IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v39y2011i10p6321-6330.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The quantification of the embodied impacts of construction projects on energy, environment, and society based on I-O LCA

Author

Listed:
  • Chang, Yuan
  • Ries, Robert J.
  • Wang, Yaowu

Abstract

With rapid social development and large-scale construction of infrastructure in China, construction projects have become one of the driving forces for the national economy, whose energy consumption, environmental emissions, and social impacts are significant. To completely understand the role of construction projects in Chinese society, this study developed input-output life-cycle assessment models based on 2002, 2005, and 2007 economic benchmarks. Inventory indicators included 10 types of energy, 7 kinds of environmental emissions, and 7 kinds of social impacts. Results show that embodied energy of construction projects in China accounts for 25-30% of total energy consumption; embodied SO2 emissions are being controlled, and the intensities of embodied NOx and CO2 have been reduced. However, given that the construction sector related employment is 17% of the total employment in China, the accidents and fatalities related to the construction sector are significant and represent approximately 50% of the national total. The embodied human and capital investments in science and technology (ST) increased from 2002 to 2007. The embodied full time equivalent (FTE) of each ST person also increased while the personal ST funding and intramural expenditures decreased. This might result from the time lag between RD activities and large-scale implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Chang, Yuan & Ries, Robert J. & Wang, Yaowu, 2011. "The quantification of the embodied impacts of construction projects on energy, environment, and society based on I-O LCA," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6321-6330, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:39:y:2011:i:10:p:6321-6330
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142151100557X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cai, Fang & Wang, Meiyan, 2010. "Growth and structural changes in employment in transition China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 71-81, March.
    2. Zhang, Bo & Chen, G.Q., 2010. "Physical sustainability assessment for the China society: Exergy-based systems account for resources use and environmental emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 1527-1545, August.
    3. Suh, Sangwon, 2004. "Functions, commodities and environmental impacts in an ecological-economic model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 451-467, April.
    4. Chen, T.Y & Burnett, J & Chau, C.K, 2001. "Analysis of embodied energy use in the residential building of Hong Kong," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 323-340.
    5. Cai, W.G. & Wu, Y. & Zhong, Y. & Ren, H., 2009. "China building energy consumption: Situation, challenges and corresponding measures," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 2054-2059, June.
    6. Chang, Yuan & Ries, Robert J. & Wang, Yaowu, 2010. "The embodied energy and environmental emissions of construction projects in China: An economic input-output LCA model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 6597-6603, November.
    7. Rawski, Thomas G., 1979. "Economic growth and employment in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 7(8-9), pages 767-782.
    8. Chen, G.Q. & Zhang, Bo, 2010. "Greenhouse gas emissions in China 2007: Inventory and input-output analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6180-6193, October.
    9. Leontief, Wassily, 1970. "Environmental Repercussions and the Economic Structure: An Input-Output Approach," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 52(3), pages 262-271, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hammad Ahmad & Gyan Chhipi-Shrestha & Kasun Hewage & Rehan Sadiq, 2022. "A Comprehensive Review on Construction Applications and Life Cycle Sustainability of Natural Fiber Biocomposites," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-34, November.
    2. Chang, Yuan & Ries, Robert J. & Wang, Yaowu, 2013. "Life-cycle energy of residential buildings in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 656-664.
    3. Xu, Meijia & Chang, Yuan & Wei, Ying & Wang, Yafei & Zhang, Pengpeng & Huang, Zhiye, 2023. "Quantification and spatial pattern of embodied CO2 footprint of prefabricated buildings in urban agglomerations: A case study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    4. Zhang, Bo & Chen, Z.M. & Xia, X.H. & Xu, X.Y. & Chen, Y.B., 2013. "The impact of domestic trade on China's regional energy uses: A multi-regional input–output modeling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1169-1181.
    5. Seksan Papong & Norihiro Itsubo & Pomthong Malakul & Masanori Shukuya, 2015. "Development of the Social Inventory Database in Thailand Using Input–Output Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-30, June.
    6. Chang, Yuan & Huang, Runze & Ries, Robert J. & Masanet, Eric, 2015. "Life-cycle comparison of greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption for coal and shale gas fired power generation in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 335-343.
    7. Qi, Xiaoyan & Yao, Xilong & Guo, Pibin & Han, Yunfei & Liu, Lin, 2024. "Applying life cycle assessment to investigate the environmental impacts of a PV–CSP hybrid system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    8. Wang, Jianliang & Liu, Mingming & McLellan, Benjamin C. & Tang, Xu & Feng, Lianyong, 2017. "Environmental impacts of shale gas development in China: A hybrid life cycle analysis," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 38-45.
    9. Ionel-Sorinel Vasilca & Madlena Nen & Oana Chivu & Valentin Radu & Cezar-Petre Simion & Nicolae Marinescu, 2021. "The Management of Environmental Resources in the Construction Sector: An Empirical Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    10. Hong, Jingke & Shen, Qiping & Xue, Fan, 2016. "A multi-regional structural path analysis of the energy supply chain in China's construction industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 56-68.
    11. Diana Carolina Gámez-García & José Manuel Gómez-Soberón & Ramón Corral-Higuera & Héctor Saldaña-Márquez & María Consolación Gómez-Soberón & Susana Paola Arredondo-Rea, 2018. "A Cradle to Handover Life Cycle Assessment of External Walls: Choice of Materials and Prognosis of Elements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-24, August.
    12. Hong, Jingke & Shen, Geoffrey Qiping & Guo, Shan & Xue, Fan & Zheng, Wei, 2016. "Energy use embodied in China׳s construction industry: A multi-regional input–output analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1303-1312.
    13. Hong, Jingke & Li, Clyde Zhengdao & Shen, Qiping & Xue, Fan & Sun, Bingxia & Zheng, Wei, 2017. "An Overview of the driving forces behind energy demand in China's construction industry: Evidence from 1990 to 2012," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 85-94.
    14. Seksan Papong & Norihiro Itsubo & Yuya Ono & Pomthong Malakul, 2016. "Development of Social Intensity Database Using Asian International Input–Output Table for Social Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-25, November.
    15. Chang, Yuan & Huang, Runze & Ries, Robert J. & Masanet, Eric, 2014. "Shale-to-well energy use and air pollutant emissions of shale gas production in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 147-157.
    16. Marina Nikolić Topalović & Milenko Stanković & Goran Ćirović & Dragan Pamučar, 2018. "Comparison of the Applied Measures on the Simulated Scenarios for the Sustainable Building Construction through Carbon Footprint Emissions—Case Study of Building Construction in Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.
    17. Onat, Nuri Cihat & Kucukvar, Murat, 2020. "Carbon footprint of construction industry: A global review and supply chain analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    18. Chang, Yuan & Huang, Runze & Masanet, Eric, 2014. "The energy, water, and air pollution implications of tapping China's shale gas reserves," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 100-108.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, Z.M., 2011. "Greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use by the world economy: Ecological input–output modeling," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2362-2376.
    2. Yan, Junna & Zhao, Tao & Kang, Jidong, 2016. "Sensitivity analysis of technology and supply change for CO2 emission intensity of energy-intensive industries based on input–output model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 456-467.
    3. Chen, Weidong & Wu, Fangyong & Geng, Wenxin & Yu, Guanyi, 2017. "Carbon emissions in China’s industrial sectors," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 117(PB), pages 264-273.
    4. Chau, C.K. & Leung, T.M. & Ng, W.Y., 2015. "A review on Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Energy Assessment and Life Cycle Carbon Emissions Assessment on buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 395-413.
    5. Zhang, L.X. & Wang, C.B. & Bahaj, A.S., 2014. "Carbon emissions by rural energy in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 641-649.
    6. Zhang, Zhonghua & Zhao, Yuhuan & Su, Bin & Zhang, Yongfeng & Wang, Song & Liu, Ya & Li, Hao, 2017. "Embodied carbon in China’s foreign trade: An online SCI-E and SSCI based literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 492-510.
    7. Liu, Zhu & Geng, Yong & Lindner, Soeren & Zhao, Hongyan & Fujita, Tsuyoshi & Guan, Dabo, 2012. "Embodied energy use in China's industrial sectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 751-758.
    8. Taelim Choi & Randall W. Jackson & Nancey Green Leigh & Christa D. Jensen, 2011. "A Baseline Input—Output Model with Environmental Accounts (IOEA) Applied to E-Waste Recycling," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 34(1), pages 3-33, January.
    9. Xia, X.H. & Hu, Y. & Chen, G.Q. & Alsaedi, A. & Hayat, T. & Wu, X.D., 2015. "Vertical specialization, global trade and energy consumption for an urban economy: A value added export perspective for Beijing," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 318(C), pages 49-58.
    10. Chang, Yuan & Huang, Runze & Masanet, Eric, 2014. "The energy, water, and air pollution implications of tapping China's shale gas reserves," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 100-108.
    11. Chen, G.Q. & Zhang, Bo, 2010. "Greenhouse gas emissions in China 2007: Inventory and input-output analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6180-6193, October.
    12. Wiedmann, Thomas, 2009. "A first empirical comparison of energy Footprints embodied in trade -- MRIO versus PLUM," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1975-1990, May.
    13. Zhang, Bo & Chen, Z.M. & Xia, X.H. & Xu, X.Y. & Chen, Y.B., 2013. "The impact of domestic trade on China's regional energy uses: A multi-regional input–output modeling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1169-1181.
    14. Gonzalez-Martinez, Ana Rosa & Jongeneel, Roel & Kros, Hans & Lesschen, Jan Peter & de Vries, Marion & Reijs, Joan & Verhoog, David, 2021. "Aligning agricultural production and environmental regulation: An integrated assessment of the Netherlands," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    15. Cholapat Jongdeepaisal & Seigo Nasu, 2018. "Economic Impact Evaluation of a Biomass Power Plant Using a Technical Coefficient Pre-Adjustment in Hybrid Input-Output Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-11, March.
    16. Prema-chandra Athukorala & Zheng Wei, 2015. "Economic Transition and Labour Market Dynamics in China: An Interpretative Survey of the ‘Turning Point’ Debate," Departmental Working Papers 2015-06, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
    17. Yang, Jin & Chen, Bin, 2014. "Carbon footprint estimation of Chinese economic sectors based on a three-tier model," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 499-507.
    18. Su, Bin & Ang, B.W., 2013. "Input–output analysis of CO2 emissions embodied in trade: Competitive versus non-competitive imports," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 83-87.
    19. Shao, Ling & Wu, Zi & Zeng, L. & Chen, Z.M. & Zhou, Y. & Chen, G.Q., 2013. "Embodied energy assessment for ecological wastewater treatment by a constructed wetland," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 63-71.
    20. Chen, Z.M. & Chen, G.Q., 2011. "Embodied carbon dioxide emission at supra-national scale: A coalition analysis for G7, BRIC, and the rest of the world," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2899-2909, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:39:y:2011:i:10:p:6321-6330. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.