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Today, in the global economy, characterized by a growing awareness of environmental issue, the life cycle costing analysis (LCCA) is receiving increasing attention in various sectors. This is a critical task for modern businesses. In fact, the procurement decisions for many products are made on their life cycle costs. In this context, the hydrogen technologies play an important role. Actually, even though they have been known for a long time, aspects of system analysis, energy economics, and ecology received much less attention. For those reasons, the aim of this work is twofold. First, this study aims to contribute to the development of a comprehensive study on LCCA of hydrogen energy technologies. Second, it aims to propose a simple framework, called “ABC” analysis based on life cycle cost approach and multicriteria decision analysis useful to carry out an integrated analysis to compare different results and to balance economic data.

An algorithm for optimum design of nonlinear viscous dampers with the goal of achieving minimum total cost is presented. An appropriate cost model is developed to determine the initial cost of equipping structures with viscous dampers, and the expected costs of the studied structures related to the possible earthquakes over their life time are estimated using life cycle cost analysis (LCCA). The results of this analysis are used in a multi-objective optimization algorithm with the aim of achieving minimum initial and life cycle cost. To evaluate the seismic behavior of structures, the Endurance Time (ET) method is used as a dynamic response-history analysis method which requires much less computational effort in comparison with conventional time history methods. To this end, the optimum arrangement of nonlinear viscous dampers along with their damping exponent (Alpha) for two weak steel moment frames with 4 and 8 stories are acquired using multi-objective genetic algorithm. Results from the proposed method are compared with two classic methods; uniform and stiffness proportional damping methods. With the aim of proposing an optimal Alpha value, a detailed discussion is provided on its effects on the overall performance of studied structures in terms of life cycle cost.

The present study aims to determine and model CO2 emissions based on the energy savings through the thermal insulation applied to the external walls of the buildings for eighty-one different zones using four diverse thermal insulation materials. Depending on the by life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and the number of degree-days, optimum insulation thicknesses were determined in the present study, in which the heating and cooling needs of the buildings were considered separately. The net savings associated with insulated buildings were also calculated, including the optimum insulation thickness and the payback period for the insulation applied. In buildings with thermal insulation, it has been determined that CO2 emissions will be reduced by approximately 66–76% during the heating season and by 46–69% during the cooling season. Moreover, the amount of CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere from uninsulated and insulated buildings was modeled with ten polynomial-type functions derived from the MATLAB R2019a program. The model results controlled by regression analyses revealed statistical suitability. These models demonstrate a more advantageous approach than prior studies for determining the annual total CO2 emissions per unit area of the exterior walls of buildings. This study is intended to assist housing authorities and designers in making informed decisions about energy savings in buildings.

Purpose Transportation infrastructure asset management has long been an active but challenging problem for agencies, which urges to maintain a good state of their assets but faces budgetary limitations. Managing a network of transportation infrastructure assets, especially when the number is large, is a multifaceted challenge. This paper aims to develop a life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) based transportation infrastructure asset management analytical framework to study the impacts of a few key parameters/factors on deterioration and life-cycle cost. Using the bridge as an example infrastructure type, the framework incorporates an optimization model for optimizing maintenance, repair, rehabilitation (MR&R) and replacement decisions in a finite planning horizon. Design/methodology/approach The analytical framework is further developed through a series of model variations, scenario and sensitivity analysis, simulation processes and numerical experiments to show the impacts of various parameters/factors and draw managerial insights. One notable analysis is to explicitly model the epistemic uncertainties of infrastructure deterioration models, which have been overlooked in previous research. The proposed methodology can be adapted to different types of assets for solving general asset management and capital planning problems. Findings The experiments and case studies revealed several findings. First, the authors showed the importance of the deterioration model parameter (i.e. Markov transition probability). Inaccurate information of p will lead to suboptimal solutions and results in excessive total cost. Second, both agency cost and user cost of a single facility will have significant impacts on the system cost and correlation between them also influences the system cost. Third, the optimal budget can be found and the system cost is tolerant to budge variations within a certain range. Four, the model minimizes the total cost by optimizing the allocation of funds to bridges weighing the trade-off between user and agency costs. Originality/value On the path forward to develop the next generation of bridge management systems methodologies, the authors make an exploration of incorporating the epistemic uncertainties of the stochastic deterioration models into bridge MR&R capital planning and decision-making. The authors propose an optimization approach that does not only incorporate the inherent stochasticity of bridge deterioration but also considers the epistemic uncertainties and variances of the model parameters of Markovian transition probabilities due to data errors or modeling processes.

Background Hybrid surgical instruments contain both single-use and reusable components, potentially bringing together advantages from both approaches. The environmental and financial costs of such instruments have not previously been evaluated. Methods We used Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of hybrid laparoscopic clip appliers, scissors, and ports used for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, comparing these with single-use equivalents. We modelled this using SimaPro and ReCiPe midpoint and endpoint methods to determine 18 midpoint environmental impacts including the carbon footprint, and three aggregated endpoint impacts. We also conducted life cycle cost analysis of products, taking into account unit cost, decontamination, and disposal costs. Results The environmental impact of using hybrid instruments for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy was lower than single-use equivalents across 17 midpoint environmental impacts, with mean average reductions of 60%. The carbon footprint of using hybrid versions of all three instruments was around one-quarter of single-use equivalents (1756 g vs 7194 g CO2e per operation) and saved an estimated 1.13 e−5 DALYs (disability adjusted life years, 74% reduction), 2.37 e−8 species.year (loss of local species per year, 76% reduction), and US $ 0.6 in impact on resource depletion (78% reduction). Scenario modelling indicated that environmental performance of hybrid instruments was better even if there was low number of reuses of instruments, decontamination with separate packaging of certain instruments, decontamination using fossil-fuel-rich energy sources, or changing carbon intensity of instrument transportation. Total financial cost of using a combination of hybrid laparoscopic instruments was less than half that of single-use equivalents (GBP £131 vs £282). Conclusion Adoption of hybrid laparoscopic instruments could play an important role in meeting carbon reduction targets for surgery and also save money.

The U.S. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) mandates the development of a risk-based transportation asset management plan and the use of a performance-based approach in transportation planning and programming. This paper introduces a systematic element-based multi-objective optimization (EB-MOO) methodology integrated into a goal-driven transportation asset management framework to improve bridge management and support state departments of transportation with their transition efforts to comply with these MAP-21 requirements. The methodology focuses on the bridge asset class and is structured around five modules: data processing, improvement, element-level optimization, bridge-level optimization, and network-level optimization modules. It relies on a leading-edge forecasting model, three separate screening processes (i.e., the element deficiency, alternative feasibility, and solution superiority screening processes) to overcome computer memory and processing time limitations, and a simulation arrangement to generate life-cycle alternatives (series of improvement actions). Additionally, the EB-MOO methodology consists of three levels of optimization assessment based on the Pareto optimality concept: element-level, bridge-level, and network-level (following either a top-down or bottom-up approach). A robust metaheuristic genetic algorithm handles the different multi-objective optimization problems. A prototyping tool was developed for the implementation of the methodology through several examples of unconstrained and constrained (by budget, performance, or both) scenarios. Results reveal the capability of the methodology to generate Pareto optimal or near-optimal solutions, predict performance, and determine funding requirements and short- and long-term intervention strategies detailed at the bridge-element level for planning and programming. The EB-MOO methodology can also be expanded to accommodate other asset classes or modes.

This study provides a life cycle cost comparison of four different integrated systems powered by solar energy to provide electricity, water, and cooling for a self-sufficient greenhouse complex. System-1 and System-2 have a vapor absorption cooling system, while System-3 and System-4 have a vapor compression cooling system to provide the required cooling. All the systems have a multi-stage flash desalination unit driven by solar thermal energy to provide freshwater. PV or PV/T modules are installed to meet the electricity demands of the greenhouses. A new greenhouse roof concept is introduced in System-2 and System-4, where there are spectrum selective nanofluids as the working fluid of the PV/T units. This spectrum selective nanofluid absorbs solar radiations having wavelength greater than 1400 nm while flowing through the roof of the greenhouse, and thus reducing the cooling load of greenhouses. The thermal energy of PV/T is utilized to pre-heat the sea water entering the desalination unit for improved process efficiencies. The life cycle cost analysis indicates that the systems employing nanofluid are less costly than the regular systems due to better efficiency and lower energy requirements, especially in cooling. The reductions in life cycle cost of 22.3% and 12.8% are obtained for System-2 and System-4 as compared to System-1 and System-3, respectively. The evacuated tube collectors constitute more than 60% share of the life cycle cost of System-1 and System-3, while PV and PV/T modules have more than 50% share in the life cycle cost for System-2 and System-4. The ambient temperature and solar irradiance have a significant impact on the life cycle cost of all systems. The minimum values for the levelized cost of electricity and cooling are found to be 0.033 $/kWh and 0.015 $/kWh, respectively, for the System-3. System-2 has a minimum cost value of 1.45 $/m3 for the levelized cost of freshwater.

This study focuses on efficient lighting design in Jigme Namgyel Engineering College (JNEC), under the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB). To carry out the detailed study and review of the existing lighting scheme, Relux simulation software was used and it is one of the high-performance software to simulate electric and daylight for illumination design and study. The study was based on the existing lighting scheme and a comparative study employing different luminaires (fluorescent lamp and LED) was performed succeeded by designing an efficient illumination lighting scheme. Further to increase energy saving during the daytime, daylight has been integrated with all the lighting schemes studied. The simulation result exhibits that the average illuminance for the existing lighting scheme is 161lx which does not meet the standard lx level for given infrastructures. Two new lighting schemes using fluorescent lamps and LED lamps were suggested following the standard lx level recommended at the workplace. The comparative life cycle cost analysis of the proposed lighting scheme resulted in 59.9% energy saving potential and accounted for a payback period of 2years when employing LED lamps instead of existing illumination fixtures.

Smart pavement management system uses the up-to-date technology to get the better results in terms of cost, time, and quality. This work started with collecting data using a new smart phone application and ended up with analyzing and reporting data using a geographic information system (GIS) environment. GIS was used to report pavement data based on location. In addition, the historical data from the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) of Kuwait and other information related to pavement condition were added. The procedure that was followed to obtain accurate results was to collect, analyze, and report data using GIS, set up criteria for making decisions, identify alternative strategies, predict cost and performance of alternative strategies and compare them, and finally select and implement the most lucrative policy. The study showed the importance of the management system for roads using up-to-date technologies and provided an integrated database using GIS. After the implementation of the life cycle cost analysis, an alternative with the least cost and highest serviceability was recommended.

Industrial sector consumes a substantial portion of electrical energy. Building owners persistently believe that combining on-site renewable energy systems to buildings is not cost-effective in Sri...

Companies can form their own "ESCO model" with their capitals. Unfortunately, customer's creditworthiness was becoming more crucial for ESCO. Machine learning was used to predict the creditworthiness of clients in ESCO financing processes. This research aimed to develop a scoring model to leverage a machine learning and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) to evaluate alternative financing for Energy Saving in Indonesia. The results of calculations using multinomial logistic regression showed that the accuracy value of prediction data with test data was 88.3562 %. The prediction rate result that refers to the percentage of correct predictions among all test data was 91.67%, and False Positive Rate (FPR) was 39.44%. The True Positive Rate was called Recall or 'Sensitivity Rate' as it was defined as several positive cases that were correctly identified (TPR) was 92.20%. We found the machine learning methods for creditworthiness prediction in retrofitting projects were fresh and worth a shot. It was hoped that this new practice would grow in popularity and become standard among ESCOs. Unfortunately, current machine-learning-based creditworthiness scoring practices lacked explain ability and interpretability. Unfortunately, ESCO must penalize the retrofitting project. As a result, since retrofitting was a new industry, the credit approval process was challenging to communicate to consumers. The most important thing for ESCO to deal with the project was to have a friendship and know-how with the client. Research from these case studies led to a clearer understanding of the factors affecting all parties' decisions to implement and continue with their ESCO project.

Airports are a part of the world transportation network. Huge investments are made annually for airport pavement construction, maintenances and rehabilitations. The idea of integrating life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) is the latest approach to develop a method for assessing pavement sustainability. In this regard, research on economic evaluation analysis methods has resulted in the development and improvement of pavement management systems (PMS). This paper compares two main economic evaluations which mainly could use in LCCA namely net future value (NFV) and net present Value (NPV). To indicate the effect of economic evaluation a case study is examined. In this research LCCA comprises three main components which are direct costs, indirect costs, and salvage value. Airport Revenue Reduction Cost (ARRC) and Airline Delay Cost (ADC) considered as two specific indirect/user costs. The results show the impact of different economic analysis method on project decision-making where the use of crack sealing overlay (CSOL) is 35.8% and 28.3% more cost-effective than Portland cement concrete (PCC) and hot-mix asphalt (HMA), respectively.

Construction practitioners have adopted the green building (GB) concept to restore environmental damage caused by the built environment over the last decade. However, there is inconclusive debate r...

Buildings play a major role in increasing energy consumption and bulk atmospheric emissions. Energy analysis must be taken into consideration because of increased global warming. In the present scenario, Glazed walls with gas infills are preferred for their aesthetic appearance by AEC designers (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) in commercial buildings. The environmental impact must be considered in the selection of glazing panels and framing materials of a building. In this work, a fully glazed commercial building (FGCB) is chosen and modelled using Autodesk-Revit (BIM software) and then simulated using Green Building Studio Software. The life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) results are compared to come out with energy-efficient and cost-effective material. The optimized energy usage of Double low-E glazing and Double reverse glazing with glass infill were compared with the existing single clear glass for their performance over its entire life cycle based on both energy usage, cost, and greenhouse gas emission by analysing its embodied and operating energy.

[Design of air conditioning system based on the energy and costs aspect of hotel buildings in Semarang] Indonesia’s economic growth has been above 5% for the past few years. Tourism industry is one of the sectors that shows a significant progress. The improvement in tourism industry has to be supported with good hospitality industry as well. Air conditioning system is one of the main utilities in a hotel building. The design of the air conditioning system for a hotel building must pay close attention to the thermal comfort factor for the guests, safety factor, and energy and cost efficiency aspect of it. Air conditioning system design consists of cooling load calculation for the hotel, air conditioning system selection, energy and cost calculation using the life cycle cost analysis. The maximum cooling load in this hotel is 3.279 kW. From that cooling load, three alternative systems are being considered, which are the central air conditioning system using chiller machine that has constant flowrate, the central air conditioning system using chiller machine that has variable flowrate, and the split air conditioning system using VRF machine. Energy analysis and life cycle cost analysis for 20 years was performed to be able to decide the best system. From that energy and cost analysis it can be concluded that the second alternative, which is three units of chiller with variable discharge with a capacity of 1,100 kW for each chiller, is the best system for the hotel. This system has an energy consumption intensity value of 118 kWh/m2 per year and total cost of Rp. 87,707,416,390 for a period of 20 years.

There is an increasing interest in integrating photovoltaic cells in building components, such as roof tiles. However, conversion efficiency of photovoltaic cells is temperature-dependant and high temperature will reduce the conversion efficiency. This paper studies the performance of mortar roof tiles with integrated solar cells and protective glass. To control the temperature of the solar cells, a phase change material (PCM) at a concentration of 3 wt% was mixed into the mortar roof tiles. The influence of the PCM on the solar-to-electrical power generation is evaluated for the solar roof tiles, and life cycle cost analysis is performed to assess the economic feasibility. It is found that the electrical energy output from the solar roof tiles with PCM is about 4.1% higher than that of the counterpart without PCM in winter days, whereas the corresponding improvement is in the range of 2.2 – 4.3% in six summer days. The economical payback time of the solar roof tiles with PCM is found to be 5.7 years including the inverter cost. The use of PCM increases the initial cost of roof tiles by 1.2%; however, considering an overall improvement of 4.1% in the energy output, the payback time is estimated to be three months shorter than that of the counterpart without PCM. The study also confirms that the ambient conditions influence the overall power generation substantially because of the impact on the working temperature of the solar roof tiles.

Road infrastructure plays a significant role in enriching economy of a developing country. Sustainability of transportation infrastructure aids in this development process, hence road authorities thrive to build roads with longer service life. Bangladesh being a developing country, road maintenance and management task have become a challenge due to tropical weather condition and traffic stream with overloaded vehicles. Flexible pavements constitute most of the pavements in this country, and it has been found that these pavements lose their serviceability at the end of fifth year instead of sustaining for the design period of twenty years. Under such circumstances, rigid pavement can be a possible alternative. In this study, life cycle cost analysis of both rigid and flexible pavements have been performed for a particular case study of Sylhet-Bholaganj Road Project. Future costs have been estimated using growth factor, then all associated costs have been converted to Net Present Value (NPV) to estimate the life cycle cost. The life cycle cost analysis was performed using the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) Schedule of Rates 2015 and 2002 version for performing sensitivity analysis and it has revealed that rigid pavement is economically superior to flexible pavement. The need of frequent periodic maintenance of flexible pavement causes its life cycle cost to increase significantly whereas rigid pavements do not need costly periodic maintenance. Rigid pavements follow the build and forget concept which eventually makes it economically viable and sustainable type of pavement especially for developing countries facing overloading phenomenon under tropical climate.

Photovoltaic power generation application with advantages of sustainability and low emission is limited on its low photovoltaic (PV) efficiency mainly due to high panel temperature. In this paper, a solar photovoltaic system coupled by ground heat exchangers (PV-GHEs system) is proposed to reduce the operation temperature of panels and keep a high PV efficiency. Taking Tikanlik with typical arid climate of northwestern China as an example, a numerical model based on the software TRNSYS is built and its reliability are validated based on an actual thermal response test data. The simulation results show that the PV-GHEs system can reduce the panel temperature by 26.8% and increase the annual electricity yield by 7.9%, compared with conventional PV systems. Sensitivity analysis highlights the influences of environmental, geological and design parameters on the system performance. For the long-term operation, a gradually growing ground temperature is unfavorable and may weaken the heat transfer between GHEs and the surrounding ground. For the case of Tikanlik, the growing rate of the ground temperature is 0.67 °C per year and a minimum distance of 10 m between boreholes is recommended when more GHEs are needed. Finally, a life cycle cost analysis of the PV-GHEs system is investigated.

Viscoelastic (VE) dampers are powerful tools for mitigating structural response when exposed to an earthquake. The fractional models for these dampers are adequately capable of taking the effects o...

This paper aims at analysing the utilisation of biodiesel for the case of bus rapid transit system (BRTS) in Ahmedabad, India, through the social benefit cost analysis (SBCA) and life cycle cost an...

PurposeLife cycle cost (LCC) analysis is one of the key parameters in designing a sustainable product or system. The application of life cycle costing in the manufacturing industries is still limited due to several factors. Lack of understanding of LCC analysis methodologies is one of the key barriers. This paper presents a generalized framework for LCC analysis of repairable systems using reliability and maintainability principles.Design/methodology/approachThe developed LCC analysis framework and stochastic point processes are applied for the analysis of a typical computerized numerical control turning center (CNCTC) and governing equations for acquisition cost, operation cost, failure cost, support cost and net salvage value are developed. The LCC of the CNCTC is evaluated for the renewal process (RP) and minimal repair process (MRP) approach.FindingsThe LCC analysis of the CNCTC reveals that, the acquisition cost is only 7.59% of the LCC, whereas the operation, failure and support costs dominate and contribute nearly 93% of the LCC. The LCC per day for RP requires additional US$ 1.03 than that for MRP. The detailed LCC analysis of the CNCTC identifies the critical components of CNCTC and these components are: spindle motor, spindle motor cooling fan, spindle belt, drawbar, spindle bearing, oil seals, hydraulic hose, solenoid valve, tool holder, lubrication pump motor system, lubrication hose, coolant pump motor system, coolant hose, supply cables, drive battery.Originality/valueThe developed framework of LCC of a repairable system can be applied to any other repairable systems with the appropriate modifications. LCC analysis of CNCTC reveals that the procurement decision of a product or system should be based on LCC and not only on the acquisition cost. The optimum utilization of consumables such as cutting tools, coolant, oil and lubricant can save operation cost. Thus, use of high-efficiency electric motors and the usage of recommended consumables can prolong the life of several components of a system. Therefore, due consideration and attention to these parameters at product design stage itself will decrease failure and support cost and ultimately its LCC.

Environmental impacts are typically considered in transportation decisions through planning and environmental review processes. Recent state-level legislation in the USA institutes requirements to track environmental performance of construction materials in bidding on public projects. To support this new initiative, this study aims to identify specific life cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks that can effectively impact the decisions on every level in the planning and project delivery process and evaluate the implementation readiness level. The objective of this study was pursued through literature review and discussions facilitated at a workshop with representatives of six State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). Through the dialog with stakeholders, the details of the current planning and project delivery process were identified. After the participants were provided with background on LCA, LCA methodology, the most suitable to impact decisions at every decision-making level, was investigated considering key decisions (Why?), type of the analysis (How?), available data (What?), and the involved decision-makers (Who?) pertinent to each phase. The potential to develop tools to inform the decisions, the readiness level, and obstacles to LCA implementation was evaluated subsequently by authors and informed by a literature review. A consequential LCA was identified as the effective method to inform long-range planning. Attributional LCAs for a network and project level were regarded as suitable in programming and project development, respectively. Environmental product declatations (EPDs) were found applicable in bidding, while the construction phase was found best suited for data collection that can feed back into the upstream decision-making phases. The lack of a feedback loop between the quantified environmental impacts and the decision-making was identified as a major obstacle by stakeholders. A lack of clarity on progress toward environmental goals was specified as another hindrance. The development of tools and systems for communication and data transfer among the key stakeholders is expected to facilitate LCA use, close a feedback loop, and provide for progress tracking. The relatively high readiness level of LCA implementation was identified in the pavement design phase (parallel to life cycle cost analysis (LCCA)) and in the construction phase (as-built environmental impact tracking and data collection). Initiating data collection in these two phases can provide an impetus for improving environmental performance and meaningfully inform other decision-making phases. Additionally, the importance of education and cross-collaboration is recognized by all stakeholders.

Based on life cycle cost (LCC) analysis, the study evaluates the economic performance of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) cables for super long-span cable supported bridges, and this includes cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges. Based on the principle of life cycle cost, the main factors that affect the life cycle cost of different material cables are examined; these include the initial construction cost, maintenance time, maintenance cost and interest rates. Subsequently, the life cycle costs of different material cables are analyzed based on the principle of life cycle cost, and this includes four typical bridges, namely, two long-span suspension bridges and two cable-stayed bridges. The analysis results indicate that (1) When the time value of capital is considered, the life cycle cost of different material cable increases with the interest rate, although the steel cable is more sensitive to the interest rate when compared with that of the FRP cables due to poor durability. (2) The life cycle costs of a long-span suspension bridge with FRP cables are superior to those of traditional steel cable due to their significantly higher corrosion resistance and anti-fatigue performance. (3) The application of different FRP cables at a reasonable span enables cable system with a hybrid arrangement of FRP cables to effectively optimize the economic performance of long-span cable-stayed bridges.

This paper is an attempt to identify a methodology for converting conventional energy consumption buildings to net-zero energy buildings (NZEB). The first step was rather different from the usual energy audit, which is to analyze a facility’s energy consumptions from both macro- and micro-scales. To implement such an approach, a governmental office building (Metro) in Portland, OR, was chosen as a case study. After a building model was validated against a real measurement, it was then used to evaluate different energy efficiency strategies (EESs) so as to reduce the energy consumption. The EESs showed a reduction in energy use intensity (EUI) from 166 to 66 kWh/m2.year, which is 60% less than the current consumption. The remaining energy demand of the building will be compensated by implementing renewable energy technologies (RETs), namely photovoltaic. The photovoltaic (PV) panels showed viability since they will produce 532 MWh on-site throughout the year, which is sufficient for the future remaining energy demand of the building (490.5 MWh). In conclusion, the simple payback period (SPP) and the life cycle cost analysis proved the feasibility of EESs and RETs. Environmentally, a total of 106 tons of CO2 was prevented per year; in addition, 64.6 tons of CO2 will also be avoided by the PVs on a yearly basis.

Nükleer güç santrallerinin kullanılmış yakıtlarının yönetiminde izlenebilecek iki yöntem mevcuttur. Kullanılmış yakıt yeniden işlenebilir veya jeolojik yapılarda bertaraf edilebilir. Ancak, günümüzde jeolojik bertaraf henüz gerçekleştirilemediği için kullanılmış yakıtlar uzun süreli depolanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, dört adet VVER-1200 tipi reaktör ünitesi içeren bir nükleer güç santralinin işletilmesi sırasında oluşacak kullanılmış yakıtlar için depolama tesisi modeli geliştirilmiş ve iki farklı depolama senaryosunun uygulanması durumunda tesisin yaşam döngüsü maliyeti analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmanın ilk bölümünde, işletme ömrü boyunca santralden çıkarılacak kullanılmış yakıt miktarı belirlenmiştir. Daha sonra, hesaplanan kullanılmış yakıt envanterinin depolanması için bir depolama tesisi modeli geliştirilmiş ve depolama varilinin tipi, malzemesi, depolama alanı büyüklüğü gibi tesisin temel özellikleri belirlenmiştir. Son olarak, iki farklı depolama senaryosunun uygulanması durumunda “net şimdiki değer” ve “seviyelendirilmiş birim maliyet” yöntemleri kullanılarak tesis için yaşam döngüsü maliyet analizi yapılmıştır. There are two methods to be applied in the management of spent fuels of nuclear power plants. Spent fuel can be reprocessed or disposed of in geological formations. However, since the geological disposal has not been realized yet, spent fuels are stored for a long time. In this study, a storage facility model has been developed for spent fuels of a nuclear power plant containing four VVER-1200 units and life cycle cost analysis of the facility has been performed for two storage scenarios. In the first part of the study, the amount of spent fuel to be discharged from the plant during its operational life is determined. Then, a storage facility model is developed for the storage of estimated spent fuel inventory and basic characteristics of the facility such as storage cask type, material, storage area is determined. Finally, life cycle cost analysis of the facility is performed for two storage scenarios by using “net present value” and “levelised unit cost” methods.

Global warming has been increasing since last 5th years. This problem emerged because of the development of highrise building these days. In a building, air conditioning system has the largest percentage of building’s energy consumption, 55-65% of total building’s energy consumption. An efficient and economic air-conditioning system is needed to save energy and operational cost as much as possible. Life cycle cost analysis is conducted to evaluate the air conditioning system by comparing some alternatives system. The datas are retrieved from building management and some supplier, also mechanical and electrical contractors. This research is conducted by calculating the investment cost (C), operational cost (O), maintenance and replacement cost (R), and salvage value (S). Before calculating life cycle cost, all cost is converted with annual worth method. Life cycle cost evaluation is capable to save operational cost up to 34%.

Industri konstruksi dan bangunan bertanggung jawab atas lebih dari 35% konsumsi energi di dunia dan menghasilkan hampir 40% emisi gas rumah kaca seperti CO2. Emisi CO2 berasal dari konsumsi energi bangunan dimana lebih dari 65% yang masih bersumber dari bahan bakar fosil. Near Zero-Energy Building (nZEB) adalah sistem bangunan yang memiliki efisiensi energi tinggi dan dapat menghasilkan listrik secara mandiri dari sumber energi terbarukan, sehingga mengurangi biaya operasional dari tagihan listrik tahunan secara signifikan di dalam umur pakainya. Pembangunan berkonsep ini akan menambah biaya konstruksi awal untuk penerapan desain hemat energi dan sistem pembangkit energi terbarukan pada bangunan. Kelayakan finansial bangunan dengan desain seperti ini diukur dengan metode analisis Life Cycle Cost yang juga memperhitungkan biaya operasional sepanjang umur pakainya. Insentif energi terbarukan merupakan faktor penting dalam analisis kelayakan finansial karena insentif ini secara langsung mengurangi biaya operasional (biaya listrik tahunan) bangunan. Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM) telah menerbitkan peraturan baru mengenai besaran insentif yang diberikan kepada pemilik bangunan yang memasang pembangkit listrik dari sumber terbarukan. Perlu ada kajian mengenai dampak finansial dari diterbitkannya peraturan baru ini terhadap nilai finansial nZEB sebagai sebuah sistem bangunan utuh yang terintegrasi dengan pembangkit energi dari sumber terbarukan, terutama bangunan pemukiman padat. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah membandingkan kelayakan finansial nZEB yang menggunakan peraturan tahun 2013, dengan Peraturan Kementerian ESDM no. 49 tahun 2018, pada bangunan pemukiman padat berkonsep desain nZEB. Penelitian ini menemukan nilai kelayakan finansial konsep desain nZEB di bawah peraturan insentif tahun 2013 lebih besar daripada di bawah peraturan tahun 2018.

The UK government is committed to reducing carbon dioxide emission levels by 80%, comparative to the 1990 baseline, by 2050. ‘Nearly-zero-energy buildings’ (nZEBs) were introduced by the Energy Performance Building Directive (recast) in 2010 as a realistic solution to the intrinsic environmental debt associated with most existing buildings. This paper aims to carry out a life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis to identify what is a cost-optimal level and how best to achieve this by examining and focusing on the exploration of realistically applicable energy-efficient measures and retrofit scenarios for a typical UK dwelling. A sensitivity analysis is used to identify uncertainty and provide the expected economic benefits and losses of the applied scenarios over their respective lifetimes. It was established that the total LCCs of all the retrofit scenarios were in fact lower than that of the baseline scenario (i.e. not retrofitting the property) over the 30-year study period. Furthermore, it was found that the cost-optimal level for the retrofit of a typical UK residential dwelling is 75 (kWh/m2)/year; meanwhile, the UK’s current nZEB target stands at 44 (kWh/m2)/year, meaning that there is a gap between the current nZEB target and the calculated cost-optimal level.

The use of alternative project delivery methods has grown significantly over the last two decades. One such method is design-build (DB), which has been increasingly used due to its improved project cost and schedule performance. However, the project itself is only a fraction of the lifecycle of a built facility. Therefore, there is a need to understand whether delivery methods also impact the long-term performance of facilities. This paper focuses on quantifying the long-term performance impact of DB on pavements, compared to pavements delivered using the traditional design-bid-build (DBB) method. The international roughness index is selected as the metric to compare ride quality across projects. In total, the authors collected 9,946 data points representing 37 unique lane directions from 26 projects in six states, which they analyzed using linear mixed-effects methods. Results show that long-term performance of asphalt concrete pavement resurfacing DB projects is superior to that of comparable DBB projects by an equivalent of eight years of pavement life. A life cycle cost analysis shows the estimated monetary impact of these findings on the National Highway System is around $100 billion over the next 45 years.

Purpose The change in climate and depletion of natural resources because of the harmful emissions from different materials becomes a main issue for the globe. Some of the developed and developing countries have focused on this issue and performed research to provide a solution. The purpose of this study is to identify the best types of concrete based on its impact on the environment and economy. Design/methodology/approach The life cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis of six concrete mixtures that include construction and demolition wastes (CDW), marble sludge, rice husk and bagasse ash as a partial replacement of cement, are performed. These types of concrete are compared with each other and with ordinary concrete to select the best possible concrete type for a developing country, like Pakistan. Findings The results show that, although for an agricultural country like Pakistan, the agriculture wastes such as rice husk and bagasse ash are preferable to be used, if the emissions of CO2 and CO from rice husk and NOx and SO2 from bagasse ash are properly controlled. However, based on the results, it is recommended to use the CDW in concrete because of the small amount of air emissions and affordable prices. Originality/value Through this study, a path has been provided to construction companies and relative government organizations of Pakistan, which leads to sustainable practices in the construction industry. Moreover, the base is provided for future researchers who want to work in this area, as for Pakistan, there is no database available that helps to identify the impact of different concrete on the environment.

Despite intense research effort over the past 15 years, industrial and commercial application of forward osmosis (FO) technology has been slow to become established. Here, the recent improvements in FO technology are critically reviewed, with barriers to full-scale application highlighted. A brief introduction to the FO process is given, with subsequent critical focus on advances in membrane fabrication techniques to minimize fouling and enhance forward flux (e.g. incorporation of fillers, nanostructured surfaces), hybrid processes incorporating combined benefit from concentration–dilution (e.g. fertilizer-based solutions for agricultural irrigation, coupling of gas field produced water–desalination brine processing), and tailoring and improvements in draw solutions (e.g., thermo-responsive polymers, hydrogels, nanoparticles etc.) for targeted applications with minimized reverse solute flux and draw solution regeneration cost. The pilot and full scale industrial applications and areas where FO shows distinct promise over mature technologies are summarized, with emphasis on companies operating in this space as well as the application of life cycle cost analysis to compare and contrast technology application for full economic costing of FO at the commercial scale. The scope for innovation and current impediments to FO technology adoption are comprehensively addressed.

Among latent heat thermal energy storage system (LHTES), phase change material (PCM) can be considered as one of the critical components to reach Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs). Therefore, the energy saving potential of PCM was examined for different zone–construction combinations by constructing walls. The target structure was a residential apartment, which is the primary type of residential building in large Korean cities. In the set combination, the phase change material (PCM)—n-hexadecane, n-heptadecane, and n-octadecane with phase change temperatures of 20–28 °C—of the thermal heat storage (THS) system is placed indoors. Each PCM is applied to 0.1% to 0.9% of the volume of ​​the building. Energy Plus 8.7 was used, a building energy simulation software, to analyze the energy saving and economic efficiency. The analyzed result to energy saving is maximum of 3.19 kWh/m2 in a year. Furthermore, through life cycle cost analysis, the investment recovery period was confirmed for each combination and the optimal recovery of PCM in all cases. The economic benefits of energy savings by PCM in each case were made apparent by showing a payback period of less than 10 years.

In this study, analyses of the thermodynamic performance and life cycle cost of a geothermal energy-assisted hydrogen liquefaction system were performed in a computer environment. Geothermal water at a temperature of 200 °C and a flow rate of 100 kg/s was used to produce electricity. The produced electricity was used as a work input to liquefy the hydrogen in the advanced liquefaction cycle. The net work requirement for the liquefaction cycle was calculated as 8.6 kWh/kg LH2. The geothermal power plant was considered as the work input in the liquefaction cycle. The hydrogen could be liquefied at a mass flow rate of 0.2334 kg/s as the produced electricity was used directly to produce liquid hydrogen in the liquefaction cycle. The unit costs of electricity and liquefied hydrogen were calculated as 0.012 $/kWh and 1.44 $/kg LH2. As a result of the life cycle cost analysis of the system, the net present value (NPV) and levelized annual cost (LAC) were calculated as 123,100,000 and 14,450,000 $/yr. The simple payback period (Nspp) and discount payback period (Ndpp) of the system were calculated as 2.9 and 3.6 years, respectively.

Regional water scarcity has given rise to the search for sustainable means of water supply. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has been receiving unprecedented attention as low-cost and eco-friendly option. Given the conflicting nature of research findings with respect to the feasibility of RWH and the belief that such results have sometimes been unreasonably generalized, this study was undertaken to ascertain the feasibility of RWH under very specific climatic and socio-economic conditions. This study investigated the economic feasibility of RWH in a sub-Saharan African city (Enugu, Nigeria), considering eight dwelling categories. Life cycle cost analysis was performed for RWH system in each of the categories for specified levels of water consumption namely: basic water need (50 litres per capita per day, lpcd), pour flush (75 lpcd) and full plumbing connection (150 lpcd) and for two energy options namely: fuel generator and the national power supply grid. Capital cost ranged from 47 to 95% of the net present value (NPV), maintenance cost ranged from 4 to 40% and running cost ranged from 1 to 27% of NPV. The percentage cost contribution of underground tank to NPV ranged from 60.4–82%, 66.9–86% and 77.3–89% for basic water need, pour flush and full plumbing connection options respectively, using the national electricity grid as source of power for pumping water to the overhead tank. The corresponding cost contributions for the use of petrol generator as source of power for pumping are 56.5–75.9%, 63–81% and 73.9–85%. The unit cost of water ranged from 0.07–0.25 N/litres, 0.09–0.34 N/litres and 0.22–0.54 N/litres for basic water need, pour flush and full plumbing connection, using the national grid for pumping water. The corresponding unit costs for generator are 0.09–0.3 N/litres, 0.11–0.4 N/litres and 0.28–0.64 N/litres. Comparison of these costs with the costs of other sources of water supply shows that RWH is a cheaper source of water. 1$ = N360.

The transition to a hydrogen-based mobility requires the development of an infrastructure that must be able to satisfy the hydrogen demand. In the short and medium term, the lack of the hydrogen distribution infrastructure can be overcome through the on-site hydrogen production. However, the costs of the plants for hydrogen production, storage and distribution are currently too high and, therefore, the levelized cost of hydrogen is high above all if it is produced by renewable sources. To reduce this cost and to sustain the economic profitability of the on-site hydrogen production and distribution plants, a strong policy support and investments are required. This paper is focused on the evaluation of an incentive strategy that can assure the economic sustainability of on-site hydrogen refueling stations powered by a grid-connected solar plant. The strategy is based on the economic valorization of the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions that are avoided by adopting the proposed hydrogen pathway in comparison to the gasoline one that represents the reference for the current European powertrain technologies and trends. These carbon dioxide equivalent emissions have been estimated by applying the Well-To-Wheel analysis and the Life Cycle Cost analysis has been used to estimate the economic incentive to be paid to the avoided emission by fixing the discounted pay-back period and the current hydrogen selling price. The WTW analysis results have shown that the annual avoided equivalent emissions of the hydrogen pathway are equal to 320 tons and the corresponding economic incentives are 65.72 €/tCO2eq and 327.49 €/tCO2eq, by considering the Discounted Pay Back Periods of 10 and 8 years, respectively. Moreover, these incentives allow to achieve the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen and the Profitability Index equal to 9.02 €/kg and 1.75 (10 years) and 7.86 €/kg and 2.12 (8 years), respectively. In conclusion, the proposed incentive strategy is a suitable option to support the on-site HRS powered by grid-connected solar plants which are a promising solution for a sustainable mobility.

Implementation of Performance-based Contracts (PBC) for road maintenance in Indonesia still requires various studies, especially related to potential long-term cost efficiencies that can be achieved by the road agencies by shifting the application of traditional contracts to PBC. This study assesses the effectiveness of PBC compared to traditional contract implementation based on a case study on one of the PBC pilot projects in Indonesia. The effectiveness of the PBC reviews in terms of project life cycle cost efficiency was calculated. LCC calculations were conducted by considering the influence of the length of contracted road, the initial conditions of contracted road, and the duration of PBC project. The LCC calculation shows that the implementation of PBC generally has the potential to generate LCC efficiency compared to the traditional contract. This study also proved that the implementation of PBC can guarantee the performance of road services during multi-year contracts and also provide other benefits for the road agency and road users. ABSTRAK: Pelaksanaan Kontrak Berasaskan Prestasi (PBC) bagi penyelenggaraan jalan di Indonesia masih memerlukan pelbagai kajian, terutama berkaitan potensi keberkesanan perbelanjaan jangka panjang yang dapat dicapai oleh pihak agensi jalan dengan mengalihkan penerapan kontrak tradisional ke PBC. Kajian ini menilai keberkesanan PBC berbanding dengan pelaksanaan kontrak tradisional berdasarkan kajian kes pada salah satu projek perintis PBC di Indonesia. Keberkesanan ulasan PBC ini adalah dari segi kecekapan kos kitaran hayat projek. Pengiraan LCC dilakukan dengan mempertimbangkan pengaruh panjang jalan yang dikontrak, keadaan awal jalan terkontrak, dan jangka waktu projek PBC. Pengiraan LCC menunjukkan bahawa pelaksanaan PBC secara amnya berpotensi untuk menghasilkan kecekapan LCC berbanding dengan kontrak tradisional. Kajian ini juga membuktikan bahawa pelaksanaan PBC dapat menjamin prestasi perkhidmatan jalan selama kontrak multi-tahun dan juga memberi manfaat lain untuk agensi jalan dan pengguna jalan raya.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken measures to improve safety, reduce costs, increase resilience, and improve the sustainability of the United States (U.S.) airfield infrastructure by using a life-cycle cost analysis methodology to increase the efficient use of economic resources needed for expanding and preserving the airfield system. However, a life-cycle assessment (LCA) approach for evaluating the environmental impacts of decisions regarding airfield infrastructure has yet to be fully developed and applied. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the use of the airfield LCA framework that was developed for the FAA and can be used by U.S. airports. The comparison of alternative pavement designs at Nashville International Airport (BNA) is presented. The scope of the study was from cradle to laid, materials, materials transportation, and construction stages of the pavement life cycle are considered, and the maintenance, use and end of life stages are not considered. Primary data were acquired from BNA and secondary data were used in situations of unavailability of primary data. The case study showed that performing LCA provides opportunities for airports to consider energy use and environment-related impacts in the decision-making process.

Deteriorating and at-risk infrastructure assets should be maintained at acceptable conditions by asset management systems (AMSs) to ensure the safety and welfare of communities. Project-lev...

The continued use of fossil fuels is contributing to severe environmental pollution and the establishment of an abnormal climate, consequently, alternative renewable energy sources are being actively investigated worldwide. Further, following global trends, numerous countermeasures aimed at improving carbon neutrality, promoting sustainable agriculture, and reducing fossil fuel dependence are being implemented in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the application of renewable energies for greenhouse heating in the Republic of Korea. Three hybrid systems, numbered 1–3, were constructed using a pellet boiler, hydrothermal heat pump, and solar heat collection system, respectively. Thereafter, the heating performance, combined heat efficiency, energy consumption per temperature lifting, and energy cost per temperature lifting of the systems were compared. The combined thermal efficiency results showed no significant differences. However, in terms of energy consumption and cost, hybrid system 1 demonstrated 25.7 and 24.1% savings, respectively, compared with the other systems. Moreover, based on economic analysis via the net present value and life cycle cost analysis methods, the system reduced costs by 29.2 and 27.7%, respectively, compared with conventional fossil fuel boilers. Thus, hybrid system 1 was identified as the most economical system.

Social sustainability has rarely been considered in the design and management of civil infrastructures. This paper presents a two-level, six-category classification of social impacts regard...

The Government of Malaysia has set a striving target to achieve a higher usage of renewable energy (RE) in the energy mix which is currently around 2% of the country’s electricity. Yet, the government intends to increase this ratio up to 20% by the year 2025. Most of the renewable energy in Malaysia comes from hydropower and biomass sources. Meanwhile, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the feasibility of wind energy in Malaysia. Several locations were reported to be economically viable for wind energy development such as Kudat, Mersing, and Kuala Terengganu. This study presents and discusses the whole life cycle cost analysis of an offshore wind farm in Kudat, Malaysia and determines the cost drivers of offshore wind energy developments. It covers the wind data collection and analysis, breakdown of whole life cycle cost structure, and calculation of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Results showed that almost 67% of the total cost was incurred by the capital expenditure (CAPEX), and around 26% by operation and maintenance costs (OPEX), while decommissioning costs (DECOM) reached up to 7% of the whole life cycle costs. The LCOE was calculated and determined to be USD 127.58/MWh.

Increasing envelope facet albedos considerably reduces solar heat gain, thus yielding building cooling energy savings. Few studies have explored the potential benefits of utilizing cool coatings on building envelopes (“cool-coated buildings”) based on life-cycle cost analysis. A holistic approach integrating the field testing, building energy simulation, and a 20-year life-cycle-based optimization was developed to explore cool-coated building performance and the maximum net savings of optimal building envelope retrofit and design. Experimental results showed that applying cool coatings to a west wall of an office building in Chongqing, China reduced its exterior surface temperature by up to 9.3 °C in summer. Simulation results showed that in Chongqing, making the roof and walls cool could reduce annual HVAC electricity use by up to 11.9% in old buildings (with poorly insulated envelopes) and up to 5.9% in new buildings. Retrofitting old buildings with a cool roof provided the net savings per modified area with present values up to 42.8 CNY/m2; retrofitting a new building with a cool roof or cool walls was not cost-effective. Optimizing both envelope insulation and envelope albedo can achieve 5.6 times the net savings of optimizing the insulation only, and 1.6 times that of optimizing albedo only.

In addition to the environmental burden of its construction and demolition activities, the Flemish housing market faces a structural affordability challenge. As one possible answer, this research explores the potential of so-called expandable houses, being built increasingly often. Through specific design choices that enable the disassembly and future reuse of individual components and so align with the idea of a circular economy, expandable houses promise to provide ever-changing homes with a smaller impact on the environment and at a lower cost for clients. In this paper, an expandable house suitable for various housing needs is conceived through a scenario-based research-by-design approach and compared to a reference house for Flanders. Subsequently, for both houses the life cycle costs are calculated and compared. The results of this exploration support the proposition that designing expandable houses can be a catalyst for sustainable, circular housing development and that households could benefit from its social, economic and ecological qualities. It requires, however, a dynamic perspective on evaluating their life-cycle impact.

In hot and humid climatic conditions, cooling tends to dominate building thermal energy use. Cooling loads can be reduced through the adoption of efficient building envelope materials, such as Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). This study quantifies the life cycle cost and operational energy of a representative case-study house in Bahrain using SIPs and hollow concrete blocks (HCBs) for the envelope over a period of 50 years. Operational energy is calculated using a dynamic energy simulation tool, operational costs are calculated based on the energy demand and local tariff rates, and construction costs are estimated using market prices and quotations. The life cycle cost is quantified using the Net Present Cost technique. Results show that SIPs yield a 20.6% reduction in cooling energy use compared to HCBs. For SIP costs of 12 and 17 USD/m2, the SIP house was cheaper throughout, or had a higher capital cost than the HCB house (breaking even in year 33), respectively. We propose policy recommendations with respect to material pricing, electricity tariffs, and energy efficiency, to improve the operational energy efficiency of houses in Bahrain and similar countries along the Arabian Peninsula.

Machine learning techniques have been used for predicting facility-related costs but there is a lack of research on developing machine learning models for the complete life-cycle cost (LCC) analysi...

In developing countries like Indonesia, cars are still the main means of transportation. This causes several problems in metropolitan cities, such as the increase in urban population, the volume of vehicles, air pollution, and traffic congestion. The development of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) on LRT is expected to increase public interest in using trains and reducing the numerous problems associated with the use of cars. However, LRT based on TOD development requires a huge financial investment. Therefore, a financial feasibility study is needed to determine the project was feasible or not. The initial and operation-maintenance costs were used as a case study, with the journal review utilized, where the amount needed to develop TOD in other places was analyzed. The methodology used to get the amount of revenue was the dynamic system. From this study, the initial cost of LRT and Property Development obtained were Rp28,291,200,000,000 and Rp23,617,623,459,802, while the Operation and Maintenance costs were Rp19,017,051,414,153 and Rp36,953,818,402,363 respectively. However the new revenue obtained from operating LRT stations and properties are Rp41,109,405,822,615 and Rp150,524,288,553,165, with an IRR value of 9.75%. The values below WACC of 11.01% indicate that the project is not financially feasible.

Meeting energy demands and achieving energy independence is one of the highest goals on any nation’s priority list. The increase in energy demands in the U.S. and the need for affordable energy have caused substantial developments in the fracking arena over the last two decades. Although the fracking process has dominated the last decade because of its contribution to more affordable energy, the negative environmental impacts have certainly been questioned. Therefore, it is imperative to calculate the real net cost of fracking by weighing its benefits against its negative environmental impacts as well. This research study is a foundational study that identifies the major cost centers and the impacts needs assessment for the fracking process across its different life cycle phases through an extensive literature review, a comprehensive Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA), and dynamic cost modeling. Datasets were analyzed at a macro-level to find the life cycle cost of fracking using several data sources and implementing life cycle analysis and assessment approaches. A Monte-Carlo simulation was used during the analysis to account for the range of values at the macro-level, rendering this model to be dynamic in nature, and the costs to be more reliable. The results demonstrated that air and water pollution are some of the highest impacting factors in the fracking process, and the most expensive. It was duly noted in the study that dependence on depletable energy sources like shale gas is very costly and economically and environmentally unsustainable, which urge a sustainable calculated transition towards more renewable energy in the imminent future. Finally, this study provides a major platform as a fracking LCC framework for different future studies.