Low Carbon Emissions and Energy Consumption: A Targeted Approach Based on the Life Cycle Assessment of a District

Abstract

Nowadays, the methodology aiming to achieve carbon neutrality and net zero energy on a large scale is known. Despite this, few specialists are mastering this technology globally. What new scenarios. applied at the neighbourhood scale. generate a significant reduction in the rate of CO2 emissions and energy demand? In addition, a lack of massive, regular, and consistent data on carbon emissions and energy consumption has made it significantly difficult to understand the origins of climate change at the building and neighbourhood scales. This work has, as its main goal, the assessment of different strategies that facilitate reduction in the concentration of CO2 and lower energy demands at the district level. The life cycle assessment of a new district has been carried out over 100 years during the four stages of the life cycle of the neighbourhood (construction, operation, demolition and end of life). The results showed that up to 93% of greenhouse gas (GHG) was produced during the operational stage. The energy demand due to transport and waste management represented 60% of the total energy demand of the district during the operational stage. There is still a possibility to maintain air temperature growth around 1.5 °C in the next decade by means of the following: Global warming + 100% of heavy renovation of all buildings + 100% of electric car − renewable energy. This strategy would facilitate a reduction of over 92% of the CO2 produced at the district level.