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Embodied Energy is the sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or 'embodied' in the product itself. The concept can be useful in determining the effectiveness of energy-producing or energy-saving devices, or the "real" replacement cost of a building, and, because energy-inputs usually entail greenhouse gas emissions, in deciding whether a product contributes to or mitigates global warming. One fundamental purpose for measuring this quantity is to compare the amount of energy produced or saved by the product in question to the amount of energy consumed in producing it.

Embodied energy is an accounting method which aims to find the sum total of the energy necessary for an entire product life-cycle. Determining what constitutes this life-cycle includes assessing the relevance and extent of energy into raw material extraction, transport, manufacture, assembly, installation, disassembly, deconstruction and/or decomposition as well as human and secondary resources. Different methodologies produce different understandings of the scale and scope of application and the type of energy embodied.

History

The history of constructing a system of accounts which records the energy flows through an environment can be traced back to the origins of accounting itself. As a distinct method, it is often associated with the Physiocrat's "substance" theory of value,^[1] and later the agricultural energetics of Sergei Podolinsky, a Ukrainian physician,^[2] and the ecological energetics of Vladmir Stanchinsky ^[3]

The main methods of embodied energy accounting as they are used today grew out of Wassily Leontief's input-output model and are called Input-Output Embodied Energy analysis. Leontief's input-output model was in turn an adaptation of the neo-classical theory of general equilibrium with application to "the empirical study of the quantitative interdependence between interrelated economic activities".^[4] According to Tennenbaum^[5] Leontief's Input-Output method was adapted to embodied energy analysis by Hannon^[6] to describe ecosystem energy flows. Hannon’s adaptation tabulated the total direct and indirect energy requirements (the energy intensity) for each output made by the system. The total amount of energies, direct and indirect, for the entire amount of production was called the embodied energy.

Embodied energy methodologies

Embodied energy analysis is interested in what energy goes to supporting a consumer, and so all energy depreciation is assigned to the final demand of consumer. Different methodologies use different scales of data to calculate energy embodied in products and services of nature and human civilization. International consensus on the appropriateness of data scales and methodologies is pending. This difficulty can give a wide range in embodied energy values for any given material. In the absence of a comprehensive global embodied energy public dynamic database, embodied energy calculations may omit important data on, for example, the rural road/highway construction and maintenance needed to move a product, human marketing, advertising, catering services, non-human services and the like. Such omissions can be a source of significant methodological error in embodied energy estimations.^[7] Without an estimation and declaration of the embodied energy error, it is difficult to calibrate the sustainability index, and so the value of any given material, process or service to environmental and human economic processes.

Standards

The SBTool, UK Code for Sustainable Homes and USA LEED are methods in which the embodied energy of a product or material is rated, along with other factors, to assess a building's environmental impact. Embodied energy is a concept for which scientists have not yet agreed absolute universal values because there are many variables to take into account, but most agree that products can be compared to each other to see which has more and which has less embodied energy. Comparative lists (for an example, see the University of Bath Embodied Energy & Carbon Material Inventory^[8]) contain average absolute values, and explain the factors which have been taken into account when compiling the lists.

Typical embodied energy units used are MJ/kg (megajoules of energy needed to make a kilogram of product), tCO₂ (tonnes of carbon dioxide created by the energy needed to make a kilogram of product). Converting MJ to tCO₂ is not straightforward because different types of energy (oil, wind, solar, nuclear and so on) emit different amounts of carbon dioxide, so the actual amount of carbon dioxide emitted when a product is made will be dependent on the type of energy used in the manufacturing process. For example, the Australian Government^[9] gives a global average of 0.098 tCO₂ = 1 GJ. This is the same as 1 MJ = 0.098 kgCO₂ = 98 gCO₂ or 1 kgCO₂ = 10.204 MJ.

Related methodologies

In the 2000s drought conditions in Australia have generated interest in the application of embodied energy analysis methods to water. This has led to use of the concept of embodied water.

Embodied energy in common materials

Selected data from the Inventory of Carbon and Energy ('ICE') prepared by the University of Bath (UK) ^[8]

Material	Energy MJ per kg	Carbon kg CO₂ per kg	Density kg /m³
Aggregate	0.083	0.0048	2240
Concrete (1:1.5:3)	1.11	0.159	2400
Bricks (common)	3	0.24	1700
Concrete block (Medium density)	0.67	0.073	1450
Aerated block	3.5	0.3	750
Limestone block	0.85		2180
Marble	2	0.116	2500
Cement mortar (1:3)	1.33	0.208
Steel (general, av. recycled content)	20.1	1.37	7800
Stainless steel	56.7	6.15	7850
Timber (general, excludes sequestration)	8.5	0.46	480–720
Glue laminated timber	12	0.87
Cellulose insulation (loose fill)	0.94–3.3		43
Cork insulation	26		160
Glass fibre insulation (glass wool)	28	1.35	12
Flax insulation	39.5	1.7	30
Rockwool (slab)	16.8	1.05	24
Expanded Polystyrene insulation	88.6	2.55	15–30
Polyurethane insulation (rigid foam)	101.5	3.48	30
Wool (recycled) insulation	20.9		25
Straw bale	0.91		100–110
Mineral fibre roofing tile	37	2.7	1850
Slate	0.1–1.0	0.006–0.058	1600
Clay tile	6.5	0.45	1900
Aluminium (general & incl 33% recycled)	155	8.24	2700
Bitumen (general)	51	0.38–0.43
Medium-density fibreboard	11	0.72	680–760
Plywood	15	1.07	540–700
Plasterboard	6.75	0.38	800
Gypsum plaster	1.8	0.12	1120
Glass	15	0.85	2500
PVC (general)	77.2	2.41	1380
Vinyl flooring	65.64	2.92	1200
Terrazzo tiles	1.4	0.12	1750
Ceramic tiles	12	0.74	2000
Wool carpet	106	5.53
Wallpaper	36.4	1.93
Vitrified clay pipe (DN 500)	7.9	0.52
Iron (general)	25	1.91	7870
Copper (average incl. 37% recycled)	42	2.6	8600
Lead (incl 61% recycled)	25.21	1.57	11340
Ceramic sanitary ware	29	1.51
Paint - Water-borne	59	2.12
Paint - Solvent-borne	97	3.13

Photovoltaic (PV) Cells Type	Energy MJ per m²	Carbon kg CO₂ per m²
Monocrystalline (average)	4750	242
Polycrystalline (average)	4070	208
Thin film (average)	1305	67

Embodied energy in automobiles

Treloar, et al. have estimated the embodied energy in an average automobile in Australia as 0.27 terajoules as one component in an overall analysis of the energy involved in road transportation.^[10]

Embodied energy in Telecommunication

Embodied energy in telecommunications began in Mayaguez. Recently the embodied energy is going to used also in other sectors as ICT and telecommunication.^[11] The ICT energy consumption, in the USA and worldwide, has been estimated respectively at 9.4% and 5.3% of the total electricity produced.^[12] The Embodied Energy concept can help to evaluate the impact of devices and networks.

References

^ Mirowski, Philip (1991). More Heat Than Light: Economics as Social Physics, Physics as Nature's Economics. Cambridge University Press. pp. 154–163. ISBN 978-0-521-42689-3.
^ Martinez-Alier, J. (1990). Ecological Economics: Energy Environment and Society. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. ISBN 0631171460.
^ Weiner, Douglas R. (2000). Models of Nature: Ecology, Conservation, and Cultural Revolution in Soviet Russia. University of Pittsburgh Pre. pp. 70–71, 78–82. ISBN 978-0-8229-7215-0.
^ Leontief, W. (1966). Input-Output Economics. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 134.
^ Tennenbaum, Stephen E. (1988). Network Energy Expenditures for Subsystem Production (PDF) (MS). OCLC 20211746. Docket CFW-88-08.
^ Hannon, B. (October 1973). "The Structure of ecosystems" (PDF). Journal of Theoretical Biology. 41 (3): 535–546. doi:10.1016/0022-5193(73)90060-X.
^ Lenzen 2001
^ ^a ^b G.P.Hammond and C.I.Jones (2006) Inventory of (Embodied) Carbon & Energy (ICE), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath, United Kingdom
^ CSIRO on embodied energy: Australia's foremost scientific institution
^ Treloar, Graham J.; Love, Peter E. D.; Crawford, Robert H. (January–February 2004). "Hybrid Life-Cycle Inventory for Road Construction and Use" (PDF). Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 130 (1): 43–49. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2004)130:1(43). Retrieved 2010-06-29.
^ Puglia, Virgilio (January 2013). "Energy indices for environmental sustainability". International Journal of Technology Marketing. 8 (1/2013).
^ "ICTs for e-Environment Guidelines for Developing Countries, with a Focus on Climate Change" (PDF). International Telecommunication Union. 2008.

Bibliography

Clark, D.H.; Treloar, G.J.; Blair, R. (2003). "Estimating the increasing cost of commercial buildings in Australia due to greenhouse emissions trading". In Yang, J.; Brandon, P.S.; Sidwell, A.C. (eds.). Proceedings of The CIB 2003 International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, Brisbane, Australia. ISBN 1741070414. OCLC 224896901. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
Costanza, R. (1979). Embodied Energy Basis for Economic-Ecologic Systems (Ph.D.). University of Florida. OCLC 05720193. UF00089540:00001.
Crawford, R.H. (2005). "Validation of the Use of Input-Output Data for Embodied Energy Analysis of the Australian Construction Industry". Journal of Construction Research. 6 (1): 71–90. doi:10.1142/S1609945105000250.
Lenzen, M. (2001). "Errors in conventional and input-output-based life-cycle inventories". Journal of Industrial Ecology. 4 (4): 127–148. doi:10.1162/10881980052541981. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Lenzen, M.; Treloar, G.J. (February 2002). "Embodied energy in buildings: wood versus concrete-reply to Börjesson and Gustavsson". Energy Policy. 30 (3): 249–255. doi:10.1016/S0301-4215(01)00142-2.
Treloar, G.J. (1997). "Extracting Embodied Energy Paths from Input-Output Tables: Towards an Input-Output-based Hybrid Energy Analysis Method". Economic Systems Research. 9 (4): 375–391. doi:10.1080/09535319700000032.
Treloar, Graham J. (1998). A comprehensive embodied energy analysis framework (Ph.D.). Deakin University.
Treloar, G.J.; Owen, C.; Fay, R. (2001). "Environmental assessment of rammed earth construction systems". Structural survey. 19 (2): 99–105. doi:10.1108/02630800110393680.
Treloar, G.J.; Love, P.E.D.; Holt, G.D. (2001). "Using national input-output data for embodied energy analysis of individual residential buildings". Construction Management and Economics. 19 (1): 49–61. doi:10.1080/014461901452076.

External links

[1] Mirowski, Philip (1991). More Heat Than Light: Economics as Social Physics, Physics as Nature's Economics. Cambridge University Press. pp. 154–163. ISBN 978-0-521-42689-3.

[2] Martinez-Alier, J. (1990). Ecological Economics: Energy Environment and Society. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. ISBN 0631171460.

[3] Weiner, Douglas R. (2000). Models of Nature: Ecology, Conservation, and Cultural Revolution in Soviet Russia. University of Pittsburgh Pre. pp. 70–71, 78–82. ISBN 978-0-8229-7215-0.

[4] Leontief, W. (1966). Input-Output Economics. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 134.

[5] Tennenbaum, Stephen E. (1988). Network Energy Expenditures for Subsystem Production (PDF) (MS). OCLC 20211746. Docket CFW-88-08.

[6] Hannon, B. (October 1973). "The Structure of ecosystems" (PDF). Journal of Theoretical Biology. 41 (3): 535–546. doi:10.1016/0022-5193(73)90060-X.

[7] Lenzen 2001

[ICE_Database-8] G.P.Hammond and C.I.Jones (2006) Inventory of (Embodied) Carbon & Energy (ICE), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath, United Kingdom

[9] CSIRO on embodied energy: Australia's foremost scientific institution

[10] Treloar, Graham J.; Love, Peter E. D.; Crawford, Robert H. (January–February 2004). "Hybrid Life-Cycle Inventory for Road Construction and Use" (PDF). Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 130 (1): 43–49. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2004)130:1(43). Retrieved 2010-06-29.

[11] Puglia, Virgilio (January 2013). "Energy indices for environmental sustainability". International Journal of Technology Marketing. 8 (1/2013).

[12] "ICTs for e-Environment Guidelines for Developing Countries, with a Focus on Climate Change" (PDF). International Telecommunication Union. 2008.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{incomplete|date=September 2011}}
-'''Embodied Energy''' is the sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or 'embodied' in the product itself. The concept can be useful in determining the effectiveness of energy-producing or energy-saving devices, or the "real" replacement cost of a building, and, because energy-inputs usually entail [[greenhouse gas]] emissions, in deciding whether a product contributes to or mitigates [[global warming]]. One fundamental question is: does the device produce more energy or save more energy than it took to make it?
+'''Embodied Energy''' is the sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or 'embodied' in the product itself. The concept can be useful in determining the effectiveness of energy-producing or energy-saving devices, or the "real" replacement cost of a building, and, because energy-inputs usually entail [[greenhouse gas]] emissions, in deciding whether a product contributes to or mitigates [[global warming]]. One fundamental purpose for measuring this quantity is to compare the amount of energy produced or saved by the product in question to the amount of energy consumed in producing it.
-Embodied energy is an accounting method which aims to find the sum total of the energy necessary for an entire product life-cycle. Determining what constitutes this life-cycle includes assessing the relevance and extent of energy into raw material extraction, transport, manufacture, assembly, installation, dis-assembly, deconstruction and/or decomposition as well as human and secondary resources. Different methodologies produce different understandings of the scale and scope of application and the type of energy embodied.
+Embodied energy is an accounting method which aims to find the sum total of the energy necessary for an entire product life-cycle. Determining what constitutes this life-cycle includes assessing the relevance and extent of energy into raw material extraction, transport, manufacture, assembly, installation, disassembly, deconstruction and/or decomposition as well as human and secondary resources. Different methodologies produce different understandings of the scale and scope of application and the type of energy embodied.
 ==History==