Holistic study of a timber double skin façade: Whole life carbon emissions and structural optimisation

In this article, life cycle assessment (LCA) and dynamic energy modelling have been combined through a parametric approach to obtain figures for the whole-life cycle carbon assessment of 384 different configurations of an innovative, timber-made DSF for UK low-carbon refurbishments. Additionally, the structural design of the façade was also investigated through a structural optimisation procedure which takes into account all relevant loads and ensures minimal use of the structural material. Results show that operational savings outweigh the embodied impacts and therefore the proposed DSF is a viable and effective solution for net carbon-negative refurbishments. The operational energy modelling also contributes to the characterisation of DSFs thermal behaviour in temperate climates.