To main content

Impact of service life on the greenhouse gas emissions of ventilation systems

Abstract

Recent research indicates that heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) contribute up to 20% of new buildings' greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Additionally, such systems require several replacements throughout the building's lifespan to guarantee optimal operation and comfort. However, data on service life (SL) for technical installations remains insufficient or inconsistent across guidelines, leading to varying interpretations that affect emission calculations. This study evaluates how the service life of ventilation components influences the GHG emissions of an office building located in Bergen, Norway, as part of the work within the Research Centre for Zero Emission Neighbourhoods in Smart Cities (ZEN). Through life cycle assessment (LCA), GHG emissions from three replacement scenarios over 60 years were estimated and compared with the embodied emissions of the initial construction stage. Results indicate that replacement emissions range from 0.43 to 2.52 times the production stage emissions, depending on substitution intervals. The findings highlight the sensitivity of the service life parameter on GHG emissions and emphasise the need for reliable data on service lifetimes of ventilation components. A comprehensive database would improve calculation accuracy, and an increased industry focus on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) would enhance transparency and emission reduction efforts.

Category

Conference poster

Language

English

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Community / Architecture, Materials and Structures

Presented at

International Scientific Conference on the Built Environment in Transition (CISBAT 2025)

Place

Lausanne

Date

03.09.2025 - 05.09.2025

Organizer

Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) and the Smart Living Lab

Date

03.09.2025

Year

2025

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository