The effect of material selection on life cycle energy balance: A case study on a hypothetical building model in Finland

The results showed that, in general, the differences between the alternative materials are rather visible in the production stage of the building and the energy benefit from material recycling. But it was also revealed that the influences of the selection appear differently in each life cycle stage of the building depending on the building component categories. The selection of the structural materials has larger effect than the other two component categories and a combination of different structural frame materials seems to be effective in some cases. The material selection for sheathing, exterior cladding and thermal insulation has a relatively greater influence than the others in the surface and inner components categories. The energy recovery benefits of wood and plastic products have a great influence on the life cycle energy balance of the building.