysis" Environmental Science & Technology , v.50 , 2016 , p.4606 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05382
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "On-Site Renewable Energy and Green Building Rating Systems: A System-Level Analysis" Environmental Science & Technology , v.50 , 2016 , p.4606 http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05382
Al-Ghamdi, S., Bilec, M.M. "Whole-Building LCA and Green Building Rating Systems: Exploratory Review of the Available Tools" Proceedings of the International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology , v.v. 3 , 2015
Campion, N., Thiel, C.L., Focareta, J., Bilec, M.M. "Understanding Green Building Design & Healthcare Outcomes: An Evidence Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit." ASCE Journal of Architectural Engineering , v.0401600 , 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000217
Collinge, W.C., Landis, A.E., Jones, A., Schaefer, L., Bilec, M.M. "A Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment: Framework and Application to an Institutional Building" International Journal of Life Cycle Assessmen , v.18 , 2013 , p.538-552 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11367-012-0528-2
(Showing: 1 - 10 of 82)

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

Intellectual Merit. Systems are analyzed using life cycle assessment (LCA) after they have already been designed and constructed, and LCAs are rarely used iteratively within the design phase and throughout the use and operation of systems. Unique to this proposal was the development of a dynamic life cycle framework that quantifies the environmental impacts of the system and aids in decision-making at multiple scales through incorporation of other metrics such as productivity. Prior to creating our model, we aimed to work closely with practitioners through our survey work to identify the needs of the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner communities to develop a tool that could be used pervasively in building design, construction, and operation. In addition, we have developed a fully operational application to manage BIM/simulation data and track LEED requirements throughout the life-cycle of a building project. We addressed all five EFRI SEED elements from a unifying intellectual and unique focus (life cycle assessment); interdisciplinary research and the need for such a team; research outcomes with our partners (USGBC, GBA, net zero energy building); to a new approach and method for LCA – ultimately creating a sustainable trajectory for the built environment. 

One of our most important findings was that we assessed the differences between regional average- and marginal-electricity generation mixes as well as the variability between predicted and observed energy consumption of a “conventional green” Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building and a Net-Zero Energy Living Building (NZEB). We evaluated the importance of using temporally resolved building- level data while capturing the dynamic effects a changing electrical grid has on the life cycle impacts of buildings. Two static and four dynamic life cycle assessment (LCA) models were evaluated for both buildings. Both buildings’ results show that the most appropriate models (hybrid consequential for the LEED Gold building, hourly consequential for the NZEB) significantly modified the use-phase global warming potential (GWP) impacts relative to the design static LCA (49% greater impact for the LEED Gold building; 45% greater reduction for the NZEB). In other words, a “standard” LCA would underestimate the use phase impacts of the LEED Gold building and the benefits of the NZEB in the GWP category. The methods developed are scalable and can be implemented more widely to improve building life cycle impact estimates. 

Broader Impacts. The proposed research aimed to have a significant impact on greening buildings within the US due to the synergistic nature of our team, our partnership with major green building organizations, and addressing the needs of green buildings with the development of our LCA method. The PIs conducted extensive education and outreach including integration of research into undergraduate and graduate courses, summer undergraduate research, collaborating with a Teach the Teacher Program, community outreach and diversity with the Kingsley Foundation, and engagement with the Green Building Alliance.  With the INTERN supplement, we worked to support our long-term efforts with the Kingsley Association, a local nonprofit organization. The Association has served the Pittsburgh community for over 120 years reaching over 160,000 people annually. This internship built on a neighborhood initiative: The Environmental Justice Community Alert Matrix (EJCAM). EJCAM focuses on environmental renewal through an ecodistrict model and supports sustainable development practices among vulnerable populations. 


Last Modified: 07/22/2019
Modified by: Melissa M Bilec

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