• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.52-60
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• 2016

This study investigates and analyzes the total amount of energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission during the material manufacturing, transportation, construction, operation, and disposal phases of eight elementary school buildings in South Korea. Toward this ends, the hybrid LCA model is proposed. The life cycle energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission of eight case buildings are assessed using the hybrid LCA model with an assumption that the operation period is 40 years. As a result, the embodied(sum of the energy consumption in the material manufacturing, transportation and construction phases), operational and disposal energy were 2,279, 11,182, $228Mcal/m^2$, respectively, on average. The average embodied, operational, and disposal $CO_2$ emission were 604, 2,708, 60 kg-$CO_2/m^2$, respectively, on average. This result indicates that about 17% of life cycle energy (or $CO_2$ emission) is consumed in the material manufacturing, transportation and construction phases. Thus, it is necessary to consider the embodied energy and $CO_2$ emission to reduce the life cycle energy and $CO_2$ emission of school buildings. In addition, while the insulation standard of building have been provided based on the climate zone, energy consumption in operation phase still varied depending on the regions in this study. Thus, the insulation standard of building needs to be improved through considering the climate of regions in detail.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.577-580
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• 2008

Concrete absorbs $CO_2$ in the air because of carbonation. according to rising concern for lasting earth environment efforts of reducing greenhouse gas, especially co2, are occurred whole industry throughout the world. In this paper selected one building and computed amount of production and absorbtion of co2 during its lifecycle at concrete. In computing amount of absorbtion of co2 considered amount of absorbtion according to the area of concrete changing senarioes of servicelife(40,60,80 years) and deconstruct preiod(60,40,20 years). As a result, size of concrete and maintenance period of disused concrete work increasement of $CO_2$ as main factors. We came to the conclusion that maintenance period is more important than recycle of unused concrete as a method for reducing environmental load in architectural industry.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.599-612
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• 2015

The development of renewable energy technologies that can replace fossil fuels is environmentally important; however, such technologies must be economically feasible. Economic analyses are important for assessing new projects such as geothermal heating-cooling systems, given their large initial costs. This study analyzed the economics and carbon dioxide emissions of: a SCW (standing column well), a vertical closed loop boiler, a gas boiler, and an oil boiler. Life cycle cost analysis showed that the SCW geothermal heating-cooling system had the highest economic feasibility, as it had the highest cost saving and also the lowest carbon dioxide emissions. Overall, it appears that geothermal systems can save money when applied to large-scale controlled agriculture complexes and reclaimed land.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.399-406
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• 2012

One-third of total energy and 50% of $CO_2$ emissions arise from construction phase. Because of this global amount of energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission, we must do our best to solve this problem. But our existing ways of meeting this problem has focused on the energy consumption saving of the construction and dwelling stage. On the other hand, we has been treated too lightly for handling the $CO_2$ emissions problem during the maintenance management and the demolition process so far,. In this paper, we quantitatively predicted and evaluated the environmental load in each construction step during all life cycle. And, we developed the environmental load assessment program for each construction step. And we proposed the reliable decision support model for objective and reliable environmental load assessment and reduction. This result must help the development of construction technology and low carbon & green growth.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2023

Concrete emits a large amount of carbon dioxide throughout its life cycle, and due to the societal demand for carbon dioxide reduction, research on storing carbon dioxide in concrete in the form of minerals is ongoing. In this study, cyanobacteria, which absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and fix it as calcium carbonate, were applied to a porous concrete substrate, and the changes in the properties of the concrete substrate due to their special environmental curing condition were analyzed. The results showed that the calcium carbonate precipitation by the microorganisms was concentrated in the light-exposed surface area, and most of the precipitation occurred in the cement paste part, not in the aggregate. This microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation enhanced the mechanical performance of the paste and improved the overall compressive strength as the curing age progressed. In addition, the increase in microbial biofilm and calcium carbonate improved the pore structure, which influenced the reduction in water permeability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.619-627
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• 2012

In order to determine reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) when the submerged membrane bioreactor with granular sulfur (MBR-GS) is used in wastewater treatment plant (WTP), the amount of GHGs was compared and analyzed in the advanced treatment process of P wastewater treatment plant (WTP). The amount of GHGs was estimated by classifying as construction and operation phase in WTP. The amount of GHGs in construction phase was evaluated from multiplying raw materials by using carbon emission factors. Also the amount of GHGs in operating phase was calculated by using total electricity consumption and carbon emission factor. The construction of anoxic tank and secondary settling tank is unnecessary, because the MBR-GS conducts simultaneously the nitrification and denitrification in aeration tank and filtration by hollow fiber membrane. The amount of $CO_2$, $CH_4$, and $N_2O$ emitted by constructing the MBR-GS was 6.44E+06 kg, 8.16E+03 kg and 1.38E+01 kg, respectively. The result shows that the GHGs was reduced about 47 % as compared with the construction in the MLE process. In operating the MBR-GS, the electricity is not required in the biological reactor and secondary setting tank. Thus, the amount of $CO_2$, $CH_4$, and $N_2O$ emitted by operating in the MBR-GS was 7.39E+05 kg/yr, 5.80E+02 kg/yr and 2.44E+00 kg/yr, respectively. The result shows that the GHGs were reduced about 37 % as compared with the operation in the MLE process. Also, $LCCO_2$(Life Cycle $CO_2$) was compared and analyzed between MLE process and MBR-GS. The amount of $LCCO_2 $emitted from the MLE process and MBR-GS was 3.56E+04 ton $CO_2$ and 2.12E+04 ton $CO_2$, respectively. The result shows that the GHGs in MBR-GS were reduced to about 40 % as compared in the MLE process during life cycle. As a result, sulfur-utilizing autotrophic denitrification process (SADP) is expected to be utilized as the cost-effective advanced treatment process, owing to not only high nitrogen removal efficiency but also the GHGs reduction in construction and operation stage.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 2014

Environmental problems and the shortage of natural resources are currently gathering more attention in Korea and international countries. With these problems, it is reported that most current domestic buildings are emitting approximately 138 million tons of greenhouse gas. According to a recent report from the investigation of Korean housing population, the total number of households is approximately 12.9 millions, and the apartments that were built more than 15 years ago amounted to 3.1 millions. This shows that the rates of old apartment housings are increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the deteriorated facilities and environmental improvement. Also, the construction industry is benefited by improving these housings which may need either remodeling or reconstruction. Environmental friendly buildings are a rising consideration for remodeling and reconstruction projects; it helps to determine many business matters in construction. The main purpose of this research is to improve environmental condition in apartments with comparison analysis between remodeling and reconstruction alternatives. This research is focused on characteristics of remodeling and reconstruction and it sets up the same condition with each level in order to evaluate the value of environmental friendliness and analyze its definition. The result of this research provides a unique emitting rate at a novel framework and this will cause the reduction of $CO_2$. It is analyzed that the remodeling construction can reduce the great amount of $CO_2$. Therefore, it will be a good decision guideline in selecting the most eco-friendly alternative to improve environment for building construction. Although reconstruction is a popular alternative nowadays in Korea, this research can provide a reason why decision makers should put more emphasis on remodeling as an environment-friendly alternative.