Next Article in Journal
Feasibility Study on Innovative Construction Technology of Friction-Welded Rebar Anchor Bolt (FRAB) System
Previous Article in Journal
Investigation into the Bearing Behavior of Bridge Pile Foundations in Complex Rock Strata: Considering the Effect of Pile Roughness
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Buildings
Volume 16
Issue 8
10.3390/buildings16081487
buildings-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Research on Carbon Emission Calculation and Emission Reduction Strategies for Buildings Based on the Whole Life Cycle

by
Xiaolong Xu
1,
Suyun Yu
2,
Hongmei Lu
1,
Zhengyi Sun
1,
Kelin Zheng
3,
Zede Liang
1 and
Zhenjun Xu
1,*
1
College of Civil Engineering & Architecture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266000, China
2
School of Energy & Intelligence Engineering, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450011, China
3
School of Foreign Languages, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1487; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081487 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 16 March 2026 / Revised: 3 April 2026 / Accepted: 8 April 2026 / Published: 9 April 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Global climate change necessitates urgent carbon reduction, with the building sector being a major contributor. This study conducts a comprehensive life cycle carbon emission analysis of a nearly zero-energy office building in Shenyang, China, using the LCA theory and the carbon emission factor method. The calculation covers the production and transportation of building materials, construction, operation, and demolition stages. The results show that the building’s average annual carbon emission intensity is 56.36 kgCO2e/(m2·a). The operation stage contributes the largest share, with an intensity of 37.83 kgCO2e/(m2·a), primarily due to HVAC energy consumption. The material production and transportation stage follows, accounting for 31.67% of total emissions. Compared to conventional buildings, the proportion of operational emissions in this nearly zero-energy building is relatively lower, while the share from material production is significantly higher due to the use of high-performance insulation and components. Based on these findings, targeted carbon reduction strategies are proposed for each life cycle stage, emphasizing low-carbon material selection, renewable energy utilization, and efficient design. This study provides a quantitative reference for achieving carbon reduction goals in the building sector.
Keywords: Life cycle assessment; building carbon emissions; nearly zero-energy building; carbon emission factor Life cycle assessment; building carbon emissions; nearly zero-energy building; carbon emission factor

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Xu, X.; Yu, S.; Lu, H.; Sun, Z.; Zheng, K.; Liang, Z.; Xu, Z. Research on Carbon Emission Calculation and Emission Reduction Strategies for Buildings Based on the Whole Life Cycle. Buildings 2026, 16, 1487. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081487

AMA Style

Xu X, Yu S, Lu H, Sun Z, Zheng K, Liang Z, Xu Z. Research on Carbon Emission Calculation and Emission Reduction Strategies for Buildings Based on the Whole Life Cycle. Buildings. 2026; 16(8):1487. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081487

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xu, Xiaolong, Suyun Yu, Hongmei Lu, Zhengyi Sun, Kelin Zheng, Zede Liang, and Zhenjun Xu. 2026. "Research on Carbon Emission Calculation and Emission Reduction Strategies for Buildings Based on the Whole Life Cycle" Buildings 16, no. 8: 1487. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081487

APA Style

Xu, X., Yu, S., Lu, H., Sun, Z., Zheng, K., Liang, Z., & Xu, Z. (2026). Research on Carbon Emission Calculation and Emission Reduction Strategies for Buildings Based on the Whole Life Cycle. Buildings, 16(8), 1487. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081487

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop