Facade as a service. The measurable impact of the servitization of window walls in reducing the carbon footprint of office buildings in Santiago de Chile
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Date
2023
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Abstract
From an energy point of view, houses are rebuilt approximately every 40 years due to updates in finishes, services, and facades. The facade contributes 28% of the initial and 30% of the recurring embodied energy, demonstrating that it plays not only a significant role in determining the operational consumption of a building but also its total embodied energy. By combining the sale of a facade with a contract for regular maintenance and updates, a concept known as servitization, there is considerable potential to enhance the lifespan and performance of the facade as well as the building, resulting in an improved carbon footprint overall. The objective of this research is to investigate the extent to which the carbon footprint of a building can be reduced over a short-, medium- and long-term horizon, aligned with a building’s lifespan, by servitizing the facade. To facilitate the interchangeability and reuse of modules, the research focuses on window walls, defined as non-loadbearing facade claddings spanning from floor to floor. This investigation employs three methods: literature review, field research, and computer modeling. A comprehensive literature review is conducted to provide a picture of the current state of the art in facades and their servitization. This is followed up by field research aimed at assessing the practices of facade construction and maintenance in Santiago de Chile. Finally, the software applications Designbuilder and Athena are utilized to evaluate the impact of maintenance and retrofits on embodied energy compared to operational energy savings. The study yields five different scenarios with different facade modifications implemented over time, outlining the potential impact of servitization on the carbon footprint of a building. The results of the investigation demonstrate that the operational energy savings outweigh the increase in embodied energy. This results in a net reduction in the building’s carbon footprint, given that as of today Chile’s energy generation still relies on fossil fuels. However, as the share of renewable energies increases, the impact of embodied carbon will increase in relation to operational energy. Therefore, leveraging carbon-negative materials like wood for facade modifications is of growing relevance.
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Tesis (Arquitecto y Magíster en Arquitectura Sustentable y Energía)--Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2023.
Tesis (Master of Science in Architecture)--Technische Universität Berlin, 2023.
Tesis (Master of Science in Architecture)--Technische Universität Berlin, 2023.
Keywords
Facade as service, Servitization, Facade modules, Window wall, Embodied and operative energy savings