The cost effectiveness of housing thermal performance improvements in saving C02-e

摘要

To reduce the CO2 emissions associated with the energy needed to heat and/or cool houses, the Building Code of Australia requires that new houses meet a minimum level of thermal performance. A star rating system is used to indicate the level of thermal performance a house achieves. Ratings range from 0 to 10 stars. Currently, all states and territories in Australia require a minimum 5- or 6-star performance; however, this is likely to be increased incrementally in the next decade. Increasing a house's thermal performance generally increases its embodied emissions. However, this is rarely considered when assessing the cost effectiveness (in saving CO2 emissions) of thermal performance measures. This article examines the cost effectiveness of incremental thermal performance improvements, taking into account their embodied emissions. The results show that the cost effectiveness of achieving a certain level of thermal performance varies significantly depending on the methods and materials used.