Sustainable Off-Site Construction in Desert Environments: Zero-Energy Houses as Case Studies

The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources, and the building sector accounts for around 40% of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. To contribute to the need for more sustainable solutions, this research analyzed and highlighted the benefits of off-site construct...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSustainability Vol. 15; no. 15; p. 11909
Main Authors Alshikh, Zahraa, Trepci, Esra, Rodriguez-Ubinas, Edwin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2023
Subjects
Building construction
Built environment
Carbon
Case studies
Classification
Climate change
Construction industry
Design
Emissions
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
Green buildings
Prefabricated buildings
Sustainability
Middle East
Germany
United Arab Emirates
Dubai United Arab Emirates
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Summary:The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources, and the building sector accounts for around 40% of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. To contribute to the need for more sustainable solutions, this research analyzed and highlighted the benefits of off-site construction, utilizing eleven zero-energy prefabricated houses from the Solar Decathlon Middle East competition as case studies. The study used construction data documented by the competition organizers, such as drawings, manuals, photos, and in-person observations during the assembly process. The comparative analysis focused on the construction categories, types of solutions, structural materials, façade types, and building materials. The case studies featured both heavy and lightweight construction and three types of off-site construction: panelized, volumetric, and hybrid. The hybrid construction was the most utilized since it combines the advantages of less intensive on-site work of the volumetric solutions with the transportation benefits of 2D elements. The designers justified their selection of timber as a structural material based on its low environmental impact. In addition, they enhanced the environmental benefits of off-site construction by selecting eco-friendly materials and solutions that increase the efficiency of the houses.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su151511909