Systems accounting for energy consumption and carbon emission by building

• Landmark buildings in Beijing Economic–Technological Development Area are studied.
• The energy consumption and carbon emission by the construction are quantified.
• The method of systems accounting based on first-hand raw project data is adopted.
• Materials contribute up to about 90% of the energy consumption and carbon emission.
• Steel contributes about 50% of the energy consumption and the carbon emission.

The method of systems accounting for overall energy consumption and carbon emission induced by a building is illustrated in terms of a combination of process and input–output analyses with a concrete procedure to cover various material, equipment, energy and manpower inputs. A detailed case study based on raw project data in the Bill of Quantities (BOQ) is performed for the structure engineering of the landmark buildings in E-town, Beijing (Beijing Economic–Technological Development Area). Based on the embodied energy and carbon emission intensity database for the Chinese economy in 2007, the energy consumption and the carbon emission of the structure engineering of the case buildings are quantified as 4.15E+14 J and 4.83E+04 t CO2 Eq., corresponding to intensities of 6.91E+09 J/m2 and 0.81 t CO2 Eq./m2 floor area. Steel and concrete contribute respectively about 50% and 30% of the energy consumption and the carbon emission, as a result of the reinforced-concrete structure of the case buildings. Materials contribute up to about 90% of the total energy consumption and carbon emission, in contrast to manpower, energy and equipment around 8%, 1% and 0.1%, respectively.