Towards a sustainable workplace: a life cycle perspective on EV-charging-integrated HVAC systems

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems contribute substantially to energy consumption and carbon emissions in the building sector. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of solar-powered HVAC systems in the workplace in a city in Portugal (Sines) using a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA), compared to systems powered by national grid electricity. The LCA is performed using the Environmental Footprint (EF) 3.1 method with a cradle-to-grave system boundary. Electric vehicle chargers are included to temporarily store excess electricity generated from a solar photovoltaic system. Results from the LCA indicate that the manufacturing and operation phases of the product system powered by grid electricity contribute significantly to most of the environmental impacts, while switching to a solar-powered system could reduce the climate change impact by 87.28%. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that heating and cooling set point temperatures of HVAC systems critically affect the environmental burdens arising from the product system. Substituting reclaimed refrigerants for newly produced refrigerants can reduce global warming potential by 5.8% during the manufacturing phase of HVAC systems. Enhancing HVAC energy efficiency and adapting heating and cooling operation are essential for reducing GHG emissions. Furthermore, the scope of the study is expanded by evaluating the environmental impacts of workplace HVAC systems in three more different European cities, i.e., Paris, London, and Oslo, representing warm and cold climate zones. Future increases in renewable electricity capacity lead to reduced environmental impacts but increase mineral and metal resource use. A broader consideration of environmental impacts through LCA offers insights into the future development and application of sustainable energy systems.