Design of a low carbon building : Case study of an architectural competition

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions due to human activities have considerably increased in the past decades which are the main contributors of global warming. In order to limit the consequences of the global climate change happening, all sectors must reduce their carbon emissions and especially the building industry which represents 19% of the carbon footprint of human activities. This paper is giving methods to help reduce the carbon footprint of a building when designing it such as life cycle assessment which allow project teams to compare the global warming potential of all building materials. Those methods are used and challenged in a case study of an architectural competition project named quai d’Issy in Paris, France. Using biobased materials help reduce the carbon footprint of a building, a structure made of timber and concrete elements can emit less than 21% of GHGs than a classic concrete structure. By sourcing reused and recycled building materials, by using geothermal heat pump as heating and cooling systems for example, we have been able to reach for the quai d’Issy project a carbon footprint of 930kgC02eq/m2 of floor area, which is less than level needed for the highest French environmental certification. However, these results can be obtained only if the building materials companies continue their work to develop low-carbon materials and promote recycled and reused materials. This study emphasises the need to spread knowledge of the tools to design low-carbon building to all the actors of the building industry in order to promote behaviours that will limit the consequences of climate change