• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2024.07a
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• pp.25-32
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• 2024

Conventional construction methods face significant challenges in reducing carbon emissions and promoting environmental sustainability. Off-Site Construction (OSC) method is widely recognized as a low-carbon, high-efficiency alternative construction method. However, in practice, it often fails to deliver the expected benefits, leading to issues such as excessive carbon emissions, unpunctual delivery, and cost overruns in OSC projects. In order to ensure the carbon benefits of OSC and further its development,this study conducts an in-depth analysis of embodied carbon emissions in the precast production process, proposes a multi-objective optimization model based on the permutation flow shop scheduling problem, and designs an automated solution algorithm using NSGA-II to derive Pareto optimal schedules. Through the analysis of real-world case data, the proposed approach, compared to conventional scheduling methods, is estimated to reduce embodied carbon emissions by approximately 6 % while simultaneously cutting tardiness/earliness penalty by 75%. This study offers a model for precast production scheduling, effectively enhancing production efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, enabling construction component enterprises to engage in low-carbon, cost-effective, and efficient production, thereby fostering sustainable development in the construction industry.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.37-67
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• 2024

This paper analyses carbon emissions and value-added embodied in trade between two large developed countries, South Korea and the United States, during 2000-2014. Using multi-regional input-output (MRIO) tables, our analysis reveals that carbon emissions and value-added embodied in exports grew by 19% and 101% for South Korea but shrank by 43% and 7% for the United States. As a result, South Korea experienced a 40% increase in net carbon exports and 243% increase in net value-added exports. At the industry level, the primary drivers of changes in carbon exports were electricity and basic materials. The majority of industries in witnessed improvements in carbon intensities suggesting improved environmental efficiency. While both countries achieved a decoupling of carbon emissions from value-added exports, substantial year-to-year and sectoral variations were observed. Finally, structural decomposition analysis indicates that domestic supply-side factors played a role in decreasing emissions whereas foreign demand-side factors contributed to emissions increases. In line with the main findings, various implications for policy and future research are discussed.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2017.10a
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• pp.14-23
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• 2017

In high-density high-rise cities such as Hong Kong, buildings account for nearly 90% of energy consumption and 61% of carbon emissions. Therefore, it is important to study the design of buildings, especially high-rise buildings, to achieve lower carbon emissions in the city. The carbon emissions of a building consist of embodied carbon from the production of construction materials and operational carbon from energy consumption during daily operation (e.g., air-conditioning and lighting). An integrated analysis of both types of carbon emissions can strengthen the design of low carbon buildings, but most of the previous studies concentrated mainly on either embodied or operational carbon. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to develop a holistic methodology framework considering both embodied and operational carbon, in order to enhance the sustainable design of low carbon high-rise buildings. The framework will be based on the building information modeling (BIM) technology because BIM can be integrated with simulation systems and digital models of different disciplines, thereby enabling a holistic design and assessment of low carbon buildings. Structural analysis program is first coupled with BIM to validate the structural performance of a building design. The amounts of construction materials and embodied carbon are then quantified by a BIM-based program using the Dynamo programming interface. Operational carbon is quantified by energy simulation software based on the green building extensible Markup Language (gbXML) file from BIM. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) will be applied to analyze the ambient wind effect on indoor temperature and operational carbon. The BIM-based framework serves as a decision support tool to compare and explore more environmentally-sustainable design options to help reduce the carbon emissions in buildings.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.58-74
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• 2021

Purpose - This paper research on the embodied carbon emission in Sino-Korea trade. It calculates and analyzes the carbon emission coefficient and specific carbon emissions in Sino-Korea trade from 2005 to 2014. Design/methodology - This paper conducted an empirical analysis for embodied carbon emission in Sino-Korea trade during the years 2005-2014, using a multi-region input-output model. First, direct and complete CO2 emission coefficient of the two countries were calculated and compared. On this basis, combined with the world input-output table, the annual import and export volume and sector volume of embodied carbon emission are determined. Then through the comparative analysis of the empirical results, the reasons for the carbon imbalance in Sino-Korea trade are clarified, and the corresponding suggestions are put forward according to the environmental protection policies being implemented by the two countries. Findings - The results show that South Korea is in the state of net trade export and net embodied carbon import. The carbon emission coefficient of most sectors in South Korea is lower than that of China. However, the reduction of carbon emission coefficient in China is significantly faster than that in South Korea in this decade. The change of Korea's complete CO2 emission coefficient shows that policy factors have a great impact on environmental protection. The proportion of intra industry trade between China and South Korea is relatively large and concentrated in mechanical and electrical products, chemical products, etc. These sectors generally have large carbon emissions, which need to be noticed by both countries. Originality/value - To the best knowledge of the authors, this study is the first attempt to research the embodied carbon emission of ten consecutive years in Sino-Korea Trade. In addition, In this paper, some mathematical methods are used to overcome the error problem caused by different statistical caliber in different databases. Finally, the accurate measurement of carbon level in bilateral trade will provide some reference for trade development and environmental protection.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2024.07a
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• pp.41-48
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• 2024

The construction industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, with its life cycle emissions posing significant environmental challenges. Despite its increasing importance, embodied carbon (EC) generated from the construction process is often ignored. Modular construction (MC), characterized by a combination of off-site manufacturing and on-site assembly, has been recognized for its potential to contribute to environmental benefits. However, there is still a lack of systematic explanation of urban high-rise MC. This study aims to identify whether and to what extent high-rise MC can achieve EC reductions and lay the foundation for effective carbon reductuons in the construction industry. To achieve this, the study develops a multi-level EC measurement framework for assessing EC during the construction process, using a real case to quantify the EC and determine carbon reduction performance. The innovation is a more comprehensive understanding of the boundaries of EC, as MC includes the amount of superstructure work and decoration integration. The results show that although the MC will increase EC from the transportation stage due to heavier modules, it achieves a net reduction in total EC by reducing on-site machinery energy consumption and waste rates. In conclusion, this study contributes to a better understanding of the EC emissions associated with high-rise MC, offering a valuable measurement framework for global regions evaluating the EC impacts of high-rise MC in similar contexts.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.621-655
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• 2004

Emission Trading (ET) among Annex I countries as expounded in Kyoto mechanism can be an effective mean to control Greenhouse Gases(GHGs), particularly $CO_2$ emissions from fossil fuels. For the international ET to be an effective tool to reduce the global emissions, however, it presupposes that there are no carbon leakage, i.e. Annex I emitters will purchase emission permits if emitting above caps, rather than importing emission-intensive goods from non-Annex I countries thus inducing the foreigners to emit instead. The extent to which a country leaks carbon through trade can be revealed by its bilateral balance of current accounts and related Balance of Emissions Embodied in Trade (BEET) supplemented by Emission Terms of Trade (ETT). Earlier studies on BEET and ETT relied on few selected countries in a partial equilibrium context, Korea being treated as insignificant though she is not a minor emitter. This paper is an attempt to examine BEET in the global CGE framework and to compare its structural difference across countries, with a special emphasis on South Korea.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.141-164
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• 2015

The concept of consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory is directly related with the carbon content of international trade. Along the lines of the consumption-based GHG inventory, we investigate domestic and foreign carbon contents embodied in sectoral exports of Korea. In addition to the analysis of carbon content of exports, it is investigated how much share of responsibility for carbon emissions of Korea belongs to each major trading partner of Korea. We also compute the carbon intensities of Korean exports in carbon chain with other trading partners and find some characteristics revealed in Korea's carbon emissions embodied in its exports.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.31-52
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• 2013

The recent analyses of carbon emissions embodied in international trade are related with discussions on who is responsible for the carbon emissions causing global warming. Some authors insist that the countries importing carbon-intensive goods should share the responsibility with the suppliers of those goods. In order to determine which countries are net importers of carbon dioxide embodied in traded goods, we need to construct the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model incorporating national input-output tables and data on bilateral trades. The paper calculates consumption-based as well as production-based inventories by using MRIO model whose global database is GTAP version 8 to get the picture of carbon footprints in international trades of Korea and other regions in the world.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.45-64
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper examines South Korea's potential status as a carbon leakage country, and the level of risk posed by the Korean emissions trading scheme (ETS) for Korean industries. The economic effects of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) to protect energy-intensive Korean industries in the process of achieving the carbon reduction target by 2030 through the Korean ETS are also analyzed. Design/methodology - First, using the Korean Input-Output (IO) table, this paper calculates the balance of emissions embodied in trade (BEET) and the pollution terms of trade (PTT) to determine Korean industries' carbon leakage status. Analyses of the risk level posed by carbon reduction policy implementation in international trade are conducted for some sectors by applying the EU criteria. Second, using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, three BCA scenarios, exemption regulations (EXE), reimbursement (REB), and tariff reduction (TAR) to protect the energy-intensive industries under the Korean ETS are addressed. Compared to the baseline scenario of achieving carbon reduction targets by 2030, the effects of BCAs on welfare, carbon leakage, outputs, and trading are analyzed. Findings - As Korea's industrial structure has been transitioning from a carbon importing to a carbon leaking country. The results indicate that some industrial sectors could face the risk of losing international competitiveness due to the Korean ETS. South Korea's industries are basically exposed to risk of carbon leakage because most industries have a trade intensity higher than 30%. This could be interpreted as disproving vulnerability to carbon leakage. Although the petroleum and coal sector is not in carbon leakage, according to BEET and PTT, the Korean ETS exposes this sector to a high risk of carbon leakage. Non-metallic minerals and iron and steel sectors are also exposed to a high risk of carbon leakage due to the increased burden of carbon reduction costs embodied in the Korean ETS, despite relatively low levels of trade intensity. BCAs are demonstrated to have an influential role in protecting energy-intensive industries while achieving the carbon reduction target by 2030. The EXE scenario has the greatest impact on mitigation of welfare losses and carbon leakage, and the TAF scenario causes a disturbance in the international trade market because of the pricing adjustment system. In reality, the EXE scenario, which implies completely exempting energy-intensive industries, could be difficult to implement due to various practical constraints, such as equity and reduction targets and other industries; therefore, the REB scenario presents the most realistic approach and appears to have an effect that could compensate for the burden of economic activities and emissions regulations in these industries. Originality/value - This paper confirms the vulnerability of the Korean industrial the risk of carbon leakage, demonstrating that some industrial sectors could be exposed to losing international competitiveness by implementing carbon reduction policies such as the Korean ETS. The contribution of this paper is the identification of proposed approaches to protect Korean industries in the process of achieving the 2030 reduction target by analyzing the effects of BCA scenarios using a CGE model.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.18-26
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• 2023

Green-remodeling is to improve the energy performance of existing buildings that have been aged for more than 15 years since completion. In order to achieve the national greenhouse gas emission reduction plan in the building sector, it is necessary to analyze the carbon reduction effect by considering the internal carbon emissions that may occur during green-remodeling of old buildings. This study analyzed the effects of energy reduction and carbon emission reduction when green-remodeling was applied to old health centers constructed in 1992. When applying green-remodeling, the carbon emission reduction effect considered the embodied carbon emission of the improvement items and the carbon emission at the building operation stage. When applying green-remodeling to existing buildings, energy consumption was reduced by 39.3%, and carbon emissions were reduced by 48.9% after 27 years of green-remodeling. In order to reduce carbon emissions, it was important to apply a renewable system as an item to improve the performance of green-remodeling. In particular, it was confirmed that it is very important to consider the photovoltaic system as a top priority for the carbon emission reduction.